09.10.2026 15:30
President Erdoğan made statements at the “Çerkezköy-Kapıkule High-Speed Train Line Opening Ceremony” in Kırklareli. Speaking at the ceremony, Erdoğan said, "The Halkalı-Kapıkule high-speed train line, with its 229 km length, is one of the projects that will add vision to our country. It has been built as a double-track, electrified, signaled line. By including Tekirdağ, Kırklareli and Edirne in the high-speed train network, we have extended it to Kapıkule. The passenger transport time on the Halkalı-Kapıkule line will drop from 4 hours to 1 hour and 30 minutes," he said.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the Çerkezköy-Kapıkule High-Speed Train Line Opening Ceremony, which will connect Thrace and Türkiye to Europe, and made important statements. With this strategic project entering service, the number of cities directly reached by high-speed trains in Türkiye rose from 11 to 14.
"ONE OF OUR PROJECTS THAT WILL ADD VISION TO OUR COUNTRY"
Addressing the people of Kırklareli and European Union representatives at the opening ceremony, President Erdoğan drew attention to the importance of the project with the following words:
"I thank the beautiful people of Kırklareli for embracing us with longing. We are together with you to inaugurate a very important project. I thank European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, who shared our excitement with us. Today we are inaugurating an important investment. It is one of our projects that will add vision to our country. The Çerkezköy-Kapıkule HSR is a strategic plan."
"PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION TIME ON THE HALKALI KAPIKULE LINE WILL DROP FROM 4 HOURS TO 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES"
Sharing the technical details of the project and the time savings it will provide, Erdoğan stated that the three provinces in Thrace have been connected to the high-speed train network and said the following:
"As you know, the Halkalı-Kapıkule high-speed train line, with its length of 229 km, is one of the projects that will add vision to our country. It has been built as a double-track, electrified, signaled line. By including Tekirdağ, Kırklareli, and Edirne in the high-speed train network, we are extending it all the way to Kapıkule. The passenger transport time on the Halkalı-Kapıkule line will drop from 4 hours to 1 hour 30 minutes. The freight transport time will drop from 3 hours to 30 minutes."
MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO TRADE, TOURISM AND ECONOMY
Emphasizing that the new railway line will elevate the region's economy, President Erdoğan concluded his remarks with the following words:
"Transportation will speed up, logistics will be strengthened, travel will be faster. Trade and tourism will become even more active. It will make very significant contributions not only to cities but also to the economy of Thrace and Türkiye."