Turkey’s Minister of Transport, Ahmet Arslan, has announced that Ankara-Sivas high-speed railway will enter commercial services in 2020 with trains running with speeds of 250 km/h. The 405-km line served by 9 stations will reduce travel time by 10 hours, from 12 hours to 2 hours.
The line is the most important section of the Edirne-Kars railway corridor and will provide transport connections with other important cities such as Gaziantep, Mersin, Kayseri and Konya.
The project has a total cost of USD 1 billion.
Within Turkey’s high-speed railway strategy, within two years, the country will also complete the Ankara-İzmir high-speed rail connection.
“We intend to complete one of the most important axes of the railway corridor connecting Asian countries on the route of Asia Minor and Silk Road,” Ahmet Arslan said.
By 2023, Turkey plans to invest EUR 39 billion in railway sector, of which 83% or EUR 31 billion will be allotted to high-speed railway and rapid rail projects. “We will have connected every corner of our country with high speed and rapid rail lines with our new lines to be put into operation,” the minister pointed out.
Currently, Turkish high-speed railway network has a total length of 1,213 km, and other 3,798 km are being constructed. Also, 11,582 km are in tendering and construction preparation phases.
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