Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu made a statement about the works carried out in the Çerkezköy-Kapıkule section of the Halkalı-Kapıkule High Speed Train Line. Stating that the work has been completed on the 153-kilometer Çerkezköy-Kapıkule section, which constitutes the longest stage of the Halkalı-Kapıkule High Speed Train Line, Uraloğlu stated that the line will be put into service by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on October 9.
Stating that the Çerkezköy-Kapıkule section will serve both passenger and freight transportation, Uraloğlu said, "We are extending our high-speed train network from Çerkezköy to Kapıkule, all the way to the European border. With the commissioning of our line, we will include Tekirdağ, Kırklareli and Edirne in our high-speed train network, bringing Thrace together with the comfort of high-speed trains." he said.
Noting that the line was built in accordance with an operating speed of 200 kilometers per hour, Uraloğlu said, "Within the scope of the project we built as a double track, electric and Level-1 signal, we built 31 bridges, 8 cut-and-cover tunnels, 2 viaducts, 114 underpasses and overpasses and 175 culverts. We completed 353 kilometers of rail laying." he said.
Emphasizing that significant gains will be made in passenger and freight transportation with the completion of the Halkalı-Kapıkule High Speed Train Line, Uraloğlu said, "Passenger travel time between Halkalı-Kapıkule will decrease from 4 hours to 1.5 hours, and freight transportation time will decrease from 8.5 hours to 3.5 hours. We will increase the current line capacity by 4 times. Our annual passenger capacity will increase from 600 thousand to approximately 3 million, and our annual freight capacity will increase from 1.5 million tons to 9.5 million." tons." he said.
Uraloğlu stated that the line will strengthen the access of organized industrial zones and ports to European markets, especially in Istanbul, Kocaeli, Tekirdağ and Thrace, and noted that 86 percent of export transportation carried out by rail in 2024 will be carried out through this corridor.
Pointing out that Türkiye's European railway connection will be strengthened with the commissioning of the Çerkezköy-Kapıkule section, Uraloğlu said, "Our Halkalı-Kapıkule Line is the most critical gate to Europe of the Central Corridor, which connects Türkiye to the European railway network at high standards. We are strengthening the European connection of the railway chain that starts with Baku-Tbilisi-Kars and connects Asia and Europe with Marmaray." he said.
Stating that the line is located at the western end of the Development Road, which will start from the Favorite Port and extend to Europe via Turkey, Uraloğlu said that the project will further strengthen Türkiye's position in the international transportation corridors on the east-west and north-south axis.
Stating that they built new station buildings in Babaeski, Lüleburgaz and Büyükkarıştıran and rebuilt Kapıkule and Edirne Train Station buildings within the scope of the project, Uraloğlu said, "We are also implementing the Çerkezköy Freight Station Personnel Building and Loco Maintenance Workshop within the scope of our project. We increased the number of roads in the Kapıkule Train Station site from 23 to 42 and the total line length from 14 thousand 840 meters to 29 thousand 680 meters. "We are making the approximately 2.4 kilometer section between Kapıkule and the Bulgarian border double-track." He made a statement.
Uraloğlu noted that with the capacity increase, train acceptance and maneuverability will be increased in Kapıkule, customs and inspection procedures will be accelerated and waiting times at border crossings will be reduced.
Stating that the work on the other stages of the Halkalı-Kapıkule High Speed Train Line is continuing, Uraloğlu said, "We continue the construction work on the section that will connect Ispartakule to Halkalı with our Ispartakule-Çerkezköy stage." he said.
Uraloğlu stated that with the completion of all stages of the Halkalı-Kapıkule High Speed Train Line, Türkiye's role in Europe-Asia railway transportation will be further strengthened.
