26.04.2025 16:13
The Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, stated that significant investments, improvements, and renovations have been made in Turkey's railways as part of development initiatives, noting that approximately 63 billion dollars have been invested in railways over the last 23 years. Uraloğlu also mentioned that with the new project, the travel time between Karaman and Ulukışla will be reduced from 145 minutes to just 50 minutes.
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Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu stated that they have implemented significant investments, improvements, and renovations in railways in Turkey, noting that approximately 63 billion dollars have been invested in railways over the last 23 years. Uraloğlu expressed that they have seen the ongoing works on-site at the construction site of the Karaman Ulukışla High-Speed Train Line in the Ereğli district. Emphasizing the strategic nature of the project, Uraloğlu stated that the safety, low cost, and speed of railways make them indispensable for transportation. He pointed out the great strategic importance of railways in Turkey's international freight and passenger transportation.
NEARLY 63 BILLION DOLLARS INVESTMENT IN RAILWAYS IN THE LAST 23 YEARS Uraloğlu explained that under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, they have addressed railways as a state policy with development initiatives since 2002, saying: "We have initiated a new leap in railways to turn the opportunities provided by our country's geographical location, which serves as a bridge between Asia and Europe, into economic and commercial advantages. By ensuring the connection of our railway lines to ports, airports, and logistics centers, we have approached our railways with a new understanding suitable for combined transportation. With our projects, we have planned to make railway transportation not only between the east-west but also between the north-south coasts contribute to the economy, and we are producing our works accordingly. We have implemented significant investments, improvements, and renovations in railways in our country. We have invested approximately 63 billion dollars in railways over the last 23 years.
4 MILLION PASSENGERS TRANSPORTED ON THE KONYA-KARAMAN HIGH-SPEED TRAIN LINE Minister Uraloğlu stated that they have established an international railway corridor and introduced the country to high-speed train operations. Referring to the recent service on the Ankara-Sivas line in high-speed train operations, Uraloğlu continued: "We opened our Konya-Karaman High-Speed Train Line, which establishes a fast train connection between the Marmara, Central Anatolia, and Mediterranean regions, in 2022. Since its opening, we have provided fast, safe, and comfortable transportation to approximately 4 million passengers. Now, we are constructing the 135-kilometer-long Karaman-Ulukışla line, which is suitable for speeds of 200 kilometers per hour, as a double-track, electric, and signaled line. The Karaman Ulukışla High-Speed Train Line will open the door to a significant transformation in logistics and passenger transportation, not only regionally but also nationally and internationally. Uraloğlu reported that they have built 5 stations, 2 tunnels, 52 underpasses and overpasses, 15 bridges, and 147 culverts on this line.
TRAVEL TIME BETWEEN KARAMAN AND ULUKIŞLA WILL BE REDUCED TO 50 MINUTES Providing information that the freight potential of the line will be 33.48 million tons annually and the passenger transportation will be 2.73 million, Uraloğlu stated: "With the completion of our project, the travel time between Karaman and Ulukışla will be reduced from 145 minutes to just 50 minutes. Thus, we are strengthening the high-speed train network in our country along the east-west and north-south axes. We will also ensure a fast train connection between the Marmara, Central Anatolia, Aegean, and Mediterranean regions. In the continuation of our line, we will reach production and logistics centers in Mersin, Adana, Osmaniye, and Gaziantep with the existing line and the high-speed train line we will build in the near future between Ulukışla and Yenice.
THE MEGA PROJECT IS NEARLY COMPLETE Ensuring a fast and safe connection of these centers with Anatolia will further increase the contribution of this line to the regional and national economy. With the completion of our line, a high-speed train departing from Mersin will hopefully reach Istanbul via Karaman, Konya, and Ankara, or to Izmir via Afyonkarahisar when it is completed. Uraloğlu added that approximately 92% physical progress has been achieved in the infrastructure and superstructure works of the Karaman-Ulukışla project, and they aim to open it for operation in the first months of 2027.
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