One of the best known images of Istanbul is its nostalgic tram crossing the ever busy Istiklal street. For those who walk among shops, Restaurants, churches, bookstores and passages full of charm and history, the sound of the bell announcing the passage of trams remain in his memory by the smell of hot simit and vision of a street that visit about three million people in one day weekend. Other, will mean the welcome respite for a few feet mistreated by a day of sightseeing you, by tram, they enjoyed the 1,64 km from Taksim there to Tünel without taking a single step. In either case, fond memories of our visit to the city.
In the early twentieth century Istanbul available an extensive network of trams. As in other cities in many parts of the world, the authorities took the wrong decision to withdraw and 1961 Istiklal tram stopped touring the Gran Via de Pera, as they called foreign residents of the city who traditionally lived in the area of Beyoğlu. Those 56 tram lines reached transport 108 million passengers in 1956 began to return to the streets of Istanbul 1990, when he turned into a pedestrian Istiklal area including the recovery of the tram. The other lines now run through different areas of the city using modern wagons or purchased second hand outside Turkey but the tram line T2 are the original restored and are nearly a century old.
The line has one end in Taksim Square and the other in Tünel Square. Both allow linking to other transport. In Taksim have the M2 Metro line and the funicular down to Kabatas, besides being breakpoint numerous buses. For his part, Tünel is the second-oldest subway in the world and from there we can go down to Karakoy, in the area of Galata Bridge. Along Istiklal Avenue is a one-way located in the center of the street but in the mid-travel, la plaza Galatasaray, There is a split so they can cross trains. We can use the tram in the same way as other public transport in Istanbul, Taksim and Tünel to find people who kindly indicate how to pay for travel.
The T2 line carries some 6000 passengers a day and runs against the consulates of France, Greece, Holland, Sweden, Russia, Spain and the UK. If we enjoy a walk contemplating neo-Gothic buildings, art-noveau, neorenacentistas o art-deco, from a train built in the twenties of the last century as people steps aside to hear the bell that touches our driver vintage dress, Istiklal tram is our choice.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul_nostalgic_tramways
http://istanbul.for91days.com/2013/03/12/the-antique-tram-of-istiklal-caddesi/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/istiklal_avenu to