Turkey rail news – Page 3
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Metro Report InternationalAutomated Line M8 inaugurated in Istanbul
TURKEY: The 14·3 km automated metro Line M8 linking Bostancı with Dudullu on the Anatolian side of Istanbul opened on January 6. The line has 13 stations and passes through four districts with a total of 1·7 million inhabitants. Civil works started in 2016 but were suspended ...
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In depthComment: Transport back on the climate agenda
The recent COP27 climate summit in Egypt received a broadly underwhelming response, but for the rail and public transport sectors at least, there were signs of hope that the mobility transition is edging back on to the global climate agenda after being largely absent at COP26 in Glasgow last year.
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NewsTCDD seeks solar-powered electricity supply
TURKEY: National infrastructure manager TCDD has begun work on the development of a 10 MW solar power plant in Balıkesir in the northwest of the country.
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NewsGaziray commuter line opens for revenue service
TURKEY: The Gaziray suburban route in the southern city of Gaziantep has been ceremonially inaugurated.
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Metro Report InternationalAnkara develops plans for three metro extensions
TURKEY: Ankara municipality’s General Directorate of Transport Planning & Rail Systems has awarded consultancy contracts to support the design of new or extended metro lines M2, M4 and M5 totalling 26 km. A contract covering two branches extending M2 from Koru to Yaşamkent and Bağlıca totalling ...
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Metro Report InternationalConstruction restarts on more links to Istanbul’s second airport
TURKEY: Following the award of a new contract, construction is set to restart on the final extension of Istanbul’s metro Line M4 which serves Sabiha Gökçen airport, and on Line M10 which will provide a through route linking the airport with Pendik main line station and İçmeler further east.
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Metro Report InternationalMetro to Istanbul’s second airport opens
TURKEY: An extension of Istanbul metro Line M4 to Sabiha Gökçen airport on the Asian side of the city opened on October 2. The city’s second airport is the third busiest in Turkey with around 600 flights and 105 000 passengers a day, but was previously ...
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Rail Business UKIstanbul – London freight service planned by January
EUROPE: Planning is well advanced for the launch of a rail service carrying road semi-trailers between the Asian side of Istanbul and London via the Channel Tunnel, Albert Bastius, COO of TX Logistik, told Rail Business UK at the InnoTrans exhibition. The initiative is almost ready ...
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NewsConstruction of Ankara – Izmir high speed line restarts
TURKEY: Construction has restarted on the 503 km high speed line which will reduce the rail distance between Ankara and Izmir from 824 km to 624 km, operating at a maximum speed of 250 km/h and reducing the end-to-end journey time from 14 h to 3½ ...
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NewsTest running starts on Gaziantep suburban corridor
TURKEY: Test operations have started on the Gaziray suburban network in the southeastern city of Gaziantep, with Minister of Transport Adil Karaismailoğlu attending the inaugural test run on September 1.
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NewsFire fighting and rescue wagon rolled out
TURKEY: A fire-fighting and rescue wagon has been rolled out by Türkiye Raylı Sistem Araçları in Eskişehir. It has a platform with an equipment module and water tank containers which can be used to fight lineside forest fires or tackle fires on trains carrying petroleum products, ...
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NewsInterRail opens Turkish subsidiary as alternative Eurasian freight routes gain momentum
TURKEY: Swiss rail freight, rolling stock and container group InterRail has established a Turkish subsidiary, saying it sees great potential on trade routes linking western Europe, the CIS, Central Asia and China. It also wants to develop Turkey as a hub for transport from North Africa. ...
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Metro Report InternationalBursa opens T2 tramway
TURKEY: Bursa’s north-south tramway T2 opened on July 2, with a week of free travel. The 9·4 km line connects the Terminal bus station in the north with Kent Meydanı, where there is an interchange with T1. The route has 11 stops. ...
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NewsAnkara – Sivas high speed line to open ‘this year’ despite tunnelling problems
TURKEY: Completion of the Ankara – Sivas high speed line is facing more potential delays because of an error in the excavation of emergency access tunnels. A member of parliament for the city of Sivas, Ulaş Karasu, has asked Transport Minister Adil Karaismailoğlu to explain why ...
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NewsRENFE leases hotel trains to Turkish private operator
TURKEY: Spanish national operator RENFE is to lease two Talgo locomotive-hauled hotel trains to private tourist train operator Sun Tren for use on a luxury tourist service linking Istanbul with Cappadocia.
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Metro Report InternationalTurkish government seeks to extend control over urban rail investment
TURKEY: The Ministry of Transport & Communications is seeking to become both owner and operator of new urban railways it is funding, instead of handing over operation and management of the completed assets to city municipalities as has happened in the past.
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NewsUK export financing to support completion of Ankara – Izmir high speed corridor
TURKEY: UK Export Finance has agreed to guarantee £1·8bn through its Buyer Credit Scheme to support construction of the Polatlı – Izmir high speed line, which will create a more direct route between the capital and Turkey’s third largest city.
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NewsTurkey – Bulgaria reconstruction contract halted
TURKEY: The country’s highest administrative court has cancelled the contract awarded in June last year for reconstruction of TCDD’s main line between Ispartaküle and Halkalı, which forms the southern section of the Turkey’s principal rail link with western Europe.
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In depthTurkey: Currency crunch dents metro expansion
An array of urban and suburban rail projects is underway across Turkey, but political squabbles between central government and city administrations and major currency fluctuations could yet hinder delivery of the investment, as David O’Byrne explains.
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NewsRebuilt Konya – Karaman route opens
TURKEY: The transport ministry has announced the opening of the 106 km Konya – Karaman line, which has been extensively upgraded and realigned by lead contractor Gülermak. The double-tracked route mostly follows the alignment of the existing railway, but several cut-offs and ...