Have
you ever gone from nowhere to nowhere?
If
you walk down from Nişantaşı heading toward the shore
road, you will run into the Maçka Park starting point of the teleferik. Using your akbil or with a 3-lira jeton, you can hop on one of the
space-ship looking pods. Each pod can hold six people.
Well,
that’s kind of what my husband and I felt like this weekend when we took the teleferik at Maçka Park in Istanbul.
Riding
the teleferik (cable car) has been on
our Istanbul “bucket list,” and we finally got to cross it off after almost
three years of living here. Although the 3-minute ride did offer some great
views over the park, I can tell you that you aren’t really missing much if you
don’t get to ride the teleferik.
What’s
odd is where the teleferik is
located, and the fact that it doesn’t connect to or even near another mode of
public transportation. But this is hardly surprising here in Istanbul. I’ve had
several moments where I thought the city planners (or lack thereof) didn’t
think or plan the public transportation stops/connections very well. Burası
Türkiye!
 |
| Looking out from my "pod" over Maçka Park. |
We
timed our ride so it would be close to sunset and shared our pod with two couples.
It was çok romantik! Actually, I can see how young children would really
enjoy this short voyage.
The ride takes you about
300 meters above Maçka
Park, also called Demokrasi Parkı, which is a pleasant
enough park with wooden benches, jogging paths and plenty of greenery.
The ride ends (or also begins depending on you look at
it) in Taksim near the “Taşkışla”
building of Istanbul Technical University. The Grand Hyatt Hotel also is
located on the other side of the street.
 |
| A night view of the Taşkışla building of the Istanbul Technical University. |
For
university students rushing to class, I can see how this cable car provides a
convenience to avoid walking all the way around the park – about 10 minutes or
so. I wish I had this option when I lived in Nebraska,
but my campus was as flat as a pancake.
Seriously,
taking the teleferik is one of those
only in Istanbul moments I’m glad we experienced together. And the short ride offers
a unique panoramic view of this city that I love and will miss greatly!
The
cable car, which opened in 1993, runs daily from 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
 |
| This is the Taksim entrance/exit of the teleferik in Istanbul. |
 |
| Here you can see the pulley and brake system that helps operate the teleferik. |
8 comments:
Beautiful views from the top on the observation deck!
@Becky, yes, still a lovely view of Istanbul! Afterwards, we even walked to the nearby Intercontinental Hotel for a sunset cocktail. Great views from there too!
another one of those things you never have to do! we have vernaculars which bring people up and down the mountainside right in front of my house.
@Joyce, really? At least going up and down the mountain would be kinda fun esp. in the wintertime. :-)
I have always wondered about the teleferik though never dared to go - I have thing with heights! glad you get the good view though. how I wished for a better public transportation at home! mind you, the Levent - Karakoy metro is heavenly and the tram to Sultanahmet - yavas yavas.. : )
this loks so fun - i definitely need to do this next time i'm up in istanbul...
How much is one tour?
@Leutrim, the cost to ride the teleferik is the same as one Turkish jeton. At that time, it was 3 tl for one way.
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