26 İETT lines withdraw from Kadıköy waterfront hub; new UK shuttle service launches

Quick summary

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality closed the bus terminal at Kadıköy Rıhtım as part of the Kadıköy Square Pedestrianization Project and relocated 26 İETT lines to Uzunçayır Bus Stations. A new UK line was launched between Uzunçayır and Kadıköy offering free transfers to provide passenger access to the city centre.

Why it matters

Passengers who regularly use buses from Kadıköy will face longer travel times and be required to make transfers. While some lines will be cancelled, others will change routes; consequently, residents of Sultanbeyli and Sancaktepe in particular will have to adapt to the new service arrangement.

Key takeaways

• ›26 İETT bus lines — running 2,461 daily trips — have been removed from the Kadıköy Waterfront hub as part of the city's pedestrianization drive.
• ›A free shuttle line coded 'UK' now connects the new Uzunçayır stops to Kadıköy center in both directions.
• ›Nine lines have been scrapped entirely; line KM21 replaces line 16S with an extended route to Sabiha Gökçen Airport, and five new SM-coded lines will serve Sultanbeyli and Sancaktepe.