Türkiye has significantly expanded its high-speed rail network by inaugurating a 153-kilometer railway section connecting Çerkezköy near Istanbul to Kapıkule on the Bulgarian border. This development enhances Türkiye’s transportation links with the European Union, with the project forming part of the broader 229-kilometer Halkalı-Kapıkule railway line. This initiative aims to bolster economic connections and access to European markets, as emphasized by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the opening ceremony attended by EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos in Kırklareli province.
The newly opened railway section extends Türkiye’s high-speed rail service to the provinces of Tekirdağ, Kırklareli, and Edirne, integrating them into a network that now serves 14 provinces. The project includes new station buildings in Babaeski, Lüleburgaz, and Büyükkarıştıran, along with the reconstruction of Kapıkule and Edirne stations.
This double-track railway, capable of supporting speeds up to 200 kilometers per hour, is anticipated to significantly reduce travel times. Passenger journey times from Halkalı to Kapıkule are expected to decrease from four hours to about 1.5 hours, while freight transit times will drop from 8.5 hours to 3.5 hours. As a result, annual passenger capacity could rise from 600,000 to approximately three million, and freight capacity is projected to increase from 1.5 million to 9.5 million tonnes.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu noted that the railway would enhance connectivity between Türkiye and the European Union, supporting the Middle Corridor trade route that links Asia and Europe. The expansion is jointly financed by Türkiye and the EU, forming part of the Trans-European Transport Network, and is expected to improve market connections between European regions and industrial hubs in Istanbul and the broader Thrace region.
Türkiye continues to expand its railway infrastructure, with President Erdoğan highlighting that the network has reached 13,919 kilometers, including 7,274 kilometers of electrified lines. Construction is underway on an additional 4,858 kilometers, with a long-term goal to extend the network to 28,590 kilometers by 2053. This expansion is a key component of Türkiye’s strategy to strengthen logistics, enhance international trade, and improve connectivity between Europe and Asia.