Istanbul's Tünel (Underground)

Built by French engineers and inaugurated on January 17, 1875, Istanbul's Tünel underground train allowed European diplomats and businessmen to ride between their waterside offices in Karaköy (Galata) and their hilltop residences in Beyoglu (Pera).

It was only the third underground railway built in the world by that time, and was the shortest.

For over a century it was Istanbul's only underground train.

Although the city has now completed several lines of its far-flung Metro system, and the Tünel's wonderful old 19th-century lacquered-wood cars were replaced by boring modern metal cars in the 1970s, the Tünel is still fun to ride, and quite convenient.

Fare is about YTL1.30 (cheaper if you use your Akbil electronic transit pass) and, as there are only two stations, you won't get lost.

The Tünel operates from about 06:00 am until 22:00 (10 pm). I don't know for sure. I went to the IETT website to look up the times. The website has all sorts of moving, flashing, sliding baloney on it, and it gives you lots of wonderful historical facts about transport in Istanbul, but it doesn't tell you the times that services operate. Duh!

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Above, Tünel's little two-car train.

Below, the tunnel that gives the train its name.

Istanbul Train Tunnel