Turkey Focuses on Rail Restructuring and Strengthening in 2013 and Beyond

Suleyman Karaman, General Manager of the Turkish Rail Corporation (TCDD) has confirmed that Turkey aims to prioritise restructuring and strengthening of the Turkish Rail Sector in 2013 and going forward to 2023.

He highlighted projects including high speed lines, the Marmaray project and the maintenance, upgrading and renewal of existing railway network as critical to the future of Turkey, which he saw as a trade and economic hub sitting between Europe and central east Asia.

Currently, 3,434 km of new railway is under construction, he said. Railway construction once again became a state priority in 2009 after the 10th International Transport Forum, after a 50 year period of neglect, and 11.65bn Euros are flagged for investment in the railways by 2020.

The Eskisehir-Istanbul section of the Ankara-Istanbul high speed line aims for completion by September 2013, as does the Marmaray Project, which is central to the planned seamless rail network permitting travel between Europe and Asia.

Electric locomotive production has begun at Tulomsas in co-operation with Hyundai Rotem, and co-operation with Azerbaijan and Georgia is establishing a new “Iron Silk Road”.

Funds allocated for development of rail increased 14-fold between 2003 and 2012.