Drivers, taxi passengers and visitors crossing Istanbul or central Ankara on Sunday, 20 September, should allow extra time. Istanbul's Traffic Control Centre lists event closures from 06:00 around the Balat–Unkapanı corridor and from 06:00 or 07:30 along sections of the L'Étape Türkiye cycling route. Ankara Police separately closed part of Aşkabat Avenue from 06:00 for Car-Free City Day. The notices do not announce a general airport, intercity-road or citywide public-transport shutdown.
Central Istanbul: Balat to Unkapanı
The municipal traffic notice closes the coastal road from Balat (Ayvansaray Avenue) to Atatürk Bridge at Unkapanı to vehicle traffic from 06:00 until 15:00. This can affect road journeys between the Historic Peninsula, Golden Horn neighbourhoods and Beyoğlu. Fevzipaşa Avenue and Galata Bridge may also receive additional traffic, so a live navigation check is more reliable than a fixed journey estimate.
L'Étape closures extend beyond the city centre
Separate municipal notices say roads on the L'Étape Türkiye course begin closing from 06:00 or 07:30, depending on the section. The official 101.59-kilometre course information was updated on 17 September. Reopening depends on the event and operational clearance; travellers should use the linked official route and Istanbul traffic feed rather than assuming every affected road stays closed for the same period.
Ankara: Aşkabat Avenue section closed both ways
Ankara Police says Aşkabat Avenue is closed in both directions between Akdeniz Avenue and Oğuzhan Asiltürk Avenue from 06:00, together with all roads opening onto that section. The measure is for Car-Free City Day during European Mobility Week. The official notice gives no precise reopening time, so drivers should check current police and municipal traffic information before entering the area.
Practical plan for transfers and appointments
For a flight, train, hospital appointment or hotel transfer, leave a larger buffer and confirm the driver's route shortly before departure. Public transport may be a useful alternative, but event diversions can also change bus stops or travel times. Check the relevant operator's live service notice; the road-closure bulletins alone do not confirm a cancelled metro, ferry, flight or intercity service.
What the official notices do — and do not — say
Confirmed: the listed event closures are in force on 20 September at the stated start times, with the Balat–Unkapanı notice running to 15:00. Not confirmed: a blanket closure of Istanbul or Ankara, a general airport-access ban, or one common reopening time for the full L'Étape route. Conditions can change as police and traffic teams reopen individual sections.
Ankara Police — roads closed for Car-Free City Day on 20 September 2026 →
L'Étape Türkiye — official 20 September course information →