High-speed train linking Ankara, İzmir set to launch in 2027

ANKARA 

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu has announced that the high-speed train project linking the capital Ankara and the western province of İzmir will be operational by 2027, marking a one-year advancement from the previous target date.

The initiative is set to transform travel between the two major cities and their surrounding regions. The project aims to reduce the current 824-kilometer journey to a swift 624-kilometer, slashing travel time from Ankara to the coastal city from 14 hours to three hours and 30 minutes.

Uraloğlu emphasized the substantial benefits the high-speed train will bring to the region, particularly for the more than 7 million residents residing in Afyonkarahisar, Uşak, Manisa and İzmir provinces, who will have direct access to the high-speed rail travel through nine stations along the route.

The minister highlighted the potential boost to trade volume in the area, emphasizing İzmir's significance as the third-largest city in Türkiye. "Bringing İzmir and Manisa, Uşak, and Afyonkarahisar provinces closer to Ankara will invigorate trade in the region," he affirmed.

The project is poised to transport approximately 13.3 million passengers and 90 million tons of cargo annually, according to Uraloğlu. It encompasses the construction of 49 tunnels spanning 40.7 kilometers and 67 viaducts, and 66 bridges stretching 21.2 kilometers.

Furthermore, the minister projected substantial cost savings, estimating the eight reciprocal trains per day's annual reduction of approximately 1.1 billion Turkish Liras ($29.4 million) in expenses, encompassing time, energy and maintenance costs.