TURKEY: The Konak tram line in Izmir opened to passengers at 10.00 on March 24. Travel is free for the first 45 days.
The 12·8 km route runs from Fahrettin Altay metro station in the west to Halkapınar metro and Izban station in the east via Konak metro station and Alsancak railway station. Grassed track is used along Mustafa Kemal Coastal Boulevard, and the line serves 19 stops.
Gülermak was the contractor on the TL450m project. Services initially run every 15 min from 06.00 to midnight, although 3 min peak headways are planned. The line has a design capacity 11 400 passengers/h per direction.
The Konak Line uses a fleet of 21 Hyundai Rotem trams ordered in 2014 under an 83·7bn won contract that also includes 17 trams for the 8·8 km Karşıyaka Line, which opened in April 2017. The five-section low-floor trams are 32 m long and have capacity for 285 passengers, including 48 seated. They were assembled at Eurotem’s factory in Adapazarı and contain 85% local content.
