More than 100 million passengers have been transported on Turkish high-speed lines since their launch in 2009.
“Since the introduction of high-speed rail transport in Turkey, the trains have travelled 98.2 million kilometres, the equivalent of circling the Earth 2,451 times. We made our country the 6th high-speed train operator in Europe and the 8th in the world,” said Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu at the end of June, in a statement reporting on the country’s high-speed rail developments.
Ankara–Eskişehir is Türkiye’s first high-speed rail line, which entered service in March 2009. “With the opening of the Ankara–Konya, Ankara–Istanbul, Konya–Karaman, and most recently the Ankara–Sivas lines, we are now offering comfortable and efficient transport to our citizens via a high-speed and fast rail network totalling 2,251 kilometres,” the Minister stated.
The Ankara–Istanbul high-speed line has carried the highest number of passengers, reaching 38 million. It is followed by the Ankara–Konya line with 21.4 million passengers and the Ankara–Eskişehir line with 21 million.
Ridership figures on other lines include:
- Konya–Istanbul: 12.3 million passengers
- Karaman–Ankara: 2.4 million passengers
- Karaman–Istanbul: 1.7 million passengers
- Ankara–Sivas: 1.8 million passengers
- Sivas–Istanbul: 660,000 passengers
- Eskişehir–Istanbul: 900,000 passengers
Through direct and integrated transport services, high-speed train access is now provided to 20 cities and 51% of Türkiye’s population, with direct services to cities such as Ankara, Eskişehir, Konya, Bilecik, Sakarya, Kocaeli, Istanbul, Karaman, Yozgat, Kırıkkale, and Sivas. Integrated transport options – via coach or connecting trains – are also available to Adana, Afyonkarahisar, Antalya, Bursa, Denizli, Kütahya, Mersin, Malatya, and Tokat.
“These combined transport services, using high-speed trains and either buses or conventional trains, provide significant time savings compared to coach-only travel,” the Minister concluded.
The lines are currently operated by HT65000 trainsets manufactured by CAF and Velaro TR units produced by Siemens Mobility. In 2024, Türasaş began production of the country’s first domestically built high-speed trainset, designed to run at speeds of up to 225 km/h. Between 2026 and 2028, the domestic manufacturer plans to produce 14 high-speed trainsets, which will operate on Turkey’s expanding high-speed rail network.
Future plans
According to the UIC Atlas – High-Speed Rail 2023, the total length of Turkish high-speed lines in commercial operation is 1,154 kilometres, with nine new lines totalling 1,561 kilometres currently under construction. The country also plans to build an additional six high-speed lines totalling 2,186 kilometres.
In parallel, Turkey is undertaking the Ankara–Istanbul Super Fast Train Project, which will involve constructing a 254-kilometre double-track line between Sincan and Eskişehir–İnönü, including a 471-metre tunnel. The project is designed to support train speeds of up to 350 km/h, reducing travel time between the two cities to 80 minutes by 2030.
Turkey plans to double the size of its high-speed rail network by 2027, with a long-term goal of reaching 6,000 kilometres by 2035, making it one of the largest high-speed networks in the region.
One of the next lines to become operational is the İzmir–Ankara line. Test runs are scheduled for this year, and the line is expected to be inaugurated in 2027. It will reduce travel time between the two cities from 12 hours to 3.5 hours, cutting 8.5 hours off the current journey.
This will be followed by the 147-kilometre Kayseri–Ankara high-speed line, designed for speeds of up to 250 km/h. Once operational, it is projected to serve 11 million passengers annually and significantly improve east–west connectivity across Central Anatolia.
To support this growing network, Turkey is establishing a High-Speed Train Consortium under government leadership. Its goal is to supply fleets with locally produced trainsets that meet EU interoperability standards, with an eye toward exporting to neighbouring countries.
In addition to reducing journey times and increasing capacity, Turkish high-speed rail investment is also expected to significantly reduce road congestion and carbon emissions. The government sees rail transport as a strategic tool for decarbonising long-distance travel.
Moreover, the development of domestic manufacturing capacity will boost industrial competitiveness and create skilled jobs in engineering and rail technology.
Turkey’s ambitious strategy reflects its vision to become a regional leader in sustainable, high-speed rail transport.
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