Istanbul:Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has inaugurated a high-speed rail line connecting the Çerkezköy district in Istanbul province to Kapikule in Edirne, a border province with Greece and Bulgaria. This significant infrastructure project forms a crucial part of the “Middle Corridor” and “Development Road” initiatives, enhancing Turkey’s rail connectivity with Europe.
According to National Iraqi News Agency, the newly inaugurated line will dramatically reduce travel times, cutting the journey between Halkali (Istanbul) and Kapikule from four hours to just one hour and 30 minutes. Additionally, freight transport time will decrease from eight and a half hours to three and a half hours.
The railway’s capacity is expected to increase approximately fourfold, with projections showing an annual passenger capacity boost from 600,000 to 3 million, and freight capacity from 1.5 million tons to 9.5 million tons. President Erdogan highlighted that this development will accelerate transportation, enhance logistics services, and positively impact production, exports, and job opportunities. It will also bolster trade and tourism, benefiting the Thrace region and Turkey’s economy as a whole.
The Halkali-Kapikule line spans 229 kilometers and comprises three phases, with the 153-kilometer section between Çerkezköy and Kapikule being the longest. Designed for speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour, the line features dual tracks, is fully electrified, and equipped with signaling systems.
Erdogan noted that the project will strengthen the European connectivity of the “Middle Corridor,” which runs through Baku, Tbilisi, Kars, and Marmaray. It is also a vital component of the “Development Road” project, extending from Iraq’s Al-Faw Port through Turkey to Europe. The line is seen as a logistical backbone, facilitating access to European markets for industrial zones and ports, particularly in Istanbul.
Discussing broader railway investments, Erdogan said that transport investments have reached $355 billion during his government’s tenure, with $80 billion allocated to railways. Turkey’s railway network now totals 13,919 kilometers, with electrified lines increasing from 2,122 kilometers to 7,274 kilometers, and lines with signaling systems rising from 2,505 kilometers to 8,419 kilometers.
Turkey has constructed 2,251 kilometers of high-speed rail lines, benefiting 51% of the population. The completion of the Çerkezköy-Kapikule line will extend the high-speed rail network to 2,604 kilometers, increasing the number of provinces directly connected to 14. Railway projects are ongoing nationwide, aiming to expand the network to 28,590 kilometers by 2053, with 27 provinces connected by high-speed rail by 2028.
The “Middle Corridor” is a strategic trade route linking China to Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey, reducing transport time between Europe and Asia to 15 days. It spans 4,256 kilometers by road and rail, plus a 508-kilometer maritime segment. The “Development Road” project, including a highway and railway line, extends 1,200 kilometers within Iraq, facilitating goods transport between Europe and the Arab Gulf states.