Through complex investments and railway transport development projects, Turkey seeks not only to boost the national economy (which has recorded remarkable growth over the past four decades ranking 16th in the world and 6th in Europe), but also to get closer to the European Union, a union that the neighbour country wishes to access. Over the next three years, Turkish Railways (TCDD) plans to invest over TRY 20 Billion (EUR 8.4 Billion) in transport projects. Investments will be aimed at speeding up the liberalization of state railways.
Besides the numerous investments in building high-speed lines or those related to purchasing new rolling stock, announced both by TCDD and by the Turkish Ministry of Transport, the state seeks equally to develop the railway freight transport. Turkey’s geographical position facilitates its development of railway connections from Asia to Europe and Baku – Tbilisi – Kars corridor once inaugurated, Turkey will play a significant role in the railway freight transport market.
According to the TCDD website, 18 logistics centres will be built by 2023 when Turkey celebrates the 100th anniversary from the declaration of the state as a republic.
The Government of Ankara is aware that a disorganised industry which is not connected to the railway is a major obstacle to the development of railway transport. Local industry will benefit from the connection of logistics centres to the railway transport network and the transfer of as many freight volumes to the railway will be a serious advantage for this segment currently focused more on the transport of coal and containers.
Of the 18 logistics centres, Halkali, Samsun-Gelemen and Usak are completed and commissioned.
Four other logistics centres, Kosekoy-Izmit, Hasanbey-Eskisehir, Kaklik-Denizli, Bogazkopru-Kayseri have completed the first stage, being almost ready to be put into operation.
Yesilbayır-Istanbul, Gokkoy-Balikesir, Bozuyuk-Bilecek, Kayacik-Konya, Yenice-Mersin, Sivas, Turkoglu-Kahramanmaras, Kars, Palandoken-Erzurum, Mardin are currently the logistics centers in the stage of construction.
Turkey has also announced the construction of 4000 km of conventional railway, all by 2023. These conventional lines will be used primarily for freight transport. So far, conventional lines total 8870 km in Turkey and the target provides a conventional line length of 8961 km by the end of 2014. Moreover, at the end of 2018, Turkey expects to have 10,556 km of conventional line, and by 2023 all conventional lines will amount to 12,770 kilometres.
The railway network in Turkey will have in 2023 eight routes exclusively intended for the railway freight traffic. One of the eight routes is the well known Baku – Tbilisi – Kars estimated for commissioning at the end of 2014, according to the latest data. The remaining seven routes are perhaps less known but extremely important for the domestic railway freight transport but also for the international one, where the cross-border connection exists.
The Adapazari – Karasu – Eregli – Bartin line is currently under construction, the completion date being in 2018 and Turkey will have access to the Black Sea by Karasu port.
The project for the Aliaga – Candarli line is already completed, being in the evaluation process.
Kars – Nahcivan (Azerbaijan’s exclave on the territory of Armenia – editor’s note) is still in the project stage though the importance of building this route is stressed and Turkey included it on the list of projects that will be ready in 2023.
Nusaybin-Silopi-Habur is another route for freight traffic, with connection to Iraq. For this project the organisation of a tender was announced this year.
Mursitpinar-Sanliurfa route is in the analysis stage, its initiation could also be announced in 2014.
No procedure has been initiated for Gemlik-Bursa route, although the industrialists in Bursa stressed the importance of this route.
Palu-Genc-Mus is currently under construction with the possibility to be put into use in 2018.
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