TWO new metro lines totalling 12.9km are planned for Istanbul, Turkey’s transport and infrastructure minister, Mr Adil Karaismailoğlu, has announced. The first 4.5km line will connect the neighbourhoods of Altunizade and Çamlıca in the Üsküdar district on the Asian side of the city, Daily Sabah reports. The second 8.4km line will connect the Kazlıçeşme and Sirkeci neighbourhoods on the European side of Istanbul, Karaismailoğlu said. Istanbul is currently served by a 251km metro network, which will be extended to 342km once projects currently underway are completed. Work is ongoing on six lines, including the Pendik - Tavşantepe - Sabiha Gökçen Airport line on the Asian side, and the Bakırköy - Kirazlı, Başakşehir - Kayaşehir, Gayrettepe - Istanbul Airport and Halkalı - Istanbul Airport lines on the European side of the city. The 31.5km, 120km/h Gayrettepe - Istanbul Airport (M11) line, which will reduce travel times from the city centre to the airport to 35 minutes, is due to be completed by the end of the year, Karaismailoğlu confirmed. For detailed data on metro projects around the world, subscribe to IRJ Pro.