Ankara-Izmir High-Speed Train to Cut Travel Time to 3.5 Hours
Ankara, April 3 – Turkey’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, announced that the Ankara-Izmir High-Speed Train (YHT) line, once operational, will bring the comfort of high-speed rail travel to approximately 11.5 million people living in Ankara, Afyonkarahisar, Uşak, Manisa, and Izmir.
Minister Uraloğlu received a briefing from officials at the construction site during the Ankara-Izmir High-Speed Train Line Inspection Program in Sinanpaşa. In his statement, Uraloğlu emphasized that transportation is a crucial key to a nation’s development, unity, and cultural journey.
Railways: A Pillar of Development
Uraloğlu highlighted that railways constitute one of the strongest, most environmentally friendly, and economical routes within this ecosystem. He noted that under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, they have completely overhauled the railway system since 2002, treating it as a state policy for development.
He pointed out that they have not only built new lines but also completely renovated the entire railway network they inherited. By making 61 percent of the lines signaled and more than half electrified, they have transformed the network into a safe, fast, and efficient railway system meeting international standards.
Uraloğlu listed several ongoing railway projects, including Halkalı-Kapıkule, Bandırma-Bursa-Yenişehir-Osmaneli, Mersin-Adana-Osmaniye-Gaziantep, Yerköy-Kayseri, Kırıkkale-Çorum, Karaman-Ulukışla, and the Ankara-Afyonkarahisar-Izmir High-Speed Train Lines.
“We are implementing new lines to support the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway Line, which was opened in 2017. We have also started and are continuing our work on the 224-kilometer Kars-Iğdır-Dilucu Railway project, which will open a second gate to our country via the Middle Corridor, supporting the Zengezur Corridor,” he stated.
A Massive Development Project
The Ankara-Afyonkarahisar-Izmir High-Speed Train Line, with a total length of 505 kilometers, including the Ankara-Banaz, Banaz-Sahilli, and Salihli-Izmir sections, is not just a railway but a massive development project illuminating the future of Anatolia. “We will have stations in Ankara, Eryaman, Polatlı, Emirdağ, Afyonkarahisar, Uşak, Salihli, Turgutlu, Manisa, Menemen, and Izmir. Of course, we are evaluating some additional stations that should be along this route, and we will include them in the project,” Uraloğlu explained.
The project also includes the construction of 49 tunnels totaling 40.7 kilometers, 67 viaducts totaling 25.5 kilometers, 78 bridges, 769 culverts, 142 overpasses, and 254 underpasses.
Significant Reduction in Travel Time
Uraloğlu noted that upon completion of the Ankara-Izmir High-Speed Train Project, the existing railway connection of 824 kilometers will be reduced to 624 kilometers. The travel time between Ankara and Izmir, currently 14 hours by rail and approximately 7 hours by road, will be reduced to an average of 3 hours and 30 minutes with the YHT line.
“When our project is fully operational, the line length between Ankara and Izmir will be 624 kilometers. The 505-kilometer section from Polatlı to Izmir is where our construction work is ongoing. When our line is fully commissioned, approximately 11.5 million citizens living in Ankara, Afyonkarahisar, Uşak, Manisa, and Izmir will experience the privilege of high-speed train comfort. We will reduce the travel time to 3.5 hours,” he elaborated.
Progress in Construction
Uraloğlu also mentioned that travel times will be significantly reduced for other routes: Ankara-Afyonkarahisar will be 1 hour 40 minutes, Ankara-Uşak 2 hours 10 minutes, and Ankara-Manisa 2 hours 50 minutes.
Upon completion, the line is expected to transport approximately 13.3 million passengers and 90 million tons of cargo annually. Uraloğlu emphasized that this major project will significantly boost the agricultural and industrial dynamism of Afyonkarahisar, Uşak, and Manisa, bringing a new international dimension. It will also transform Izmir’s strong ports and tourism potential into a driving force for Turkey’s development.
“We have made significant progress in earthworks, viaduct, and tunnel construction between Polatlı and Afyonkarahisar on our high-speed train line. We are at 98 percent for excavation work, 95 percent for earthworks, and an average of over 90 percent for bridges, viaducts, and underpasses,” he said. “We have completed the excavation and concrete lining work in the Bayat-1 and Bayat-2 tunnels, which have a total length of 1186 meters.”
A Prestigious Project for Turkey
Uraloğlu stated that excavation work in the 5,160-meter Köroğlu Tunnel has also been completed, with concrete lining work planned to finish this month. He reiterated their commitment to strengthening the railway network and positioning Turkey as a global logistics hub.
“This line will more strongly connect Izmir’s ports, the Aegean’s organized industrial zones, and agricultural centers to our national railway network. It will reinforce Turkey’s role in global trade. When we complete our work, we will have implemented another prestigious project for our country,” Uraloğlu concluded.
Following the program, Uraloğlu visited the Afyonkarahisar Governorship.
