Yavuz Sultan Selim Accelerated the Development of Istanbul

Oct 01, 2026

Yandex, which analyzed traffic in Istanbul, found that traffic congestion decreased in 2017 compared to 2015, while average speed increased by 2 percent during peak evening hours and by 5 percent at midday.

After examining Istanbul’s traffic data for three years, from January 2015 to December 2017, Yandex determined that the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge and the Eurasia Tunnel had a positive impact on Istanbul’s traffic. Traffic congestion in Istanbul was lower in 2017 compared to 2015 on weekdays. Average speed increased by 2 percent during peak evening hours and by 5 percent at midday.

During peak evening hours, the speed on the route from the Golden Horn Bridge to the July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge was 23 km/h in 2015, 34 km/h in 2016, and 41 km/h in 2017. On the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, the speed in the Asia-to-Europe direction was 32 km/h in 2015, 49 km/h in 2016, and 54 km/h in 2017. In the Europe-to-Asia direction, vehicles traveled at an average speed of 59 km/h in 2015, while this figure rose to 61 km/h in 2017.

The fastest crossing is on the FSM Bridge

In the morning hours, drivers traveling from the Golden Horn Bridge toward the July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge traveled at an average speed of 44 km/h in 2015 and 48 km/h in 2016, reaching up to 59 km/h in 2017. In 2015, during the morning hours, it was possible to travel at an average speed of 47 km/h in the Asia-Europe direction on the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge; the following year, this increased to 53 km/h, and by 2017, it reached 73 km/h. In the Europe-to-Asia direction, the average speed, which was 74 km/h in 2015, rose to 81 km/h in 2017.

In Istanbul, weekday traffic congestion lasts for about 2 hours from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Morning traffic on Mondays and Tuesdays, and evening traffic on Fridays, are the busiest times.

Saturdays are very busy

On weekends, traffic congestion gradually increases from morning to evening but drops rapidly after 7:00–8:00 PM. Average traffic on Saturdays was higher than on Mondays. While roads are busier on Saturdays than on any weekday, traffic is lightest on Sundays.

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