The Eurasia Tunnel is a 5km double-decked road tunnel connecting under the Bosphorus Strait, forming part of a 14.6km transport corridor from Kazlıcesme in Europe and Goztepe on Asia.
Istanbul, 22nd December 2025 – It has been close to a decade since the opening ceremony for the Eurasia Tunnel took place. It is safe to say that in a span of less than a decade, it has become not only another essential element in the infrastructure network of Turkiye, Turkey. But it can be considered a catalyst for its economy as well, since it has contributed around $2.6 billion (£2.1 billion) to it since the day it opened to traffic on 20th December 2016.
This has been announced by Turkiye‘s Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu on the ninth anniversary of the tunnel’s opening and testifies to a multi-faceted contribution exceeding simple vehicle passage, entailing time savings, environmental benefits, and improved urban mobility.
Essentially, the Eurasia Tunnel is a 5km double-decked road tunnel connecting under the Bosphorus Strait, forming part of a 14.6km transport corridor from Kazlıcesme in Europe and Goztepe on Asia. Specifically built for light traffic such as passenger cars, motorbikes, and minibuses, it has significantly relieved one of the most congested routes in Istanbul.
Prior to the opening of the tunnel, traveling through this busy route could take as much as 100 minutes. Presently, the entire route can be covered within 15 minutes. This clearly shows that there has been a major reduction in travel time and distance. This has immediately led to economic advantages because the project has cut travel time by 250 million hours over nine years.
Saving time is only one of the many significance that can be attributed to the constructed tunnel. The distances that people used to travel by road have decreased fuel consumption by an average of 304,000 tons every nine years. In addition, carbon emissions that were released before the implementation of this project stand at 139,000 tons. This is equivalent to planting trees valued at 5.5 million.
It can also be seen that the kilometres driven have diminished accident costs, as well as fuelling costs for commuters, adding to the economic benefit inherent in the $2.6 billion value. The tunnel has, by relieving congestion on other routes, ensured a seamless flow of commodities, services, and manpower in one of the largest cities in Europe.
Minister Uraloglu has expressed that infrastructure benefits reach beyond traffic metrics into urban regeneration and accessibility. Works associated with the tunnel included widening the approach roads, constructing new junctions and underpasses, and the improvement of pedestrian infrastructure on both sides of the city.
In the historic peninsula-a UNESCO World Heritage site-the project respected heritage guidelines while expanding public spaces. The pedestrian corridor along the European waterfront grew from 55 metres to 277 metres, and 11,642 new trees were planted. Cycle paths, pedestrian walkways and playgrounds also form part of the enhanced urban landscape, with accessibility upgrades ensuring that these public spaces serve local communities more equitably.
The usefulness of the tunnel is seen in its traffic performance data. In the year 2025, the level of traffic was in excess of the agreed level by 8 per cent, an average level of 77,000 crossings per day. The regular level of use is an indication that the tunnel remains an important commute option for the residents of Istanbul, in spite of its high cost.
Nine years after opening, the Eurasia Tunnel is a prime example of how well-planned infrastructure can make a concrete contribution to economic growth. As a $2.6 billion engine for economic growth to date, in addition to being a critical infrastructure component, the Eurasia Tunnel is symbolic not only for Istanbul’s infrastructure development, because it shows how connectivity initiatives, if aimed at balanced goals, can make meaningful contributions to outcomes that go well beyond a balance sheet.
