Bakirkoy Transport: Marmaray, M1A, Metrobus and Ferries

Public transport in Bakırköy (Bakirkoy) is built around Marmaray: you can board at Marmaray Bakırköy station and travel without changing trains to the western side of the European shore or under the Bosphorus to the Asian side. The M1A metro and Metrobus run through İncirli; sea buses to Yalova and Bursa leave from the İDO ferry pier on the seafront.

Below we explain each line’s stop in Bakırköy, where it goes and when it is useful. Walking times are measured from our address in Zeytinlik.

Summary table

Marmaray

Marmaray is the suburban line running between Halkalı and Gebze, connecting the European and Asian sides through a tunnel under the Bosphorus. Marmaray Bakırköy station is on this line.

• To the west (Halkalı direction): Ataköy, Yeşilyurt, Yeşilköy, Florya Aquarium, Florya, Küçükçekmece and on to Halkalı.
• To the east (Gebze direction): Yenimahalle, Zeytinburnu, Kazlıçeşme, Yenikapı, Sirkeci; after the tunnel, Üsküdar, Ayrılık Çeşmesi, Söğütlüçeşme and on to Gebze.

Transfer points: at Yenikapı you can change to the M1 and M2 metros; at Ayrılık Çeşmesi to the M4 metro. From Bakırköy, Yenikapı is about 15 minutes away and Sirkeci about 20 minutes. Timetables and intervals can change, so check current information with TCDD Taşımacılık and Marmaray sources.

M1A metro

M1A runs between Yenikapı and Atatürk Airport; its stop in Bakırköy is Bakırköy-İncirli.

• To the west: Bahçelievler, Ataköy-Şirinevler, Yenibosna, DTM-Istanbul Expo Center and the final stop, Atatürk Airport.
• To the east: Zeytinburnu, Merter, Otogar, Aksaray and Yenikapı (with the other stops in between).

What you should know: Atatürk Airport is closed to passenger flights; flights in Istanbul operate from Istanbul Airport (IST) and Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW). M1A is most useful for those going to Istanbul main bus terminal (Esenler Otogar) and Istanbul Expo Center (IFM, Yeşilköy).

Metrobus

The Metrobus runs along the D-100 (E-5) highway between Beylikdüzü and Söğütlüçeşme. Its stop in Bakırköy is İncirli, and it crosses the Bosphorus over the 15 July Martyrs Bridge.

The Metrobus is most useful for neighbourhoods along the D-100. For Yenikapı, the historic peninsula and the airports, Marmaray and connecting lines are the better choice.

Sea travel

Bakırköy İDO ferry pier is on the seafront and 14 minutes’ walk from the address. From here there are sea bus and fast ferry services to Yalova and Bursa. For city ferry services, check the current timetable. Bakırköy and Yenikapı are on the same side, the European side.

Lines reached by transfer

Three lines that do not pass through Bakırköy but are easy to reach with a Marmaray transfer are the ones most useful for city sightseeing:

• T1 tram: Runs between Kabataş and Bağcılar; it passes through Sirkeci, Eminönü, Sultanahmet and Karaköy stops. You can get off at Marmaray’s Sirkeci station and change to the T1.
• M2 metro: Runs between Yenikapı and Hacıosman; Taksim, Şişli and Levent are on this line. Change from Marmaray at Yenikapı.
• M4 metro: Runs between Kadıköy and Sabiha Gökçen Airport, entirely on the Asian side. Change from Marmaray at Ayrılık Çeşmesi.

Istanbulkart, taxi and car

• Istanbulkart: Valid on Marmaray, metro, Metrobus, tram, ferry and bus. One card is enough for a journey with transfers.
• Taxi: Istanbul taxis run on the meter; check that the meter is started when your journey begins.
• Car: If you are coming by car, research parking options nearby in advance. If you will go into the centre and back during the day, the rail system is not affected by road traffic.

Commonly used routes

For arrival from the airport, see our Istanbul Airport guide; for city sightseeing, see our Sultanahmet and Taksim day-trip plan. You can see the area around the address on the location page. Our line is open 24/7; call for directions or message us on WhatsApp in English: 0532 655 43 32.

Common questions