Sirkeci railway station, also known as Istanbul railway station, is a significant terminal located in Istanbul, Turkey. Situated in Sirkeci, at the tip of Istanbul's historic peninsula, it stands proudly next to the Golden Horn and in close proximity to Gülhane Park and the Topkapı Palace. This terminal, along with Haydarpaşa Terminal on the Asian side, serves as one of Istanbul's main intercity and commuter railway stations.
Dating back to 1890, Sirkeci Terminal was built by the Oriental Railway as the final stop of the famous Orient Express. Operating from 1883 to 2009, this iconic train once connected Paris and Istanbul, making Sirkeci Terminal a significant landmark in the city. However, as of 19 March 2013, the station's service was temporarily suspended due to the rehabilitation of the existing rail line between Kazlıçeşme and Halkalı. This suspension was necessary for the construction of the new Marmaray commuter rail line.
On 29 October 2013, the public was delighted by the opening of a new underground station, designed to accommodate Marmaray trains traveling across the Bosphorus. With a total of four platforms (three above ground and one underground) and seven tracks (five above ground and two underground), Sirkeci Terminal ensures efficient transportation for commuters and travelers alike. Previously, commuter trains to Halkalı would depart from tracks 2, 3, and 4, while regional and international trains to various destinations, such as Kapıkule, Edirne, Uzunköprü, Bucharest, Sofia, and Belgrade, would depart from tracks 1 and 5.
Looking back at its history, the necessity of a railway connecting Europe with Istanbul became evident to the Ottoman authorities after the Crimean War. The first contract for this ambitious project was signed in January 1857 with a British member of parliament named Labro. However, due to a lack of required investment capital, the contract was cancelled three months later. Similar attempts were made in 1860 and 1868 with British and Belgian entrepreneurs, but these contracts also ended in failure. Finally, on 17 April 1869, Baron Maurice de Hirsch (Moritz Freiherr Hirsch auf Gereuth) was awarded the concession for the "Rumeli Railroad," marking a turning point in the development of the railway system in Istanbul.
