The Ankara-Sivas high speed line, with costs estimated over USD 1 billion, will have nine stations on the 405-kilometer-long route. Travelling will take just two hours, compared to the 12 hours currently. The new Turkish Transport Minister, Cahit Turhan, has assured that the Ankara-Sivas line will be completed by the end of 2019, also the first high-speed train tests being scheduled at that time.
”Due to its geographical location and being one of the most important sections of the Edirne-Kars railway corridor, the Ankara-Sivas line will provide a rail link between Europe and the Middle East,” Minister Turhan pointed out.
The entire project, which includes the construction of 49 railway tunnels, is estimated at a cost of TRY 9 billion (USD 1.55 billion).
Ankara-Sivas will provide direct rail connections with cities such as Kayseri, Konya, Mersin, Gaziantep and Diyarbakır.
In addition, passengers will be able to travel from Istanbul to Sivas in five and a half hours.
Once completed, the Ankara-Sivas line will be the second longest on the Turkish territory, following the Istanbul-Ankara high-speed line, which is 533 kilometers long.
”In addition, the cities of Konya, Izmir and Bursa will benefit from a high-speed rail network connection. Following the cities of Sivas and Erzincan, the route to Kars will also be connected to the high-speed network. We believe Sivas will become an important hub for high-speed rail transport. Sivas will be connected to all routes to the east and west,” İsa Apaydın, General Director of Turkey’s Railways (TCDD) said.
Currently, Turkey benefits from a high-speed rail network with a length of 1,213 kilometers and works continue to Kırıkkale, Yozgat, Bursa, Konya, Karaman and Erzincan.
Minister Turhan said that since 2003, TRY 91 billion (USD 15.7 billion) have been invested in the railway transport system, and much of this money has been allocated to high-speed rail transport.
Photo: TCDD
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