Istanbul's metro network is the cheapest, fastest way around the city, and the question everyone eventually googles at 11:47 PM is the same: when does it close? Here is the full picture for 2026, line by line, including the weekend night services that keep running while the rest of the network sleeps.
The short answer
Nearly every metro line in Istanbul runs from around 06:00 in the morning to around midnight (00:00). On Friday and Saturday nights, several key lines keep running through the night with reduced frequency, roughly every 30 minutes, so a weekend night out doesn't have to end in a taxi.
The main lines, at a glance
M1A / M1B (Yenikapi - Airport(old)/Kirazli):
about 06:00 to 00:00, night service on weekendsM2 (Yenikapi - Haciosman, via Taksim and Sishane):
about 06:00 to 00:00, night service on weekendsM4 (Kadikoy - Sabiha Gokcen Airport):
about 06:00 to 00:00, night service on weekendsM5 (Uskudar - Samandira):
about 06:00 to 00:00, night service on weekendsM7 (Mecidiyekoy - Mahmutbey):
about 06:00 to 00:00, night service on weekendsM11 (Gayrettepe - Istanbul Airport):
about 06:00 to 00:40, weekend nights extended roughly every 30 minutes until about 05:30Marmaray (Halkali - Gebze, under the Bosphorus):
First trains around 06:00, last around 23:00 from the end stationsT1 tram (Kabatas - Bagcilar, through Sultanahmet):
roughly 06:00 to midnight
Weekend night metro (gece metrosu)
On the nights connecting Friday to Saturday and Saturday to Sunday, lines including M1A, M1B, M2, M4, M5, M6 and M7 run through the night at reduced frequency. The airport line M11 also extends its weekend service deep into the night, with trains roughly every 30 minutes until the early morning. This is the single most useful fact for anyone whose nights out run past midnight: check the night metro before defaulting to a taxi.
Practical notes
Frequencies vary through the day, from a few minutes apart at rush hour to around 10-15 minutes late in the evening. Everything runs on the Istanbulkart, which also covers trams, buses, ferries and funiculars. For live timetables and service disruptions, the official source is metro.istanbul and the Metro Istanbul app; exact first and last train times shift slightly by station, since a train leaving the depot end at 06:00 reaches the far end of the line later.
Note that the metro closing around midnight on weekdays is precisely why every Istanbul night-out guide tells you to plan your ride home in advance: from Sunday to Thursday, if you're out past 00:00, you're in taxi or night bus territory.
If your night ends after midnight on a weekend, walk to the nearest M2 or M4 station before opening a taxi app, there's a decent chance the night metro saves you the fare. On weeknights, don't cut it fine: aim to be on the platform by 23:40, since the last trains fill up and the exact time varies by station.
Frequently asked questions
What time does the Istanbul metro open and close?
Most lines run from about 06:00 to midnight every day. On Friday and Saturday nights, several major lines (M1, M2, M4, M5, M6, M7) continue running through the night at roughly 30-minute intervals.
Does the metro run all night in Istanbul?
Only on weekend nights (Friday to Saturday, Saturday to Sunday), and only on selected lines, at reduced frequency. On weeknights the network closes around midnight.
What time does the M11 airport metro start and stop?
The M11 to Istanbul Airport starts around 06:00 and runs its last regular departure around 00:40, with weekend night service extended roughly every 30 minutes until about 05:30.
What are Marmaray's operating hours?
Marmaray's first trains leave the end stations (Halkali and Gebze) around 06:00, with last departures around 23:00. Trains run about every 8 minutes at peak times and every 15 minutes off-peak.