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State Railways of the Republic of Türkiye
Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryolları
Map of the TCDD railway network as of 2023. TCDD owns and maintains all railway infrastructure in Turkey, while TCDD Transport owns and runs the trains.
Overview
HeadquartersAnkara, Turkey
Reporting markTCDD
LocaleTurkey
Dates of operation1929–present
PredecessorState Railways and Seaports Administration
SuccessorTCDD Transport (Railway operations only)
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Previous gauge1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in) Broad gauge (Sarıkamış-Gyumri)
750 mm (2 ft 5+1⁄2 in) Narrow gauge (Sarıkamış-Erzurum)
Electrification25 kV, 50 Hz AC Overhead line
Length12,532 kilometres (7,787 mi)[1]
Other
Websitewww.tcdd.gov.tr

The State Railways of the Republic of Turkey (Turkish: Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryolları), abbreviated as TCDD, is a government-owned national railway company responsible for the ownership and maintenance of railways in Turkey, as well as the planning and construction of new lines. TCDD was formed on 4 June 1929 as part of the nationalisation of railways in Turkey.[2]

The Turkish State Railways owns and maintains all public railways in Turkey. This includes railway stations, ports, bridges and tunnels, yards and maintenance facilities. In 2016, TCDD controlled an active network of 12,532 km (7,787 mi) of railways, making it the 22nd-largest railway system in the world. Apart from railway infrastructure, TCDD also owns several rail transport companies within Turkey as well as a 50% share of the İzmir-area commuter rail system, İZBAN.

Prior to 2017, TCDD also operated all railways in Turkey. However, with the government taking steps to privatise some of the Turkish railway network, rolling stock and operations were handed over to TCDD Transport and TCDD formally ceased all railway operations on 31 December 2016.[3]

History

[edit]
See also: History of rail transport in Turkey
Map showing the Ottoman railways on the eve of World War I

Formerly planned railways

[edit]

In 1948, the State Railways released a plan of railway lines that were to be constructed to "ensure national progression and safety".[4] The plan included 5,538 km (3,441 mi) of new railway lines of which only 96 km (60 mi) were actually completed; the Gaziantep-Karkamış section of the Narlı-Nusaybin railway was completed in 1960.[5]

Operations

[edit]

Key Information

Turkish State Railways operated most trains in the country until the end of 2016. Intercity, regional, suburban, freight and most industrial lines are owned and operated by the State Railways. The only other railways in Turkey include İZBAN (TCDD holds 50% of the company's shares) which operates commuter rail service around İzmir and a few other industrial railways. In addition to rail services, TCDD has been responsible since 1927 for operating several major ports, which handle 30% of Turkish port activities.[8]

Passenger operations

[edit]

The Turkish State Railways operated passenger services on 90% of their system. These are intercity, regional, commuter and international services. In the railway's first year 52% of passenger travel in Turkey was by rail, despite the system lacking connections to many parts of the country. Rail transport was the main mode of transport for passengers in the following two decades, reaching an all-time high of 57% of passenger transport in 1947, but then started to decline after 1950, due to the mass construction of roads.[9] Today, the passenger ratio is slowly increasing with the opening of high-speed rail lines in Turkey.

In 2019, almost 150 million people traveled by train in Turkey. 17.5 million on main lines, 8.3 million on high-speed lines (2% increase compared to 2018) and 124 million used the Marmaray commuter railway.[10] The share of railway in domestic travels in 2013 is about 2.2%.[11]

The types of passenger service are:

  • High-speed (Hızlı Tren): High-speed rail services and TCDD's premier service.
  • Mainline (Anahat): Intercity trains operating between major cities.
  • International (Uluslararası): Trains operating on international routes, toward Europe or the Middle East.
  • Regional (Bölgesel): Trains operating within their respective districts.
  • Commuter (Banliyö): Commuter trains, currently operating in Ankara and Istanbul.
High-speed services
[edit]
Main article: High-speed rail in Turkey
A TCDD HT80000 (Siemens Velaro TR) high-speed train (YHT) in Ankara

High-speed rail in Turkey began service in 2009. TCDD has branded its high-speed service as Yüksek Hızlı Tren or YHT, directly translating to High-Speed Train, dubbed after the trains' capacity to reach 250 km/h (and in some advanced sections of the Ankara-Konya railroad up to 300 km/h). There had been previously tried but failed accelerated train projects, i.e. higher speed rail without the necessary upgrades on the railroad tracks, causing a number of accidents and ending up with losses incurred by TCDD in the early 2000s. YHT, in stark contrast, became a commercially successful, safe and cheap alternative to Flights and Roads, cutting the travel time between the city centers of two largest cities of the country up to 4 hours. Currently, YHT trains operate 22 daily trips based from its central hub in Ankara, in addition to more trips on the Istanbul–Konya high-speed railway that bypass Ankara.[citation needed]

YHT currently operates on two main lines: the Ankara–Istanbul high-speed railway, and Ankara–Konya high-speed railway. In total, these lines connect 8 provincial capitals out of 81 Provinces in Turkey, namely Adapazarı (via Arifli), Ankara, Bilecik, Eskişehir, Istanbul, İzmit, Karaman and Konya. There are currently ongoing construction projects aiming to link up at least 6 more provincial capitals, including third and fourth largest cities of the country İzmir and Bursa, besides Afyonkarahisar, Edirne, Kayseri, Sivas and other potential cities. Further ambitions at the planning stage eventually aim to link up East and West points of the country through high-speed railways and act as an international High-speed railway bridge across Europe and Asia[citation needed]

A TCDD HT65000 in Eskişehir

On 13 March 2009, the first phase of the Ankara–Istanbul high-speed railway entered service between Ankara and Eskişehir. On 25 July 2014, the Ankara-Istanbul high-speed line services began to reach the Pendik railway station on the Asian side of Istanbul,[12] and on 13 March 2019 the services began to reach the Halkalı railway station on the European side of Istanbul, passing through the Marmaray railway tunnel under the Bosphorus strait. There were initially 6 daily departures in both directions.[13]

A TCDD HT80000 high-speed train (Siemens Velaro) traveling from Ankara to Istanbul in Bilecik, Türkiye

On 23 August 2011, the YHT service on the Ankara–Konya high-speed railway was inaugurated. The Konya-Ankara line was later connected with the Istanbul–Ankara line at the Polatlı district of Ankara Province on 23 March 2013, essentially bypassing the city of Ankara and shortening the distance from Istanbul to Konya to 5 hours. Most recently on 8 January 2022, the Konya line was extended into another provincial capital, Karaman.[citation needed]

High-speed rail in Turkey is still developing, with new lines currently under construction or in the planning phase. By 2023, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure expects Turkey's high-speed rail system to increase to 10,000 kilometers.[14]

Mainline services
[edit]
A DE22000 series locomotive pulls the Karesi Express into Menemen

Mainline service (Turkish: Anahat) is the railway's main service. In 2010 mainline services made up for 24% of the railway's passenger traffic.[15] Mainline service includes 2 types of trains: Express and Blue Train.

Express service is between major cities and are fast, comfortable and equipped with modern air-conditioned TVS2000 railcars and only stop at important stations. Express trains have an average operating speed of 100 km/h (62 mph) to 120 km/h (75 mph). Express service has both day (e.g. İzmir-Bandırma) and overnight trains between major cities far apart (e.g. Ankara-Kars). These trains have coaches, a dining car and a sleeping car or a couchette car, or sometimes both.[citation needed]

The TVS2000 railcars used on mainline service are the most comfortable cars in TCDD's entire fleet. TVS2000 railcars may also be used on international services because international services are considered mainline services within Turkey.[citation needed]

International services
[edit]
See also: Turkish_State_Railways_Transport § International_rail
Former international services
[edit]
See also: Haydarpaşa Terminal
Haydarpaşa Terminal on the Anatolian side of Istanbul was opened in 1908 as the terminus of the Istanbul-Konya-Baghdad and Istanbul-Damascus-Medina lines.

The Haydarpaşa Terminal was the terminus for a weekly train, to Tehran in Iran, another train to Iran used to travel between Van, Turkey and Tebriz in Iran.[16]

Additionally, trains from Iran to Syria (and vice versa) used to pass through Turkey.[16]

Regional services
[edit]
Commuter services
[edit]

As of 2011, the Turkish State Railways operated commuter rail in Istanbul and Ankara, with previous commuter service in İzmir from up to 2006, which is now operated by İZBAN. The railways use the E14000 and the E23000 EMUs on their commuter services. Previously, the newly retired E8000 EMUs and the E4000 electric locomotives were used as well. The first commuter rail service in Turkey was the Istanbul-Halkalı Line on the European side of Istanbul, operating from Sirkeci Terminal to Halkalı in 1955.[21][22][23]

Freight operations

[edit]

Rail freight transport

[edit]

From 1980 onwards, rail freight tonne-kilometers transported by the TCDD rose slightly from ≈5000million tonne-km in 1980 to ≈7000million tonne-km in 1990 and to ≈9000million tonne-km in 2000.[24] Approximately 50% of freight moved is minerals or ores, with construction materials increasing to ≈10% in 2000 from less than 5% in 1980, food/agricultural products, chemicals/petroleum, and metal sectors each account for between 5 and 10%. International freight accounted for approximately 5% of totals in 2000.[24]

As of 2012, 25.7 million tons are transported by rail in Turkey. Two steel companies, Erdemir and Kardemir, top 2 customers of TCDD, had transported 4.5 million tons in 2012, mainly iron ore and coal.[25] 2.1 million tons of rail freight belong to international traffic. Most of international traffic is between Turkey and Europe, done via Kapikule. Several container trains are running in this route as well as conventional wagons.[26]

As of 2014, 26.6 million tons are transported on rail in Turkey. 7.1 million of it is done by private wagons. International transport went down to 1.7 million.[27]

Containers are widely used both in international and domestic transportation. 7.6 million tons are carried in containers. TCDD supports transportation by containers. Thus, almost all of the private railway companies invested in container wagons, and carrying 20% of all rail freight by their own wagons.[28]

TCDD has plans to strengthen freight traffic by adding 4000 km of conventional lines until 2023.[needs update] That includes new international rail connections to Georgia, Iraq and Iran.[29] TCDD is also constructing 18 logistic centers to enable transportation of more loads by rail.[30]

TCDD is planning to increase its transit traffic (11000 to in 2011) by constructing "iron silk road" to connect Europe to Asia. Marmaray is the most important part of this project which was completed in 2015 and now in service.[31] Another project is Kars–Tbilisi–Baku railway which is planned to be completed in 2016 and start functioning in 2017.[32] Also, plans for another supplying project to Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway, the Kars-Igdir-Nakhcivan high-speed railway has been completed.[33] TCDD wants to have share from the freight traffic between Europe and China through this line.[34]

Ports
[edit]
Port of Haydarpaşa

The State Railways own and operated seven ports throughout the country and has connections to two more ports. The ports TCDD owns are the Port of Haydarpaşa[35] in Istanbul on the southern mouth of the Bosphorus, the Port of İzmir[36] on the Aegean Sea, the Port of Mersin[37] and the Port of İskenderun[38] on the Mediterranean Sea, the Port of Bandırma[39] on the Sea of Marmara, the Port of Derince[40] on the Gulf of İzmit, and the Port of Samsun on the Black Sea. The railways have connections to the Port of Zonguldak,[41] owned by Türkiye Taşkömürü Kurumu (Turkish Coal Company), the Port of Tekkeköy and the Port of Tekirdağ,[42] owned by AKPORT AŞ. In 2004, the privatization of all ports except Haydarpaşa began.[43]

By 2014 Mersin, Iskenderun, Bandirma, Samsun ports had been privatized.[44] Tender for privatization of Derince Port has also completed and waiting for takeover.[45][needs update]

The state railways are planning on building rail connections to the Port of Güllük[46] (via Çine) and to the Port of Ereğli, which TCDD serviced until 2004.

The ports TCDD owns are the most important in Turkey. The country's five largest ports are owned by the state railways. The Port of Haydarpaşa will soon be decommissioned, when the Marmaray project is complete.[citation needed]

Performance, market share, assets and financial results

[edit]
Main hall of the ATG terminal for YHT passenger services
The ATG terminal in Ankara is a hub for the high-speed rail (YHT) services of the Turkish State Railways

Since 1950, the railway system's market share of freight transportation dropped from 70% to ≈55% (1960), ≈25% (1970), ≈10% (1980, 1990) and to less than 10% in 2000. A similar trend was observed in the percentage of passenger transport performed by rail – dropping from a share of greater than 40% in 1950 to ≈25% in 1960; less than 10% in 1970; ≈5% by 1980; and reaching an all-time low of 2% by 2000.[47] This was partly due to major investment and expansion in the road network.

The TCDD receives subsidies from the government for socially necessary operations, but has registered increasing losses in all its areas of business except for port operations; which have high port tariffs (higher than 36%).[47] By 2000, the cost to the Turkish government had exceeded $500 million per year in addition to a subsidy of over $100 million.[47] In addition to the problems caused by the lack of investment from 1950 onwards, the TCDD organisation has been characterised as suffering from the common problems associated with state-owned enterprises; i.e. emphasis on production rather than customer needs; subject to government reliance and interference; and an inward-looking corporate culture.[47]

As of 2008, the amount of freight transported was the highest ever (18.343 million tonne-kilometers); though actual growth was small over the previous 10 years, and passenger figures had risen slightly overall over the past decade.[43]

As of 2008, the TCDD administers the Ankara Railway Factory, Sivas Concrete Sleeper factory, Afyon Concrete Sleeper factory, Behiçbey rail welding and track machinery repair factory and Çankırı Switch factory. Additionally, the state owned companies TÜLOMSAŞ, TÜDEMSAŞ and TÜVASAŞ are affiliates. The TCDD has a 50% share in the İzmir Banliyö Taşımacılığı Sistemi A.Ş. (İZBAN A.Ş.) which operates the metro in İzmir, and a 15% share in EUROTEM.[43]

Rolling stock

[edit]

Currently rolling stock is the responsibility of TCDD Transport.

Retired fleet

[edit]

Locomotives

[edit]
Model Picture Numbers Built Acquired Type Power Builder (Designer) Notes
Road power
E4000 4001–4003 1955 1955 Electric 2170 hp (1620 kW) Alsthom Ordered for use on TCDD's first electrified line.
DE20000 20001-20005 1957–58 1957–58 Diesel Electric 1800 hp (1320 kW) General Electric
E2000 2000 1955 1961 Electric 2346 hp (1750 kW) MTE Ex SNCF BBB 20003
DH27000 27001-27003 1961 1961 Diesel Hydraulic ???? Krauss-Maffei
DE21500 21501-21540 1964–65 1965 Diesel Electric 1580 hp (2150 kW) General Electric
E40000 40001-40015 1969 1971–1973 Electric ???? hp (2945 kW) Alsthom and TÜVASAŞ (Groupement 50 Hz)
E52500 52501-52520 1967 1998–2005 Electric 5180 hp (3860 kW) Končar (ASEA) Originally built in 1967 as class 441, acquired and overhauled by TCDD in 1998. Returned after loan contract end.
Switchers
DH33100 33101-33105 1953 1953 Diesel Hydraulic 350 hp (260 kW) MaK TCDD's first diesel locomotive.
DH44100 44101-44106 1955 1955 Diesel Hydraulic 800 hp (590 kW) MaK
DH6000 6001 1959 1959 Diesel Hydraulic 610 hp (445 kW) Jenbacher Type DH600C
DH4100 4101 1960 1960 Diesel Hydraulic 410 hp (300 kW) Jenbacher Type DH400C
DH6500 6501–6540 1960 1960 Diesel Hydraulic 650 hp (480 kW) Krupp
DH3600 3601–3624 1968 1968 Diesel Hydraulic 350 hp (260 kW) MaK Based on the DE22000.
DH11500 11501-11511 1960 1982 Diesel Hydraulic 1100 hp (810 kW) MaK Acquired from Deutsche Bahn in 1982.

Trainsets

[edit]
Model Picture Numbers Built Type Power Builder (Designer) Notes
MT5200 5201–5202 1944 DMU 840 hp MAN
MT5300 5301–5516 1951 DMU 1100 hp MAN
E8000 8001–8030 1955 EMU 1020 kW Alsthom
MT5500 5501–5511 1968 DMU 580 hp Fiat
E14000 14001-14075 1979 EMU 1040 kW TÜVASAŞ (Groupement 50 Hz)

Railcars

[edit]
Model Picture Numbers Built Type Power Builder (Designer) Notes
1-6 5401–5420 1934 Railcar 85 hp Škoda
21-25 5401–5420 1935 Railcar 130 hp MAN
MV5100 5401–5420 1942 Railcar 210 hp Uerdingen
MT5400 5401–5420 1954 Railcar 300 hp SCCF
RM3000 5401–5420 1960 Railcar 340 hp Uerdingen/Germany
MT5600 1990 Railcar 550 hp TÜVASAŞ Used for regional services

Network

[edit]
See also: Rail transport in Turkey § Network

TCDD directly owns and operated 8,697 km (5,404 mi) of common carrier lines, of which 1,920 km (1,190 mi) are electrified, throughout 57 provinces.[48] Along with this, the railways own and operated over 240 km (150 mi) of industrial lines and 206 km (128 mi) of high-speed lines, with 574 km (357 mi) of lines under construction.[49] As of 2010, the railways consist of 763 tunnels, 25,441 bridges, 17 wyes and 7 loops.[50] The railway's fleet consists of 467 main line Diesel locomotives, 67 Electric locomotives, 860 passenger coaches, 135 MUs, 33 High-speed rail sets and 15,384 freight cars.[51][obsolete source]

Electrification

[edit]

Electrified lines comprised less than half of the network in 2020, but the aim is for over three-quarters by 2023.[52] Along with these several Turkish cities operate rapid transit and tram system electrified with either overhead wire or third rail.

By 2013, the electrified lines reached to 2416 km.[53] There is also 888 km of electrified high speed train network, which makes 3304 km in total.

History

[edit]

Turkish State Railways started an electrification plan in 1953. The plan was to first electrify important suburban lines in Istanbul and Ankara. The main reason for this was the many complaints of citizens living in the city about the pollution of the steam locomotives. The railways chose the standard 25 kV 50 Hz AC system to electrify with. The first line to be electrified was the Sirkeci-Halkalı line on the İstanbul commuter railway. Three electric locomotives were ordered from Alsthom and Jeumont from France as well as several sets of multiple units. Electrification was complete and electric train started to run on December 4, 1955.[54] The electrification got many positive reactions. In 1969, TCDD electrified the Haydarpaşa–Gebze part of the commuter railway in İstanbul. Several more sets of E8000 emus were ordered as well as 15 E40000 electric locomotives to meet the demands of the railway. The Ankara Suburban Railway was electrified in 1972 and brand new E14000 multiple units were ordered.[citation needed]

E43000 electric locomotive

With the success of electrifying suburban lines, the State Railways turned to electrify important main lines. The main reason for this is that tough gradients would be easier to climb with electric traction than steam or diesel traction. On February 6, 1977, TCDD finished the electrification as well as major earthworks of the Gebze-Adapazarı part of the İstanbul–Adapazarı main line. The State Railway then turned to electrify the entire İstanbul-Ankara main line, to try to save its diminishing reputation. Construction started in 1987. Forty-five E43000 electric locomotives were ordered from Toshiba and built in Eskişehir by Tülomsaş, to be used on the line. Electrification was completed between Arifye and Eskişehir and electric trains began to run in 1989. Electrification was connected to Ankara in 1993. The major ore route between Divriği and İskenderun was electrified in 1994 to make it easier for heavy trains to go up steep gradients. İstanbul to Edirne and Kapıkule was electrified in 1997 and 15 new E52500 electric locomotives were delivered from ASEA in 1998. In an attempt to revive İzmir's suburban network, Alsancak-Cumaovası and Basmane-Aliağa lines were electrified in 2001 and 2002 respectively. However these were not used at all. In 2006 the wires were taken down and the line was re-electrified completely between 2006 and 2010. This line opened on August 30, 2010, between Alsancak-Cumaovası and October 29, 2010, between Alsancak and Aliağa.[citation needed]

High speed rail

[edit]
Main article: High-speed rail in Turkey

The United Kingdom through Export Finance, a credit agency gave a Turkish multinational a €781m loan to finish the High speed rail.[55] The railway is between Gaziantep and Mersin through Adana and Osmaniye.[55] Rönesans Holding, the Dutch Turkish company in charge of the project is required by the UK to be supplied by British suppliers.[55] Mehmet Şimşek, Turkish finance minister said the project is meant to improve the connectivity of Turkey and upgrades Turkey's historic south trade route.[55] The high speed rail is supposed to reach 225km/h, to reach this Railway Supply said Turkey will have to indtroduce modern modifications of its transport system and update train engines.[56] The Turkish transportation ministry said eight carriages are supposed to commence passenger transportation in 2025.[56]

Future plans

[edit]

Almost 1500 km of track was planned to be completely electrified in 2020.[57]

Sources

[edit]
  • Difiglio, Prof. Carmine; Güray, Bora Şekip; Merdan, Ersin (November 2020). Turkey Energy Outlook. iicec.sabanciuniv.edu (Report). Sabanci University Istanbul International Center for Energy and Climate (IICEC). ISBN 978-605-70031-9-5.
A TCDD HT65000 high-speed train on the Ankara–Konya YHT line

Turkey has chosen to electrify at the conventional 25 kV 50 Hz AC. The first electrified lines were the Istanbul suburban lines on the European side, from Sirkeci to Soğuksu, on 4 December 1955, and in the same period the E8000 electrical multiple units were taken into use. The suburban lines on the Asian side of Istanbul, from Haydarpaşa to Gebze, were electrified in 1969; while the Ankara suburban trains were electrified in 1972, on the line from Sincan to Kayaş.[citation needed]

On 6 February 1977 the tracks from Gebze to Adapazarı were made double track and electrified, allowing the first main line operation of electric trains in Turkey. The line from Arifiye outside Adapazarı to Eskişehir were further electrified in 1989 and in 1993 to Sincan, allowing electric train passages from Istanbul to Ankara. In 1994 the European lines from Istanbul to Edirne, Kapıkule and the Bulgarian border were also electrified. The same year the line from Divriği to İskenderun in eastern Turkey was also electrified, though this line is not connected to the rest of the electrified network. In 2006 the İzmir suburban system was also electrified.[citation needed]

Regions

[edit]
[edit]
See also: Rail_transport_in_Turkey § Railway_links_with_adjacent_countries

The following is a list of railway border crossings of Turkey.[58]

# Name In province Open/closed since To country Counterpart Status Break-of-gauge
1 Uzunköprü Edirne 4 September 1953 Greece Pythion Closed (no train runs since February 2011
due to the economic crisis in Greece[citation needed])		 No
2 Kapıkule Edirne 1 April 1988 Bulgaria Svilengrad Open No
3 İslahiye Gaziantep 4 September 1953 Syria Ekbez Closed No
4 Al-Rai Kilis 4 September 1953 Syria Akhtarin Closed No
5 Akyaka Kars 4 September 1953-11 July 1993 Armenia - Closed Yes
6 Nusaybin Mardin 4 September 1953 Syria Qamishli Closed No
7 Kapıköy Van 7 October 1971 Iran Razi Open No
8 Çıldır Ardahan 30 October 2017 Georgia Kartsakhi Open for freight only Yes

See also

[edit]

West neighboring countries

[edit]
  • Bulgaria Bulgaria – open – 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) – 25 kV, 50 Hz AC
  • Greece Greece – closed – 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) – 25 kV, 50 Hz AC (no train runs since February 2011)

East neighboring countries

[edit]

Logistic centers and yards

[edit]

TCDD is constructing 18 logistic centers to be completed till 2023 to increase the portion of railway in freight transportation.[30] These centers (also called as freight villages) will have railway connected container yards, cranes, warehouses, customs service and other facilities. These 18 logistic centers are: Halkali, Samsun-Gelemen, Usak (completed) Kosekoy-Izmit, Hasanbey-Eskisehir, Kaklik-Denizli, Bogazkopru-Kayseri (partially completed) Yesilbayır-Istanbul, Gökköy-Balikesir, Bozüyük-Bilecik, Kayacık-Konya, Yenice-Mersin, Sivas, Türkoğlu-Kahramanmaraş, Kars, Palandöken-Erzurum, Mardin (under construction)

Marşandiz Yard is in Ankara.

Ferries

[edit]
Van Lake Train Ferry and Van terminal
A TCDD Train Ferry in Istanbul.

The Turkish State Railways own and operate two rail train ferries and connects to three others.[citation needed]

The most famous of these would be the Bosphorus train ferry in Istanbul. This ferry connects Haydarpaşa, on the Asian side, with Sirkeci, on the European side. [citation needed] Demiryolu and Demiryolu II are the two ferries that operate on the route and are owned by TCDD.

By starting the project of Marmaray, TCDD ended the Bosphorus train ferry and announced an alternative ferry for the freight trains passing from Europe to Asia or vice versa: Tekirdağ-Derince Ferry. It's a private ferry named Erdemir working as a subcontractor of TCDD. Ferry did trials in 2012, and had started regular transportation at the end of 2013.[60] Ferry has 5 lines with 800-meter total length.[citation needed]

The other train ferry owned by TCDD would be the Lake Van ferry, connecting Tatvan and Van via Lake Van, Turkey's largest lake. This ferry is a part of the only railway connection between Turkey and Iran, and thereby between Europe and India. Sultan Alparslan and Idris-i Bitlisi are the names of the ferries that operate on the route and are also fully owned by TCDD.[61]

Other train ferries:

Network extensions and modernizations

[edit]

The Turkish State Railways currently has many network extension and modernization projects planned. TCDD is seeing the largest investment since the 1930s and with these investments is constructing new lines, primarily high-speed lines.

In addition to 5000 km high-speed line, Turkish Ministry of Transportation announced the construction of 4000 km new conventional rail lines as a part of 2023 strategy.[29]

TCDD has also been renewing the existing lines, some to be electrified, signalized and/or made double tracked. The budget for renewals and infrastructure of existing lines is more than 1 billion TL in 2014.[62]

There are also commuter rail projects (renewal or new lines) like Marmaray, İzban, Başkentray or Gaziray that are completed.

References and notes

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Turkish State Railways

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The Turkish State Railways (TCDD), officially the State Railways of the Republic of Turkey, is a government-owned corporation established in 1927 to manage and develop the nation's railway infrastructure following the consolidation of Ottoman-era lines under the new republic. It oversees a network of approximately 13,919 kilometers of track as of 2023, encompassing conventional lines and high-speed segments, with responsibilities centered on construction, maintenance, and traffic management after the 2017 separation of operational services into the subsidiary TCDD Taşımacılık A.Ş. TCDD's development reflects Turkey's push toward rail modernization, highlighted by the introduction of high-speed rail (YHT) services in 2009, which have expanded to connect key urban centers such as Ankara, Istanbul, and Eskişehir, accumulating over 100 million passengers by 2025 amid ongoing construction of additional lines totaling more than 1,500 kilometers. The entity has prioritized electrification and signaling upgrades, with about 846 kilometers of electrified conventional track supporting freight and passenger demands, though historical financial strains and slower-than-planned network growth to targets like 16,700 kilometers by 2023 underscore persistent infrastructural challenges.

History

Ottoman Origins and Concessions

The development of railways in the began in the mid-19th century as part of efforts to modernize amid financial limitations, leading to concessions granted primarily to European companies. The first concession was awarded on September 22, 1856, to the British-formed Ottoman Railway Company (ORC) for a line connecting İzmir (Smyrna) to Aydın, aimed at facilitating export of minerals and figs from the Aydın plain to the port of İzmir. Construction commenced in 1857, with the initial 16-kilometer section from İzmir to Seydiköy opening on July 1, 1866, marking the inaugural operational railway in Anatolia. Subsequent concessions expanded the network in western Anatolia, often to British and French firms, reflecting the Empire's reliance on foreign capital and expertise due to insufficient domestic resources. The Smyrna-Cassaba Railway (SCP), concessioned to French interests, linked İzmir to Manisa and beyond, opening sections from the 1860s onward to support agricultural transport. British companies secured additional lines, such as extensions toward Denizli and Eğirdir, while the Ottoman government granted a 72-year concession in 1883 for Cilician networks, though progress was slow. These early lines totaled several hundred kilometers by the 1880s, prioritizing coastal and fertile regions for economic gain rather than strategic connectivity. German influence grew in the late 19th century with the 1888 establishment of the Anatolian Railway (Chemins de Fer Ottomans d'Anatolie), backed by Deutsche Bank, which built lines from Haydarpaşa in Istanbul through Adapazarı to Ankara by 1894 and further eastward. In 1903, an extension concession for the Baghdad Railway was awarded to a German consortium, aiming to connect Ankara to Baghdad but advancing only partially to Nusaybin by 1918 amid financial and political hurdles. An exception was the state-initiated Hejaz Railway, funded through pan-Islamic donations and begun in 1900, reaching Medina by 1908 to link Damascus with holy cities, bypassing foreign concessions for religious and strategic reasons. By 1912, the Ottoman railway network spanned approximately 6,085 kilometers, predominantly under foreign ownership and operation, which granted European powers leverage over maintenance, tariffs, and military use. This fragmented system, concentrated in Rumelia, Anatolia, and Syria, facilitated trade but exposed vulnerabilities, as foreign companies prioritized profitability over imperial cohesion, complicating Ottoman mobilization during World War I due to dependency on rival powers for repairs and access. Concessions typically lasted 50-99 years, with guarantees of low land acquisition costs and operational autonomy, underscoring the Empire's capitulatory obligations that hindered sovereign control.

Republican Nationalization and Early Expansion

Following the establishment of the Republic of Turkey on October 29, 1923, the new government prioritized the nationalization of the work, which had been predominantly constructed and operated by foreign companies under Ottoman-era concessions granted to British, French, German, and other entities. This policy aimed to secure economic sovereignty and integrate transportation infrastructure into state control, reversing the dependency on external operators that had characterized late Ottoman development. In 1927, the General Directorate of State Railways and Ports was formed as a state entity to administer existing lines in Anatolia, initiate buybacks, and coordinate development, marking the formal beginning of centralized Republican railway management. Nationalization proceeded systematically, with the government repurchasing concessions from foreign holders starting in 1928; by 1937, approximately 2,300 kilometers of lines had been acquired, and the process extended until 1941, after which nearly all operational railways fell under domestic ownership. This shift eliminated foreign operational privileges, enabling unified planning and revenue retention for national priorities. Parallel to nationalization, early expansion emphasized constructing new lines to connect inland economic centers, mines, and agricultural regions, reflecting a deliberate pivot from Ottoman coastal-oriented routes toward interior development for self-sufficiency. The inherited network totaled about 4,136 kilometers in 1923; between 1923 and 1940, the state added over 3,000 kilometers of track through projects like the Ankara-Kayseri and Sivas-Erzurum extensions, doubling connectivity in central and eastern Anatolia by prioritizing east-west axes over port feeders. These investments, funded via state budgets and loans, totaled significant sums—reaching hundreds of millions of by the 1930s—and supported resource extraction, such as coal from the Zonguldak basin, while fostering regional integration amid limited industrial base.

Post-World War II Development and Decline

Following World War II, the Turkish State Railways (TCDD) pursued limited modernization efforts amid a broader shift in national infrastructure priorities. Diesel locomotives were introduced in the 1950s, gradually replacing steam traction to improve operational efficiency, while experiments with 25 kV 50 Hz electrification—adopted early based on French models—laid groundwork for future upgrades, though widespread implementation remained minimal. The network saw modest expansion, with only about 300 km added between 1940 and 1950, reaching a length of 7,671 km by 1950. At this stage, railways maintained a dominant modal share, handling up to 68% of freight and 42% of passenger transport in the early 1950s, reflecting their role in supporting post-war economic recovery and industrialization. The election of the Democrat Party in 1950 marked a pivotal policy reorientation toward road infrastructure, driven by agricultural mechanization needs and U.S. aid under programs like the Marshall Plan, which favored highway development for rural access and tractor distribution. Railway construction slowed dramatically thereafter, with new line building effectively halting after a few completions in the mid-1950s, as resources were redirected to expand the road network from 1,600 km of hard-surfaced roads in 1950. This road-intensive approach, sustained through the 1960s and beyond, subsidized truck and bus operations, eroding rail's competitive edge despite its inherent efficiency for long-haul bulk freight, as trucks offered greater flexibility for door-to-door delivery. Consequently, rail's modal share plummeted: passenger transport fell to 1.1% and freight to 3.9% by the late 20th century, exacerbated by underinvestment leading to aging tracks, signaling failures, and service delays. The network length stagnated around 8,500 km into the 1970s and 1980s, with maintenance deferred amid economic turbulence and recurrent crises, fostering a cycle of declining ridership and revenue that diminished TCDD's overall capacity and reliability. This era of neglect contrasted sharply with rail's earlier centrality, as policy choices prioritized short-term political gains from road expansion over long-term transport sustainability.

Revival and High-Speed Initiatives Since 2002

Following a period of stagnation in rail development prior to 2002, the Turkish government under the Justice and Development Party initiated a comprehensive revival of the railway sector, emphasizing infrastructure modernization and expansion to counterbalance decades of highway-centric transport policies. Investments in Turkish State Railways (TCDD) surged, with annual funding rising from approximately USD 349 million in 2003 to USD 930 million in 2005, marking the largest rail investments since the 1930s. This shift aimed to enhance modal share for rail, particularly through electrification, signaling upgrades, and track renewals on conventional lines. Central to the revival was the program, launched in the early 2000s with construction beginning on the Ankara–Istanbul line in 2003. The initial segment, a 209 km stretch from Ankara to Eskişehir, opened for commercial service on March 13, 2009, operating at speeds up to 250 km/h using domestically adapted signaling and imported trainsets. This was followed by extensions, culminating in the full 523 km Ankara–Istanbul HSR line's inauguration on July 25, 2014, reducing travel time between the capitals from over seven hours to approximately three and a half hours. Additional lines, such as Ankara–Konya (opened 2015) and Ankara–Sivas (opened 2023), expanded the network, with operational HSR reaching over 1,400 km by 2025. The initiatives included ambitious targets, such as a 10,000 km HSR network by 2023, though realization has been paced by construction challenges and financing. Passenger adoption grew rapidly, with high-speed services carrying 100 million passengers cumulatively by mid-2025, supported by Siemens and local manufacturing efforts for trainsets. Ongoing projects, including extensions to Bursa (targeted for 2026) and Samsun (expected 2030), underscore continued emphasis on integrating HSR into regional connectivity, alongside freight corridor modernizations to boost logistics efficiency. Despite these advances, analyses indicate limited overall modal shift from road transport, attributing persistence to incomplete network coverage and competing bus services.

Organizational Structure

Governance and State Ownership

The Turkish State Railways (TCDD) is wholly owned by the Republic of Turkey and operates as a state economic enterprise (SEE) affiliated with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure. As such, its primary mandate includes managing railway infrastructure, with state ownership aimed at objectives like capital accumulation and national transport integration rather than profit maximization typical of private entities. TCDD remains fully under public control, with no privatization or significant private equity stakes, reflecting Turkey's policy of retaining strategic transport assets in state hands. Governance of TCDD is centralized through a Board of Directors, chaired by the General Director (also known as the Director General), who oversees strategic decisions, infrastructure investments, and operational oversight. The General Director is appointed by presidential decree, ensuring direct alignment with national government priorities; for instance, Veysi Kurt assumed the role of Director General and Board Chairman on February 23, 2024, via such a decree. This appointment mechanism, in place since constitutional changes emphasizing executive authority, allows for rapid policy shifts in rail development, as seen in prior appointments like Ali İhsan Uygun in February 2019. The board typically includes deputy directors and experts from engineering and transport sectors, liable under private law provisions to facilitate efficient management while maintaining public accountability. Proposals for restructuring TCDD into a holding company have surfaced periodically to enhance subsidiary autonomy—such as for infrastructure versus operations—but as of 2023, it retains its integrated SEE structure without implemented privatization elements. This model prioritizes state-directed investments in high-speed rail and network expansion over market liberalization, contrasting with partial deregulations in peer European systems. Oversight by the Ministry ensures fiscal alignment with national budgets, with annual reports submitted to the Treasury and Finance Ministry detailing performance metrics like asset utilization and debt levels.

Infrastructure vs. Operations Separation Post-2017

In 2016, the Turkish government restructured the Turkish State Railways (TCDD) by establishing TCDD Taşımacılık A.Ş. as a separate entity on June 14 to assume responsibility for passenger and freight train operations, while TCDD retained ownership and management of railway infrastructure, including tracks, signaling, and stations. This functional separation took effect on January 1, 2017, aligning with broader rail liberalization reforms initiated under Law No. 6461 in 2013, which aimed to open the network to competitive access and reduce state monopoly in operations. The reform drew inspiration from European Union directives on railway market opening, seeking to enhance efficiency by distinguishing infrastructure maintenance from service delivery, though Turkey's implementation emphasized state oversight rather than full privatization. Under the post-2017 model, TCDD functions as the sole infrastructure manager, handling network capacity allocation, track access charges, and safety regulation, with revenues from access fees funding maintenance amid ongoing budget deficits subsidized by the national treasury through 2033. TCDD Taşımacılık A.Ş., as the incumbent operator and a TCDD subsidiary, initially monopolized train services but pays infrastructure usage fees to TCDD, as formalized in the first access agreement signed on January 24, 2017. This bifurcation enables non-discriminatory access for third-party operators, with private freight entrants certified starting in fall 2017, including Omsan Lojistik and Körfez Lojistik, though their market penetration remains limited, carrying under 5% of total freight volume by 2023 due to challenges in availability and network capacity constraints. Passenger services remain dominated by TCDD Taşımacılık, with no significant private competition as of 2025. The separation has facilitated incremental private sector involvement in freight, supporting Turkey's logistics corridors, but critics note persistent state control limits full market liberalization, as TCDD Taşımacılık retains preferential access and the infrastructure manager's financial burdens—exceeding 100 billion Turkish lira in debts by 2022—strain overall sector investment. Empirical data from the World Bank indicates modest freight modal share growth to 4.5% of total inland transport by 2020, attributable partly to the reform, yet operational bottlenecks like single-track sections hinder competition realization. Coordination between the entities occurs via the Railway Coordination Board, established in 2017 to align infrastructure upgrades with operational needs, though integration challenges persist in high-speed and international corridors.

Subsidiaries and Private Sector Involvement

TCDD maintains several wholly owned subsidiaries to handle specialized functions separate from its core infrastructure management. TCDD Taşımacılık A.Ş., established on June 14, 2016, under Law No. 6461, assumed responsibility for all passenger and freight train operations starting January 1, 2017, following the vertical separation of infrastructure from operations. This subsidiary operates the majority of Turkey's rail services, including high-speed YHT trains and conventional lines, with a fleet encompassing electric, diesel, and hybrid locomotives. TÜRASAŞ (Türkiye Raylı Sistem Araçları Sanayii A.Ş.), another key subsidiary, focuses on the maintenance, repair, and modernization of rolling stock, including production of freight wagons and locomotive overhauls at facilities in Eskişehir and Sivas. TCDD Teknik A.Ş. provides engineering services, including signaling systems, track maintenance equipment, and infrastructure-related technical support. Private sector participation in Turkish rail operations has been enabled through deregulation under Law No. 6461, which opened freight services to competition by allowing non-state operators to request train path allocations on TCDD's network. As of 2024, private firms handle a portion of domestic and international freight, with companies such as Omsan Lojistik and Körfez Taşımacılık operating container and bulk cargo trains primarily serving their industrial clients. Pasifik Eurasia, a private operator, launched Turkey's first fully private international freight service in October 2024, connecting Istanbul Halkalı to Budapest via the Balkans, committing to 600 annual trains for Eurasian corridors. Private entities have also invested in dedicated wagons, accounting for approximately 20% of rail freight volume through self-owned container and specialized cars. Passenger services remain under TCDD Taşımacılık's effective monopoly, with private entry restricted; subsidies ensure public service obligations until at least 2033, limiting competition to freight corridors. Broader privatization efforts have included the sale of non-core TCDD assets, such as 68 properties transferred to private buyers by mid-2025 and operating rights for certain ports like Haydarpaşa, generating revenue but preserving state control over the rail network. These measures aim to attract investment amid infrastructure demands, though private operators cite challenges like path allocation delays and regulatory hurdles as barriers to expansion.

Operations

Passenger Services and High-Speed Rail

TCDD Taşımacılık operates a range of passenger services across Turkey, including high-speed, intercity mainline, regional, and commuter trains. Mainline services connect major cities with express and overnight trains equipped with sleeping cars, couchettes, and dining facilities, while regional trains serve shorter routes within provinces. Commuter (banliyö) services provide frequent suburban connectivity in metropolitan areas such as Istanbul via the Marmaray tunnel integration, Ankara, and İzmir, emphasizing reliability for daily travel. High-speed rail, branded as Yüksek Hızlı Tren (YHT), represents the flagship passenger offering, operating at speeds up to 250 km/h on dedicated and upgraded lines. The network, initiated in 2007 with the Ankara–Konya route, expanded to include Ankara–Istanbul in 2014 and Ankara–Sivas in 2023, spanning approximately 1,385 km as of 2025 and linking key economic centers like Ankara, Istanbul, Konya, Eskişehir, and Sivas. Additional segments such as Konya–Karaman support integrated operations, with services featuring modern electric multiple units offering business and economy classes. YHT has transported over 100 million passengers cumulatively since inception by July 2025, with the Ankara–Istanbul line accounting for 38 million riders, underscoring its role in reducing travel times—such as slashing Ankara–Istanbul from 13 hours to about 4 hours—and boosting modal shift from roads. Annual passenger-kilometers for high-speed services are projected at 3.41 billion in 2025, reflecting sustained growth amid network expansions toward Bursa, İzmir, and international borders. Ongoing developments include testing of domestically produced high-speed trainsets in 2025 and new corridors like , aimed at enhancing connectivity to northern Anatolia and the Black Sea region, though challenges such as terrain and funding persist. Passenger services overall contribute to Turkey's railway modal share, targeted to rise to 6.12% in total transport by 2026, supported by electrification and signaling upgrades.

Freight Transport and Logistics

Freight transport operations of Turkish State Railways are managed by TCDD Taşımacılık A.Ş., a state-owned entity established in 2016 to handle train operations separately from infrastructure maintenance. This subsidiary operates freight services across the TCDD network, utilizing a fleet of locomotives and wagons for domestic and international cargo movement. In 2023, rail freight volume in Turkey totaled 32.4 million metric tons, reflecting a 16% decline from the prior year amid competition from road transport and economic fluctuations. Primary cargo types include bulk commodities such as minerals, cement, and steel products transported in open and high-sided wagons, alongside containerized and intermodal freight on flat and specialized platform wagons. TCDD Taşımacılık maintains a diverse wagon fleet, encompassing covered wagons for protected goods like cereals, tank wagons for liquids, and heavy-duty types for oversized loads. Approximately 19.4% of freight operations involve port integrations, facilitating block container trains from facilities like Tekirdağ to European destinations. Logistics enhancements focus on the Middle Corridor initiative, with new rail connections to western and eastern markets boosting transcontinental volumes. Recent procurements include Turkish-manufactured electric locomotives and freight wagons to modernize the fleet and support electrification upgrades on key lines. Despite rail's modal share remaining below 5% of total freight, government investments aim to expand capacity through dedicated freight corridors and improved border interoperability. TCDD maintains cross-border rail connections primarily with neighboring countries, facilitating both passenger services and freight transit as part of broader Euro-Asian corridors. To Europe, the primary link is via the Kapıkule-Sofalı border crossing with Bulgaria, enabling the Sofia Express passenger train from Istanbul to Sofia, which operates year-round. Freight routes extend through Bulgaria to Romania and , with a recent 1,549 km corridor handling up to 750,000 tons of cargo annually as of 2024. A secondary European connection exists at İpsala-Uzunköprü with Greece, though services are limited due to infrastructure differences. To the east and south, connections include the Van-Kapiköy border with Iran for freight and limited passenger services, and the Kars-Akhalkalaki line to Georgia as part of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway, operational since 2017 and serving as a key segment of the Middle Corridor for seamless transit from Central Asia to Europe without gauge breaks in Turkey. The BTK line supports block container trains and integrates with Marmaray, the 13.6 km undersea rail tunnel beneath the Bosporus completed in 2013, which links Turkey's European and Asian networks to enhance continental freight flows. Plans for high-speed rail extension to Bulgaria aim to initiate Sofia-Istanbul services, with commitments announced in 2024 to accelerate development. Maritime integration occurs through TCDD-owned or connected ports that enable intermodal rail-sea freight, with seven such facilities under TCDD control including Haydarpaşa, Derince, Bandırma, Mersin, Samsun, İskenderun, and Tekirdağ. These ports handle significant container volumes, such as at Mersin and İzmir, where direct rail sidings support transfer of goods from ships to the national network for inland distribution. Samsun Port, transferred to TCDD in 1953, features rail-connected quays developed between 1953 and 1963 for bulk and general cargo, bolstering Black Sea logistics. Ongoing expansions, like at Karasu Port with planned rail links, aim to strengthen Turkey's role in multi-modal corridors linking maritime routes to rail for exports to Europe and Asia. This integration prioritizes efficiency in handling high-volume commodities, though challenges persist from gauge inconsistencies at some borders and geopolitical disruptions affecting southern routes to Iraq and Syria.

Infrastructure

Network Extent, Gauge, and Regional Coverage

The Turkish State Railways (TCDD) infrastructure encompasses a total network length of 13,919 km as of early 2025, including both conventional and high-speed lines. This extent supports operations across conventional tracks totaling approximately 11,668 km and dedicated high-speed segments. All lines adhere to the international standard gauge of 1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in), enabling compatibility with European rail systems and facilitating cross-border interoperability where gauge alignment exists. Regionally, the network serves 59 of Turkey's 81 provinces, with primary concentration in the Marmara, Aegean, Central Anatolia, and Mediterranean regions, linking key urban and industrial centers such as , , İzmir, , and . Major corridors radiate from Istanbul through Thrace into Anatolia, supporting east-west freight flows and north-south passenger routes, while extensions reach southeastern areas like Gaziantep for logistics integration. Coverage remains sparse in the eastern provinces, Black Sea coast, and remote southeastern territories, attributable to terrain challenges and prioritization of high-density economic zones in network expansion.

Electrification, Signaling, and Modern Upgrades

Electrification of Turkish State Railways (TCDD) infrastructure began in the mid-1950s with initial efforts focused on suburban lines in Istanbul and Ankara. The first significant segment, the Haydarpaşa–Gebze suburban line in Istanbul, was completed in 1969 using 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead catenary, the standard system adopted for subsequent projects. By the early 2010s, electrified track reached approximately 3,300 km, including high-speed corridors, enabling a shift from diesel to electric traction that reduced energy costs by 17% between 2012 and 2016 through lower fossil fuel dependency. As of July 2024, TCDD's electrified network spans 7,142 km out of a total conventional and high-speed infrastructure exceeding 12,000 km, representing over 50% coverage with dense-traffic lines prioritized. Ongoing electrification covers 993 km of conventional lines, including routes like Malatya–Elazığ and connections to ports and logistics centers, supporting ambitions for near-complete coverage by the mid-2020s despite delays from the original 2023 target. These upgrades facilitate higher freight and passenger capacities, with electric locomotives handling increased ton-km from 2.7 billion in 2012 to 5.2 billion in 2016. Signaling systems on TCDD lines have transitioned from traditional mechanical and relay-based setups to advanced electronic interlockings and the European Train Control System (ETCS). High-speed lines, such as Ankara–Istanbul, employ ETCS Levels 1 and 2, supplied by Hitachi Rail, which integrate centralized traffic control and trackside signaling to boost line capacity and speeds beyond 200 km/h. Thales implemented ETCS Level 2 on the inaugural high-speed route, incorporating automatic train protection to enforce speed limits and prevent collisions, while Alstom has equipped urban and intercity segments with similar interoperable systems. Approximately 3,036 km of the network features modern signaling as of recent assessments, enabling safer operations amid rising traffic volumes. Modern upgrades emphasize digital integration and resilience, including a $1.6 billion initiative for the Divriği–Kars corridor to electrify 667 km and enhance signaling for Middle Corridor freight bypassing Russia. At Kapıkule border station, Hitachi Rail is deploying upgraded signaling to increase throughput for Europe-Asia links. Broader efforts, part of a $60 billion national program, incorporate ETCS across conventional lines and seismic-resistant infrastructure, with Huawei consolidating network management for 24 regional systems into a unified platform to optimize maintenance and fault detection. These enhancements, funded through state investments, aim to elevate operational efficiency while addressing capacity constraints from legacy diesel reliance and uneven electrification.

High-Speed Lines and Extensions

The high-speed rail (HSR) infrastructure managed by Turkish State Railways (TCDD) comprises dedicated lines designed for passenger trains operating at speeds up to 250 km/h under the YHT (Yüksek Hızlı Tren) brand. As of December 2023, the total length of HSR lines stood at 2,032 km, supporting services on multiple corridors radiating from Ankara. These lines have reduced travel times significantly between key urban centers, with YHT schedules confirming operations on routes such as Ankara–Istanbul, Ankara–Konya, and Ankara–Sivas. Key operational HSR lines include the Ankara–Istanbul route, which spans 533 km and entered full service in 2014, enabling end-to-end journeys at a maximum speed of 250 km/h. The Ankara–Sivas line, measuring 405 km, was completed and inaugurated on 26 April 2023, cutting travel duration to under three hours. Complementary segments, such as the extension from Konya to Karaman, integrate into the broader network, with YHT services verified as active via official timetables.
LineLength (km)Opening Year (Full Service)Max Operating Speed (km/h)
Ankara–Istanbul5332014250
Ankara–Sivas4052023250
Extensions and new constructions are advancing to expand connectivity. In June 2025, work commenced on the first HSR project in northern Anatolia, establishing a corridor from central regions to the Black Sea via the Ankara–Samsun alignment. Further developments include lines linking Istanbul to Bursa and progressing toward Izmir, with the 624 km Ankara–Izmir HSR slated for operational status in 2027, aiming to shorten trips to approximately 3.5 hours. These initiatives align with ambitions to double the HSR network by 2027 and reach 6,000 km by 2035, prioritizing domestic engineering and electrification.

Border Connections and Break-of-Gauge Issues

TCDD operates rail connections across Turkey's borders with Bulgaria and Iran on compatible standard gauge tracks of 1435 mm, enabling direct through-running of freight trains without gauge changes. The primary European link is at on the Bulgarian border, which handles substantial container and bulk freight volumes to and from the EU, supplemented by limited passenger services such as the Istanbul-Sofia Express. This crossing has faced congestion issues, prompting Bulgaria to plan a parallel 71 km route from Yambol to Elhovo, designed for 160 km/h passenger and 120 km/h freight speeds, announced in September 2025. Upgrades on the Turkish side, including the 2025-tested Halkalı-Kapıkule high-speed line, aim to reduce Istanbul-to-border travel time to under three hours. To the east, the connection with Iran via the Van-Tabriz line supports daily freight trains carrying minerals, construction materials, and consumer goods, with occasional passenger services. Both countries' networks use 1435 mm gauge, allowing seamless locomotive changes at border stations like Kapiköy-Razi, though customs procedures and infrastructure capacity limit throughput to around 2-3 million tons annually as of recent estimates. Links to Syria via the Nusaybin border and Iraq via Habur remain suspended due to ongoing conflicts since 2011 and 2014, respectively, despite compatible gauges in operational sections.
Neighboring CountryPrimary CrossingGauge CompatibilityCurrent StatusKey Developments
BulgariaKapıkule-SvilengradSame (1435 mm)Active (freight dominant)High-speed upgrades; parallel line planned to ease congestion
IranKapiköy-Razi / Van-TebrizSame (1435 mm)ActiveFreight-focused; capacity expansions ongoing
Georgia/AzerbaijanKars-Akhalkalaki (BTK)Break-of-gauge (1435 mm to 1520 mm)Active since 2017Gauge change facilities mitigate transshipment delays
Syria/IraqNusaybin / HaburSame (1435 mm)SuspendedInactive due to security issues; potential reopening post-stabilization
Break-of-gauge complications primarily arise in connections to the Caucasus via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway, inaugurated in October 2017, where Turkey's 1435 mm standard gauge from Kars meets Georgia's 1520 mm broad gauge at Akhalkalaki station, approximately 20 km inside Georgian territory. This necessitates bogie exchanges or cargo transshipment, adding 12-24 hours to transit times and elevating operational costs by 20-30% compared to seamless networks, though dedicated facilities at Akhalkalaki have enabled freight volumes to reach 1-2 million tons yearly by 2020. The BTK bypasses Armenia, enhancing Turkey's Eurasian access, but gauge incompatibility limits direct passenger services beyond Kars, with plans for variable-gauge technology under consideration to reduce handling. No such issues affect European or Iranian borders, where uniform gauging supports efficient block trains, underscoring how gauge standardization drives interoperability while mismatches enforce logistical bottlenecks. In August 2025, Turkey initiated construction of a 224 km standard-gauge line from Kars to the Dilucu border with Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan exclave, forming part of the Zangezur Corridor to link directly to Iranian networks and Central Asia, avoiding further reliance on BTK's gauge break. This project, projected for 5.5 million passengers and 15 million tons of freight annually, incorporates five tunnels and aims to operationalize by integrating with existing 1435 mm infrastructure, thereby minimizing future break-of-gauge dependencies in southern Caucasus routing.

Rolling Stock

Locomotives and Electric Multiple Units

The Turkish State Railways (TCDD) fleet includes diesel-electric locomotives primarily for non-electrified lines and freight operations, with electric locomotives deployed on electrified networks for both freight and passenger services. Diesel-electric models such as the DE22000 class, built by TÜLOMSAŞ from 1985 to 1989 under an Electro-Motive Division design, number 86 units configured in C-C arrangement for heavy haulage. The DE24000 class, licensed from French firm Matériel de Traction Électrique and produced between 1970 and 1984, comprises 218 locomotives that have long served as the backbone of mixed-traffic duties. Shunting duties are handled by DH-series diesel-hydraulic locomotives, including recent domestic models from TÜLOMSAŞ. Electric locomotives form a growing segment, with the E5000 class marking Turkey's first domestically designed mainline model, produced by TÜRASAŞ with 5 MW power output and a top speed of 140 km/h for freight and passenger use. In 2025, the initial five E5000 units were delivered under a 95-unit contract, with plans for 15 more by year-end, 30 in 2026, and 45 in 2027, emphasizing AC-AC transmission and TSI compliance. Earlier electric classes include heavy-duty models like the E68000, sourced from and TÜLOMSAŞ for southern freight routes. Electric multiple units (EMUs) support suburban and regional passenger services on electrified lines. In Ankara, E23000-class units from Hyundai Rotem operate local routes, while Istanbul's E32000 (also Rotem) and Izmir's E22000/E22100 (CAF and Rotem) handle commuter traffic. The E44000 class, with initial deliveries in April 2023, represents newer domestic EMU development for expanded suburban networks. In June 2023, a 25 kV 50 Hz national EMU entered service on the , prioritizing local production for reliability and cost efficiency. TÜRASAŞ continues to advance EMU variants, including battery-assisted models announced in 2025 for versatile deployment.
Locomotive/EMU ClassTypeManufacturerBuild PeriodFleet Size (Approx.)Primary Use
DE22000Diesel-electricTÜLOMSAŞ (EMD design)1985–198986Freight/mixed
DE24000Diesel-electricLicensed MTE/TÜLOMSAŞ1970–1984218Mixed traffic
E5000ElectricTÜRASAŞ2024–ongoing95 ordered (5 delivered by mid-2025)Freight/passenger
E23000EMUHyundai RotemRecentOperational in Ankara suburbsCommuter
E44000EMUDomestic (TÜRASAŞ-led)2023–ongoingInitial units in serviceSuburban

Passenger Coaches and Trainsets

TCDD Taşımacılık operates a fleet of conventional passenger coaches hauled by locomotives for intercity and regional services, totaling 653 coaches as of 2020, alongside 2 conference and saloon coaches and 31 baggage cars. These coaches, primarily produced by state-owned TÜVASAŞ (now Türasaş), include economy, couchette, sleeping, and dining variants designed to UIC standards for interoperability. The TVS2000 series, introduced between 1993 and 2005, represents a key subset with features like swing-plug doors and fixed or partially opening windows, used in luxury configurations on select routes. For self-propelled operations, TCDD Taşımacılık maintains 87 electric multiple units (EMUs) and 105 diesel multiple units (DMUs) as of 2020, supporting non-electrified and regional lines. DMUs such as the DM15000 series, built by EUROTEM, serve diesel-only routes with capacities suited for medium-distance travel. Recent additions include domestically produced EMUs capable of 160 km/h, with three units entering service in 2023 from Türasaş facilities, reflecting efforts to localize production and modernize the fleet. Further, 56 METS EMUs are slated for delivery by 2025 to expand electrified regional capacity. High-speed rail under the YHT brand employs dedicated trainsets for services reaching 250-300 km/h. The HT65000 series, comprising 12 six-car sets manufactured by CAF, operates at up to 250 km/h with a capacity of 419 passengers per set. Complementing these are Siemens Velaro-based HT80000 sets, with deliveries of 12 units (HT80107-HT80118) completed in 2021, featuring business, economy, and cafeteria classes for premium long-distance routes like Ankara-Istanbul. In 2025, TCDD ordered 14 additional high-speed trainsets from Türasaş, marking the first domestically produced units for this category to enhance network capacity.

Freight Wagons and Specialized Vehicles

TCDD Taşımacılık maintains a fleet of approximately 17,000 registered freight wagons as of late 2024, comprising around 16,915 commercial units and 245 administrative ones, supporting the transport of bulk commodities, intermodal containers, and industrial goods across Turkey's rail network. This inventory reflects a modest increase from 16,758 total wagons at the end of 2023, with 16,511 designated for commercial freight operations. The fleet's composition emphasizes standard open, covered, and flat wagons suited to Turkey's mineral exports, agricultural products, and steel shipments, though private operators contribute additional wagons for specific routes, enhancing overall capacity. Standard freight wagon types include two-axle and four-axle platform wagons for general cargo, 60-foot container flats for intermodal loads, hopper cars for aggregates and ores, and tank wagons for liquids such as chemicals and petroleum derivatives. State-owned manufacturer Türasaş produces 19 varieties of these standard wagons, prioritizing domestic designs to reduce import dependency and align with national rail modernization goals; for instance, in May 2024, TCDD received 27 Türasaş-built container wagons, each accommodating two 40-foot ISO containers, with production scaling to 200 units in 2025 and 480 in 2026. These additions address growing intermodal demand, particularly for Eurasian corridors, where container traffic has risen amid regional trade shifts. Specialized vehicles augment the fleet for niche applications, including fire-extinguishing wagons equipped with water pumps and foam systems for rapid response along tracks, and ballast transport wagons designed for elevator waste or track maintenance materials, developed through industry collaborations. Türasaş has introduced battery-powered shunting vehicles and prototype fire-fighting wagons in 2025 lineups, enhancing operational safety and efficiency in remote or hazardous areas. Such vehicles, though limited in number relative to standard stock, support infrastructure upkeep and emergency logistics, with recent deployments including 127 next-generation specialized freight wagons introduced in 2025 to bolster heavy-haul capabilities. Fleet utilization remains constrained by track capacity and locomotive availability, prompting ongoing investments in wagon modernization to sustain freight volumes exceeding 30 million tons annually.

Performance Metrics

Financial Results and Economic Impact

TCDD, as the state-owned perates at a financial loss in most activities, relying on government to sustain operations deemed essential for public policy rather than profitability. Infrastructure maintenance and development costs exceed track access revenues, with explicit subsidies covering passenger services and implicit support funding capital investments. In 2024, TCDD's accumulated debt reached 4.73 billion Turkish lira, reflecting ongoing fiscal pressures amid high inflation and currency depreciation. TCDD Taşımacılık A.Ş., the separate operating entity for freight and passenger services established in 2016, generates revenue primarily from freight but incurs losses on passenger routes, where fares fail to offset operational expenses including energy, maintenance, and labor. Subsidies for these "public interest" lines were extended through 2033, with 2023 allocations totaling 44.97 billion Turkish lira, including 21.87 billion for locomotive acquisitions. Freight revenues have shown resilience, contributing to the sector's estimated 244.8 million euros in 2025, though dominated by state operations amid limited private competition. Economically, TCDD's network facilitates 45% of domestic rail freight via electrified lines, supporting export growth with 1.2 million tons carried by rail in the first seven months of 2024, a 13% increase year-over-year. This modal shift from roads reduces logistics costs and emissions, aligning with national goals for Eurasian connectivity under initiatives like the Middle Corridor. World Bank financing of 660 million dollars in 2024 targets low-carbon rail expansion, projecting job creation and GDP uplift through enhanced trade efficiency, as rail's share in total freight remains below 5% but grows with infrastructure upgrades. Government investments underscore rail's strategic value, with 2025 budget allocations of 305.2 billion Turkish lira (10.31 billion dollars) for rail equaling road funding, aimed at doubling network length and freight capacity by 2030. These outlays, partly debt-financed, yield long-term returns via trade facilitation, though short-term fiscal burdens persist due to subsidy dependence and underutilized capacity outside key corridors.

Operational Efficiency and Market Position

TCDD maintains a dominant position in Turkey's rail sector as the sole infrastructure manager, with TCDD Taşımacılık A.Ş. handling the bulk of passenger and freight operations following partial liberalization in 2013. Rail freight constitutes about 5% of total freight transport modal share as projected for 2023, trailing far behind road haulage, which benefits from extensive highway investments and lower regulatory hurdles. In 2023, rail freight volume totaled 32.4 million metric tons, a 16% decline from the prior year, attributable to economic slowdowns and competition from subsidized trucking. Within rail freight, TCDD Taşımacılık commands an 87% share, with private operators limited to 13% amid barriers like track access fees and capacity constraints. Passenger rail has gained traction via high-speed YHT services, capturing up to 72% market share on intercity routes like Ankara-Istanbul, where air and bus alternatives face time disadvantages post-electrification and signaling upgrades. Total rail passenger-kilometers reached 21 billion in 2023, fueled by over 100 million cumulative YHT riders since 2009, though overall modal share remains below 10% nationally due to bus dominance in regional travel. Efficiency metrics reveal mixed progress: modernization has boosted line speeds and throughput on upgraded corridors, but legacy conventional lines suffer from low capacity utilization, often below 60% for freight due to mixed passenger-freight scheduling and maintenance backlogs. High-speed operations achieve user-reported punctuality above conventional services, with surveys prioritizing reliability as a key factor, yet official aggregated delay data is sparse, hindering benchmarking against European peers where rail efficiency scores higher via competitive tenders. World Bank assessments highlight structural inefficiencies from integrated infrastructure-operation models, recommending further separation to incentivize performance, as Turkey's rail productivity lags EU averages by 20-30% in ton-km per employee. Government strategies target a sevenfold freight share increase to 22% by 2053 through network expansions, potentially elevating TCDD's role in Eurasian corridors if execution overcomes chronic underinvestment in non-HS segments.

Safety Record and Incident Analysis

The Turkish State Railways (TCDD) operates a network prone to accidents stemming from aging infrastructure, ance on level crossings, and occasional operational lapses, with third-party interference—such as trespassing and vehicle incursions—constituting the predominant causal factor in significant incidents. A 2017 analysis of level crossing (LC) accidents using TCDD data identified 196 events, of which 116 occurred at passive LCs lacking barriers or signals, and 42 at automatic half-barrier sites, underscoring vulnerabilities in unguarded or minimally protected crossings. Derailments and collisions have also arisen from track weaknesses and human factors, with empirical reviews showing death rates per million train-km peaking at 4.8 in 2004 before trending downward, reflecting partial gains from post-incident probes but persistent gaps in preventive engineering. Major passenger train derailments exemplify systemic maintenance shortfalls. In 2004, the Pamukova incident saw a train exceed safe speeds on a curved section, killing 41 and injuring 80 in what remains TCDD's deadliest recent disaster. The July 2018 Çorlu derailment, near Tekirdağ, involved embankment failure from heavy rains eroding subsoil, derailing five cars of a train carrying 362 passengers; 25 died—including 7 children—and over 300 were injured, with TCDD held accountable for neglecting weather risk assessments and drainage reinforcements, resulting in 2024 convictions of nine officials for negligence totaling more than 108 years' imprisonment. Level crossing collisions dominate non-derailment fatalities, often involving pedestrians or vehicles ignoring warnings. A 17-year forensic review (2000–2017) of eastern Turkey railway injuries—handled by TCDD—examined 77 cases, with 34 fatalities (44.2% mortality), 96.1% accidental; train-vehicle strikes caused 58.8% of deaths and 55.8% of survivals, while pedestrian impacts yielded the highest per-incident lethality at 73.7%, disproportionately affecting males aged around 37. A September 2021 freight train-minibus crash in Balıkesir province killed 6 and injured 7 at an unguarded crossing, illustrating ongoing exposure despite signaling retrofits. Causal realism points to underinvestment in proactive hardening—such as embankment stabilization and LC eliminations—as amplifiers of weather and human-error risks, though high-speed line upgrades have isolated some legacy hazards; global benchmarks suggest TCDD's incident rates exceed European averages, with trespasser and crossing events comprising 75% and 15% of significant accidents in comparable systems, urging prioritized causal interventions over reactive prosecutions.

Strategic Developments

Geopolitical Role in Eurasian Connectivity

The Turkish State Railways (TCDD) plays a pivotal role in Eurasian connectivity through its management of rail infrastructure integral to the Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor, which facilitates trade routes from Central Asia and China to Europe while circumventing Russian territory. This corridor gained heightened geopolitical significance following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which disrupted traditional Northern Corridor routes, prompting a surge in Middle Corridor usage. In the first 11 months of 2024, cargo volumes along the Middle Corridor reached 4.1 million tons, marking a 63% increase year-over-year, with TCDD handling key segments including cross-border freight to Bulgaria and Greece on the European side. Central to this role is the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway, operational since October 30, 2017, which links Azerbaijan and Georgia to Turkey's network, bypassing Armenia due to ongoing regional tensions. The 826-kilometer BTK line integrates with TCDD's systems to enable container trains from Caspian ports to reach European markets via the , a 13.6-kilometer undersea rail connection beneath the Bosphorus Strait completed in 2013. This infrastructure allows for seamless Eurasian rail transit, reducing reliance on maritime routes and enhancing Turkey's position as a continental bridge. TCDD's operations support Turkey's Middle Corridor Initiative, which complements but operates independently of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), fostering synergies in logistics while prioritizing Turkish strategic interests. Freight trains from Xi'an, China, reached Turkey via the BRI-linked Trans-Caspian route in November 2019, underscoring potential for expanded volumes, though Turkey emphasizes multilateral frameworks like the Organization of Turkic States to advance regional integration. Geopolitically, TCDD's network bolsters Turkey's influence in energy and trade transit, connecting uthward and positioning mid shifting post-2022 dynamics, with planned expansions targeting 14,437 kilometers of total rail by the late 2020s. This role, however, faces challenges from break-of-gauge issues at borders and infrastructure bottlenecks, requiring coordinated investments to sustain growth.

Recent Modernization Projects (2020s)

The Turkish State Railways (TCDD) advanced its high-speed rail (YHT) network in the 2020s through the completion of the Ankara–Sivas line, a 405 km route designed for maximum speeds of 250 km/h, which opened on April 26, 2023, after years of delays. This extension connected Sivas directly to Ankara, enabling subsequent high-speed services from Istanbul to Sivas launched on May 6, 2024, thereby linking 11 cities via YHT and serving over 100 million passengers cumulatively by mid-2025. TCDD aims to expand the YHT network from approximately 2,251 km to 4,122 km by 2027, incorporating domestic manufacturing to reduce reliance on imports. Signaling and control system upgrades formed a core component of modernization efforts, with Hitachi Rail delivering digital signaling infrastructure on the Ankara–Istanbul and Ankara–Sivas lines in December 2024, enhancing capacity, reliability, and potential speeds on these corridors. Complementary initiatives included the Eastern Türkiye Middle Corridor Railway Development Project, which installed signaling, telecommunications, and electrification systems across a 660 km section to boost freight throughput and international connectivity. These enhancements align with broader goals of signaling and electrifying the entire network, prioritizing safety and efficiency amid growing traffic demands. Rolling stock procurement emphasized domestic production, exemplified by a March 2024 contract for 95 E5000-class electric locomotives manufactured by Türasaş, intended for freight and passenger services to modernize the fleet with higher efficiency and lower emissions. By June 2025, TCDD Taşımacılık received initial deliveries of Turkish-made electric locomotives, electric multiple units (EMUs), and freight wagons from Türasaş, supporting operational expansion without foreign dependency. Parallel maintenance upgrades, funded via the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank's TCDD Railway Maintenance Modernization Project proposed in 2025, introduced specialized machinery to sustain these assets over extended networks. Freight-oriented modernizations complemented passenger initiatives, with electrification and signaling on key corridors facilitating increased Middle Corridor volumes, though projects faced execution challenges typical of large-scale infrastructure in seismically active regions. Overall, these efforts positioned TCDD to target a total rail network of 17,500 km by 2028, integrating high-speed, electrified, and digitally controlled elements for enhanced Eurasian integration.

Future Expansion Plans and Challenges

The Turkish State Railways (TCDD) aims to expand its national railway network beyond 14,000 kilometers by 2026, supported by an allocation of 377.2 billion Turkish liras (approximately $8.98 billion) for infrastructure, operations, and services. Longer-term targets include reaching 17,500 kilometers by 2028 and 28,500 kilometers by 2053, emphasizing integration into Eurasian transport corridors. High-speed rail development forms a core component, with plans to extend the network to 2,607 kilometers by 2025, 2,843 kilometers by 2026, and 4,122 kilometers by 2027, effectively doubling its length to enhance intercity connectivity. Key projects include the construction of high-speed lines in northern Anatolia to link central regions with the Black Sea, initiated in June 2025, and the Ispartakule-Çerkezköy line designed for 200 km/h speeds with double tracks and electrification. Freight-oriented initiatives feature the Eastern Türkiye Middle Corridor Railway Development Project, funded partly by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, to shift cargo from roads to rails, reducing costs and improving reliability. Additional investments, such as a $660 million World Bank loan approved in December 2024 for low-carbon electric rail expansion, underscore efforts to modernize and electrify lines while boosting economic growth. Complementary urban projects, like the Trabzon light rail extending from Akçaabat to Yomra, aim to alleviate congestion in coastal cities. Expansion faces significant challenges from Turkey's seismic and climatic vulnerabilities, including frequent landslides, floods, and sinkholes that have repeatedly damaged tracks and facilities, prompting collaborations like the September 2025 memorandum with OKI for IoT-based disaster monitoring systems. Financial strains arise from high capital requirements, with planned €6 billion investments by 2025 for peed upgrades, amid ongoing at introduce services, potentially pressuring TCDD's market share. Operational hurdles include integrating new lines into existing networks while ensuring safety, particularly in earthquake-prone regions, and attracting private operators under restructured infrastructure from operations. Despite these, TCDD's focus on domestic production, such as deploying 127 next-generation freight wagons in 2025, signals resilience in addressing capacity bottlenecks.

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