The T6 SirkeciâÂÂKazlñçeà Âme Tramway Line or U3 SirkeciâÂÂKazlñçeà Âme Rail Line () is a commuter rail line that operates between the Sirkeci Terminal and Kazlñçeà Âme Station.
The T6 line uses approximately of track previously used by the Istanbul Sirkeci-Pythio Railway and Istanbul suburban closed since August 12, 2013 as part of construction of the Marmaray, running on refurbished tracks through Sirkeci and Kazlñçeà Âme. The line currently uses repainted TCDD E32000 units used on the Marmaray line, but is expected to have modernized nostalgic tram vehicles, although when these nostalgic tram vehicles will be put into operation remains unclear. Despite the tram designation, its trains and infrastructure is not of tram, but rather closer to commuter rail with metro-like elements.
With the completion of this project, it is once again possible for regional and international trains to depart from Sirkeci as before, and for trains carrying dangerous goods that could not use the Marmaray Tunnel to be transported from Sirkeci to Haydarpaà Âa by train ferry.
The line is defined as a rail line by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, but defined as a light rail or tram system by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB).
Unlike Istanbul's three other tram lines - namely, T1, T4 and T5 - served by street-running vehicles, T6 uses multi-unit trains following a grade-separated right-of-way. Trains start from the Sirkeci station, where they link to T1 and Marmaray, and then continue along the Kennedy Avenue. From there, the tracks move away from the avenue to link to the Yenikapñ Transfer Center, where they meet again with Marmaray as well as M1 and M2 lines. The line then continues together with Marmaray, connecting to its trains at the Kazlñçeà Âme terminus.
Overall, the line stretches for 8.3 kilometres of mostly at-grade single-track rail. This way, T6 is the shortest of the four tram lines and among Istanbul's shortest non-funicular modern transit lines; it is only longer than M6 in the north of the city.