The World Bank Board had approved USD 660 million in financing for the upgrade of Divriği – Kars railway line part of the Middle Corridor.
The line provides cross-border connection with Georgia’s rail network and after its modernisation and electrification will increase transport capacity.
The Divriği-Kars-Georgia border section is also a key element of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route linking China, Central Asia, the South Caucasus, Türkiye, and the European Union through rail and sea. Once completed, the project
The Eastern Türkiye Middle Corridor Railway Development Project will help expand and modernise one of the oldest and outdated sections of Türkiye’s existing limited rail network. It will replace diesel trains and expand connectivity between Divriği, in Sivas province, and Kars, near the border with Georgia, in the country’s northeast via a 660-km, fully electrified and modern railway line.
It will span four provinces and provide a significant boost to the well-being of nearly 600,000 people living along the train route as well as local firms and farms.
The enhanced connectivity, for passengers and freight, is expected to bring considerable socio-economic benefits in the four host provinces, Sivas, Erzincan, Erzurum, and Kars, which lag national averages on economic well-being, including GDP per capita. The provinces are also highly exposed to extreme weather events, underscoring the need for resilient infrastructure that can withstand the impact of floods, landslides and wildfires.
“By modernising and expanding rail connectivity, Türkiye can make progress towards several strategic goals, including boosting local economies and creating jobs in underserved areas, contributing to the country’s objective of becoming a logistics hub and decarbonising the transport sector,” Humberto Lopez, World Bank Country Director for Türkiye, said.
The upgrade of the Divriği – Kars railway is part of the Eastern section of Türkiye Middle Corridor and will support the country to improve the efficient movement boost exports, create jobs and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Türkiye currently relies heavily on its road freight transport system as a facilitator of economic growth, with about 95% of goods transported by road. This project will reduce travel times and logistics costs and improve connectivity between western and eastern Türkiye.
Freight transport by road is also responsible for as much as 50% of GHG emissions from the transport sector. Decarbonising freight transport is, thus, crucial for decarbonising Türkiye’s economy and reducing emissions of domestic industry, particularly its exporters if they are to remain competitive in global trade. Reducing the carbon footprint of Turkish exporters is particularly vital as the European Union (EU) begins imposing tariffs on carbon-intensive products from 2026. The EU market accounts for 40% of Turkish exports.
It is estimated that in 2030, when the project is fully implemented, it will result in the avoidance of 72,332 tonnes of carbon, with the annual volume of avoided emissions growing to 245,835 tonnes by 2060.
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