İstanbul introduces 'sea dolmuş' to improve water transport

The İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) has introduced new boats to revitalize water transport in the metropolis surrounded by sea.

Dubbed as ‘sea dolmuş,’ the new service is the sea version of dolmuş, a shared taxi or minibus that operates on specific routes without usually without a fixed schedule, departing once all seats are filled. This concept is now being adapted to İstanbul's waterways.

Municipal subsidiary City Lines Inc. on Tuesday launched three of the sea dolmuş boats in a ceremony attended by Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and deputies from his party CHP. 

The boats were designed and produced at the historic 569-year-old Haliç Shipyard. Each boat has a capacity of 33 passengers and is equipped with facilities for disabled access. Starting July 15, these sea dolmuş will begin serving the İstinye-Küçüksu and Beykoz-Sarıyer routes between the city’s Asian and European coasts. These longer routes are known for their lower passenger density.

The fare structure for the sea dolmuş will align with City Lines' current pricing. The full fare for the Küçüksu-İstinye line is set at 29.46 liras, with discounted rates at 21.13 liras and student fares at 14.41 liras. For the Beykoz-Sarıyer line, the full fare will be 23.38 liras, with discounts at 16.65 liras and student fares at 11.53 liras. (TY/VK)