Türkiye advances World Bank talks for Bosporus railway

Türkiye is making progress in negotiations with the World Bank for funding a significant railway project across the Bosporus Strait, with plans to hold a construction auction in the coming months, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced on Friday.

The proposed railway would utilise the Yavuz Sultan Selim suspension bridge, one of the world’s longest and widest bridges, which was constructed at a cost of $3 billion under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s administration to connect Istanbul’s European and Asian sides. It follows the July 15 Martyrs Bridge and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge as the third structure spanning the Bosporus.

The rail project is being promoted as part of the Development Road Project, a new freight corridor planned between Asia and Europe through upgraded rail and road infrastructure traversing Iraq and Türkiye.

“We can say that we have roughly secured the financing for the approximately 120-kilometre line that will run from Gebze to Sabiha Gökçen, Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, Istanbul Airport and finally to Halkalı. We plan to hold its tender in the coming months,” Uraloğlu told reporters.

In October, the minister indicated Türkiye was close to finalising an agreement with the World Bank to finance the £4 billion railway project. “We are very close to finalisation” for as much as $3 billion or 3 billion euros, Uraloğlu told Bloomberg.

Previously, Türkiye had engaged in discussions with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) regarding project financing, following the Gulf country’s $51 billion investment pledge to Türkiye. Uraloğlu had also mentioned that the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) might provide additional financing.

During Friday’s briefing, Uraloğlu also outlined Türkiye’s broader railway ambitions, transportation initiatives, metro investments, international collaborations and digital infrastructure plans.

He reaffirmed plans to expand Türkiye’s current 13,919-kilometre railway network to 17,500 kilometres by 2028, with a long-term goal of reaching 28,500 kilometres. The minister highlighted several ongoing projects, including the Ankara-Izmir, Mersin-Adana-Gaziantep, Yerköy-Kayseri, Halkalı-Kapıkule, Bilecik-Bursa-Osmaneli and Karaman-Ulukışla lines.

Emphasising domestic production capabilities, Uraloğlu stated: “Producing railway vehicles is as significant as building railways. From locomotives to wagons, we produce them ourselves.”

He also noted advancements in the national electric train, which currently reaches speeds of 160 kilometres per hour. “Our new train, capable of travelling at 225 kilometres per hour, will be operational across all high-speed railways. Prototypes will be ready next year, with serial production starting in 2027,” he added.

Syria Transportation Talks

Uraloğlu shared insights into ongoing transportation discussions with Syria, encompassing road, rail, aviation, maritime and communication sectors. He acknowledged that whilst road infrastructure in Syria is operational, it requires improvements, though this was not identified as the top priority.

“When we look at the highways in Syria, there is a functioning system, although it does not meet the desired standards,” said the minister.

He noted that approximately 50 kilometres of railway on the Syrian side had been destroyed, adding: “We are working to rebuild the railway and, if possible, connect it all the way to Damascus.”

Uraloğlu also announced Türkiye’s technical support for rehabilitating Damascus Airport, including the installation of key systems and radar.

The minister emphasised the need to procure additional radar systems, preferably domestically produced. He noted that Türkiye’s Aselsan is managing production, with teams actively working in the field.

National flag carrier Turkish Airlines has increased its weekly flights between Istanbul and Damascus to five, up from the initial three, according to Uraloğlu.

He also mentioned that other airlines, including Pegasus and AJet, have sought permits to fly to Damascus from Sabiha Gökçen and Esenboğan airports.

Super High-Speed Train and Urban Metro Expansion

Uraloğlu highlighted ongoing work on the “super high-speed train” project, designed to cover the Istanbul-Ankara route at speeds of 350 kilometres per hour, potentially reducing travel time to just 80 minutes.

Under the current system, travel between Ankara and Istanbul takes 4 hours and 20 minutes, expected to decrease to 3.5 hours after tunnel construction in the northwestern province of Bilecik, according to the minister.

He also disclosed plans for a new highway connecting Ankara and Istanbul, whilst highlighting the cost-effectiveness of the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model, which Türkiye has employed for most of its megaprojects.

The BOT model is a mechanism where a government entity grants a private sector party the right to finance, design, construct, own and operate a project for a specified period.

Uraloğlu mentioned that the government has implemented approximately 70 projects using this model.

“We made an investment of approximately $51 billion. At the exchange rates of the year they were implemented, this amounted to about $51 billion. If we were to do it today, it would be $83 billion,” the minister noted.

He indicated plans to continue undertaking projects through the BOT model, adding that three to four companies from various countries have expressed interest in the super high-speed train project between Ankara and Istanbul.

Addressing urban rail systems, Uraloğlu emphasised the need for 1,004 kilometres of metro lines in Istanbul to alleviate traffic congestion.

Surface solutions are not viable for Istanbul’s traffic challenges, and the answer lies in rail systems, according to the minister.

Whilst metro line construction within cities typically falls under municipal responsibility, Uraloğlu indicated that the ministry could undertake such projects with presidential approval.

Google Algorithm and Social Media Regulation

On digital policies, Uraloğlu expressed concerns about Google’s algorithm updates and their potential impact.

“Google claimed these changes don’t target or benefit anyone, but we are not entirely convinced. Although our ministry is not directly responsible, we are closely monitoring the situation,” he said.

The Transport and Infrastructure Ministry plans to collaborate with the Culture and Tourism Ministry on potential legal regulations, according to the minister.

Uraloğlu also shared progress on social media regulations, with plans to introduce age restrictions.

A consensus has been reached to require parental consent for users aged 13-16 and to prohibit access for children under 13.

“We’ve prepared the road map and are finalising the text for parliamentary approval,” Uraloğlu said.

Regarding technological advancements, the minister conveyed plans to finalise the 5G auction in the first half of this year, with full implementation targeted for 2026.

“We’ve initiated 5G trials at 34 production sites, including Istanbul Airport, major stadiums, and parliament buildings,” he noted.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​