Marmaray: A tunnel connects Europe with Asia

13 November 2013 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  6 minutes

Marmaray Project © R1410/cc-by-sa-3.0

Marmaray Project © R1410/cc-by-sa-3.0

Marmaray is a rail transport project in the Turkish city of Istanbul. It comprises an undersea rail tunnel under the Bosphorus strait, and the modernization of existing suburban railway lines along the Sea of Marmara from Halkalı on the European side to Gebze on the Asian side. The procurement of new rolling stock for suburban passenger traffic is also part of the project. Construction started in 2004, with an initial target opening date of April 2009. After multiple delays due to historical finds, the first phase of the project opened on October 29, 2013.   read more…

The Bosphorus, the link between Europe and Asia

23 November 2012 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  7 minutes

Bosphorus seen from the Bosphorus University © Mehmet Ergun

Bosphorus seen from the Bosphorus University © Mehmet Ergun

The Bosphorus or Bosporus, also known as the Istanbul Strait, is a strait that forms part of the boundary between Europe and Asia. The Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles strait to the southwest together form the Turkish Straits. The world’s narrowest strait used for international navigation, the Bosphorus connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara, which is connected by the Dardanelles to the Aegean Sea, and thereby to the Mediterranean Sea.   read more…

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