05.09.2026 21:00
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced that when the Ankara-Izmir High Speed Train Project, which is being constructed in stages, is completed, the train journey between the two cities will decrease from 14 hours to 3.5 hours. Stating that the route will be reduced from 824 kilometers to 624 kilometers with the project, Uraloğlu said that with the completion of the line, it is aimed to transport 13.3 million passengers and 90 million tons of cargo per year.
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu spoke at the opening ceremony of the Historic Gediz Bridge, which was restored to its original form in the Menemen district.
Uraloglu, stating that restoration works continue on 48 historic bridges, made statements about the ongoing Izmir-Ankara High Speed Train Project. Uraloglu announced that the Ankara-Izmir travel time, which currently reaches 14 hours with existing train services, will decrease to 3.5 hours upon the completion of the project.
WORKS CONTINUE ON 48 HISTORIC BRIDGES Minister Uraloglu, at the opening ceremony of the Historic Gediz Bridge, which was restored to its original form in the Menemen district, stated that Anatolia is an open-air museum bearing traces of thousands of years of civilization. Uraloglu, expressing that they are not only building the country's transportation infrastructure but also preserving the memory of these lands, spoke as follows: "We are working to revive historical structures in line with their originals and pass them on to future generations. So far, we have restored historic bridges in many parts of our country, such as Sangarios, Hıdırlık, Malabadi, Kızılin, Taşköprü, Osmancık Koyunbaba, and Diyarbakır Ongözlü, and brought them into our cultural heritage. The number of historic bridges we have restored and brought into our cultural heritage has reached 532. We are also continuing restoration works on 48 historic bridges. By adding the Historic Gediz Bridge, whose opening we are holding today, to this determined march, we are offering one of its meaningful stops, both technically and spiritually, to the service of our nation." Touching upon the technical details of the bridge, Uraloglu said the structure is 166.5 meters long, 6.7 meters wide, has 5 spans, and was built with a reinforced concrete arch system on top.
Uraloglu stated that after the route change, the structure serves the villages of Yanıkköy, Doğa, and Belen, and expressed that with the comprehensive strengthening, restoration, and lighting works carried out by the General Directorate of Highways, the bridge has been restored to its functional identity.
Minister Uraloglu explained that in the last 24 years, approximately 349 billion liras have been invested in Izmir's transportation and communication infrastructure, the length of divided roads has been increased from 431 kilometers to 1000 kilometers, and the length of bituminous hot mix paved roads has been increased from 366 kilometers to 1017 kilometers.
TRAVEL TIME BETWEEN IZMIR AND ANKARA WILL DECREASE TO 3.5 HOURS Reminding that with the Izmir-Istanbul Motorway, the travel time was reduced from 8.5 hours to 3.5 hours, Uraloglu stated that when the Izmir-Ankara High Speed Train project, which is being built in stages, is completed, the travel time will be reduced to 3.5 hours.
CURRENTLY TAKES 14 HOURS BY EXISTING TRAIN Although the bus travel time between Ankara and Izmir varies depending on the route, service, and number of breaks, it is completed in between 7 hours 55 minutes and 9 hours. This distance is covered in 14 hours by train. When all sections within the scope of the YHT Project are completed, the distance between Ankara and Izmir will be reduced from 824 kilometers to 624 kilometers, and the travel time will also be reduced to 3.5 hours.
When the Ankara-Izmir YHT Line is completed, it is aimed to transport 13.3 million passengers and 90 million tons of cargo per year.