Construction has been completed on the 153-kilometre Çerkezköy-Kapıkule section of the Halkalı-Kapıkule Railway Project, including infrastructure, superstructure and railway maintenance technical equipment (EST) works. Test runs have started on selected portions of the line.
The project consists of three stages: 153 km Kapıkule-Çerkezköy, 67 km Çerkezköy-Ispartakule and 8.4 km Ispartakule-Halkalı. The line will connect Edirne to Istanbul via the high-speed rail network, cutting passenger travel time from 4 hours to 1 hour 30 minutes and freight transit from 8 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes.
Built as a 200 km/h, double-track, electrified and signalled line, the route will accommodate both passenger and freight traffic. Test runs in both directions have been conducted with the high-speed train set on designated routes.
Once complete, the project will deliver one of the most critical links in the historic Silk Railway route's Türkiye section — the European connection. Combined with BTK (Baku-Tbilisi-Kars) and Marmaray, the line consolidates Türkiye's role as an Asia-Europe rail intermodal corridor.
Key Takeaways:
1. Halkalı-Kapıkule high-speed line: 153 km Çerkezköy-Kapıkule section complete; test runs underway.
2. Passenger travel time falls from 4 hours to 1 hour 30 minutes.
3. Rail freight transit time falls from 8.5 hours to 3.5 hours.
4. Line: 200 km/h, double-track, electrified, signalled; both passenger and freight.
5. Forms the European link of the historic Silk Railway; integrated with BTK and Marmaray.
