İZBAN

İZBAN currently has four routes; The Aliağa-Cumaovası, serving the central districts of the city and into Aliağa, The Southern Line, serving the central districts, Adnan Menderes Airport, the southern town of Menderes and the southern town of Torbalı, The Tepeköy-Selçuk which connects the town of Torbalı with the town of Selçuk, The Çiğli-Halkapınar line only runs during rush hours on weekends in order to reduce pressure on The Aliağa-Cumaovası and The Menemen-Tepeköy lines. Apart from The Tepeköy-Selçuk line, all lines run through the central districts providing 8 trains per hour in the central district

İZBAN A.Ş. was jointly created on 10 January 2007 by the İzmir Municipality and the Turkish State Railways to operate commuter service within the city. Previously commuter service was operated by the State Railways but service wasn't very frequent and trains weren't as efficient. By 2006 commuter ridership within İzmir was at its all time lowest with only 98,000 boardings that year. This followed a steady decrease in ridership since the 1990s.[2] In order to revive commuter service in the city, the State Railways executed a complete overhaul of their two lines within the city. On 23 July 2006 the State Railways temporarily suspended all rail service into İzmir. Regional and intercity trains would terminate at Çiğli in the north and Gaziemir in the south.

During this time, the 24 existing commuter stations were rebuilt and 5 new stations were added. 15 new bus transfer terminals were added to integrate commuter service with the citywide bus service ESHOT. All grade crossings were converted to overpasses or underpasses with the exception of 7 crossings that were operational when service began. Today, only 3 remain and will be removed in the near future. Two railway tunnels were built in Karşıyaka and Şirinyer with a total of 4 underground stations and the railway's former right of way were converted into parks. Tracks were relaid with cement ties and signalization was upgraded to a central control station at Alsancak. Turnstiles were added at stations to integrate them with the citywide smartcard, Kentkart. A new maintenance facility was opened in Çiğli as well as a small yard was opened in Cumaovası for the trains. Works on the southern line finished in mid-2009 and regional service was restored to Basmane station. Works on the Northern Line finished in Spring 2010 and service was restored on 1 May 2010.

İzmir transportation network map: IZBAN lines shown in green

Currently, İZBAN operates 164 daily trains in both directions between Cumaovası and Aliağa.[3] All of the tracks are owned by the Turkish State Railways. There are also bus terminals integrated with several new stations. These stations are: Halkapınar, Şirinyer, Semt Garajı, Esbaş, Sarnıç and Cumaovası on the Southern Line, Mavişehir, Çiğli, Egekent 2, Hatundere, Biçerova, Menemen and Ulukent on the Northern Line.

In 2022, the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality announced that work on two inflill stations would begin in 2023. The stations will be called Lale, located between Şirinyer and Kemer, and Katip Çelebi University, located between Egekent and Ulukent.

In 2023 the mayor of Izmir announced plans for two new stops in Menemen. The stops will be called Koyundere and Asarlık. Both will be located between Egekent 2 and Menemen stations.[6]

• 
  IZBAN trains at Alsancak in 2010.
• 
  A southbound train departing Çiğli station.
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  A train waiting to head back to Alsancak station during a test run before its opening.
• 
  A northbound train leaving the Çiğli station.
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  A train arriving at Alsancak station on opening day.
• 
  E22017 at Alsancak Station.
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  E22008 at Adnan Menderes Airport.
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  İZBAN at Alsancak station.

• İzmir Metro
• Rail transport in İzmir
• Tram Izmir

Media related to İZBAN at Wikimedia Commons

• (in Turkish) İZBAN A.Ş. official website