GALATAPORT ISTANBUL

Temporary Historical past of Galataport

Galataport stands on a web site that has been traditionally vital for hundreds of years. Within the Ottoman period, Karaköy served as a busy buying and selling hub and port, however over time, the realm grew to become uncared for.

In 2013, the Turkish authorities launched the Galataport Undertaking, aiming to redevelop the waterfront into a contemporary cruise terminal, purchasing space, and cultural vacation spot. After years of building, the port formally opened in October 2021, remodeling Karaköy’s historic shoreline right into a energetic and accessible public area.

How Galataport Works

Galataport is a state-of-the-art cruise port, designed with an revolutionary underground terminal system. Not like conventional cruise ports, the customs and check-in areas are constructed beneath floor, maximizing waterfront area.

When a cruise ship docks, passengers disembark instantly into the underground terminal for customs processing, then take escalators or elevators as much as the primary promenade. This design permits the 2 km-long waterfront to stay open for public use, even whereas ships are in port.

The disembarkation course of from a cruise ship is as follows:

• Arrival and Docking:
  Cruise ships dock alongside Galataport’s 2-kilometre-long waterfront in Karaköy, proper on the Bosphorus. The port can accommodate as much as three massive ships and 15,000 passengers on the similar time.
• Disembarkation and Underground Terminal Entry:
  Passengers exit the cruise ship by way of direct walkways that lead underground into the terminal. This method ensures that disembarking is easy and avoids congestion on the higher ranges. Crew, safety employees and port brokers information passengers by way of the required checks.
• Customs and Immigration Clearance:
  Customs processing consists of baggage screening and immigration management. Turkish officers confirm passports and visas, if required, on the customs desks.

  NOTE: On smaller ships your passports could also be collected on board and processed for you. You can be advised to take a photograph of it earlier than handing it in.

• Entry to Transportation and the Metropolis:
  After clearing customs, passengers ascend from the underground terminal through elevators or escalators to the primary waterfront promenade. The Karaköy neighborhood is straight away accessible, with points of interest such because the Galata Tower and Taksim Sq. close by. From the terminal, passengers can simply entry taxis, public transport (like trams and ferries), or pre-arranged shore excursions. The port additionally presents baggage storage amenities for many who need to discover town with out their luggage.
• Reboarding or Departure:
  For these embarking on a cruise, the identical underground system handles check-ins and safety screening earlier than boarding. If passengers are solely in Istanbul for a day, they return to the ship through the identical direct entry factors by the scheduled departure time. 

  NOTE:  You’ll have to undergo safety/bag checks to re-enter the advanced from the road