Riding the Historic Red Tram - Istiklal Avenue

Whether you are a kid dangling at the back for a free ride ( won't last long as the driver will shoo you away soon enough)

.....or a full paying adult, there's some magic about these trams.

 

Spanning a length of approximately 1.5km, starting from Taksim Square and ending at Tunel, it's a really fun way to cover Istiklal Avenue rather quickly. 



 

Me, I feel like a kid again, holding my breath, as it makes its approach. Right now, I'm just enjoying Istiklal, soaking in the atmosphere but I will ride it later.



See the Mc D's there ? Don't bother going in for wifi, there's none. 

Same goes for the Burger King outlet next to it. Zero.

 

Anyway, back to the subject matter at hand, millions of Turks love walking through this street everyday. So it can be pretty overwhelming for first time visitors. The waves of people increase especially after dark. Every single day, same scenario. But because it's a great shopping and nightlife street, a good option is to take the tram one way, and take a slow walk back to the starting point.

 

And board it I do, once the skies turn. My Istanbulkart comes in handy. The inside is gorgeous, made of wood, like that old underground train found in Buenos Aires, only cuter.

 

I'm sure you can see that there's limited seats.
One seater on each side.Maximum of 2 persons per row. Huhuhu.

 

However, should you be forced to stand, no worries, you can always stick your head out from the window ( this being November ) and watch the endless bobbing masses with your jaw open.

 



Don't think of sitting both ways, each time you'll have to get down , line up and pay the fare again.
 

Location : Istiklal Avenue, Istanbul