Nostalgic Tram Ride in Istiklal Street

Istiklal Street and the nostalgic tram moving like a red dream train in the middle of the street come to mind when Taksim is mentioned. This nostalgic tram has been taking people on a historical and cultural journey in the heart of Taksim for years.

History of Nostalgic Tram

The electric trams that emerged after the Azapkapı-Beşiktaş tram, which was put into service on July 31, 1871, as the first tram of Istanbul, surrounded the city over the years. While the horse-drawn trams were replaced by electric trams over time, electric trams were also out of service due to the developing urban transportation. After renewal and modernized electric vehicles, the rail system adventure began again in Istanbul. Trams advancing in an eye-catching manner in Beyoğlu made their first voyage on February 11, 1914. The tram, which became one of the indispensable elements of İstiklal Street, succumbed to developing technologies and urbanization, departed on the European Side in 1961 and on the Anatolian Side in 1966, and bid farewell to its passengers.

The Symbol of Istiklal Street

In 1989, when the electric tram was put into service for nostalgic purposes, İstiklal Street, which is suitable for pedestrian traffic, was determined as a symbolic line suitable for the Nostalgic Tram. Thus, today’s nostalgic tram started operating on the Taksim-Tünel line. With its red-white colour and original form, it quickly caught the attention. The nostalgic tram began carrying passengers on the Taksim-Tünel route on January 29, 1990. In 2015, a new tram was added by IETT personnel, and the number of vehicles serving was increased to 4. The stops of the Nostalgic Tram are Taksim, Ağa Mosque, Galatasaray, Odakule, and Tünel.

The nostalgic tram, the current representative and living example of the electric trams, carries 2,500 passengers per day on the 1,870-meter line between Taksim and Tünel. The nostalgic tram has become the symbol of not only İstiklal Street and Beyoğlu, but also Istanbul and even Turkey.