Türkiye has expanded its high-speed rail network by opening a new 153-kilometer segment connecting Çerkezköy, located west of Istanbul, to Kapıkule on the Bulgarian border. This development marks a significant step in enhancing Türkiye’s connectivity with European markets and is expected to bolster the nation’s trade and tourism sectors.
The newly inaugurated railway section is the most extensive part of the 229-kilometer Halkalı-Kapıkule line, which starts on the outskirts of Istanbul. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, together with EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, attended the official opening ceremony in Kırklareli province. Erdoğan emphasized that the railway would improve Türkiye’s transport infrastructure and support its export ambitions, potentially boosting production, employment, and trade.
The project includes new station buildings in Babaeski, Lüleburgaz, and Büyükkarıştıran, as well as the reconstruction of the Kapıkule and Edirne stations. The high-speed rail now serves 14 provinces, having incorporated Tekirdağ, Kırklareli, and Edirne into its network.
Equipped with electrification and modern signaling systems, the double-track railway allows trains to reach speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour. Passenger travel time between Halkalı and Kapıkule is expected to reduce from four hours to approximately 1.5 hours, while freight transit times are projected to decrease from 8.5 hours to 3.5 hours. The railway’s passenger capacity is anticipated to rise from 600,000 to around three million annually, with freight capacity increasing from 1.5 million to 9.5 million tonnes.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu highlighted that the railway would strengthen trade links between Türkiye and the European Union and support the Middle Corridor, a trade route connecting Asia and Europe. Co-financed by Türkiye and the EU, this railway segment forms part of the Trans-European Transport Network and aims to improve connections between European markets and industrial centers in Istanbul, Kocaeli, Tekirdağ, and the broader Thrace region.
Türkiye continues to invest in its railway infrastructure, with plans to expand its network to 28,590 kilometers by 2053. This long-term strategy includes constructing an additional 4,858 kilometers of railway, reinforcing the government’s commitment to improving logistics, expanding international trade, and enhancing connections between Europe and Asia.