High-Speed Train Journey Between Ankara and Istanbul to Shorten by 30 Minutes
Ankara, Turkey – April 5, 2026 – The travel time for high-speed trains (YHT) between Ankara and Istanbul is expected to be cut by 30 minutes, announced Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure. The minister made the statement during an inspection of the T26 Tunnel construction site in Bilecik, a critical point for both the Ankara-Istanbul and Konya-Istanbul high-speed rail lines.
Minister Uraloğlu stated, “We received detailed information from our colleagues on the latest status of the project and personally evaluated the progress of our work.” He emphasized that under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, railway development has been a state policy since 2002. “Over the past 24 years, we have seen the tangible results of strong investments in railways. Passenger rail transport, especially with high-speed trains, has ushered in a new era in our country. High-speed trains have not only connected cities but have also fundamentally changed the travel habits of our citizens,” Uraloğlu added, highlighting the comfort, cost-effectiveness, high speed, and safety advantages that have made them a preferred mode of transport.
Significant Increase in High-Speed Rail Usage
Uraloğlu noted that approximately 110 million citizens have traveled by high-speed trains since the Ankara-Eskişehir line commenced service in 2009. He described 2025 as a productive and successful year for rail transport, with around 283 million passengers served across high-speed trains, main lines, regional trains, and urban lines. Approximately 12 million passengers opted for high-speed trains, with the Ankara-Istanbul line being the busiest, serving nearly 6 million passengers. Since its inception, the Ankara-Istanbul High-Speed Train Line has transported 42.6 million citizens.
The minister also detailed ongoing high-speed rail projects, including Ankara-Izmir, Bandırma-Bursa-Yenişehir-Osmaneli, Mersin-Adana-Osmaniye-Gaziantep, Halkalı-Kapıkule, Yerköy-Kayseri, Kırıkkale-Çorum, and Karaman-Ulukışla. The goal is to expand the railway network to 17,287 kilometers by 2028 and increase the number of provinces directly connected by high-speed rail to 27. “By 2053, we aim to connect all corners of our country with high-speed train lines, allowing us to traverse all of Turkey in 48 hours,” Uraloğlu stated.
T26 Tunnel: A Key to Faster Travel
Regarding the T26 Tunnel, Uraloğlu explained, “The 5,587-meter T26 Tunnel, located on the Bozüyük-Bilecik section of the Ankara-Istanbul High-Speed Railway Line, is one of the most critical points of the line.” Upon its completion and connection to the high-speed rail line, the existing 9.1-kilometer conventional line will be replaced by an 8-kilometer high-speed train line. This change will allow trains to travel at 250 km/h instead of 55 km/h in this section, reducing the 20-minute journey to just 9 minutes and eliminating delays caused by single-track train encounters.
The minister provided an update on the tunnel’s progress, stating, “The safety tunnels and cut-and-cover constructions, including excavation and support work, were completed by the end of last year.” He added that superstructure electrification and signaling works are progressing rapidly. “According to our plans, we aim to complete the superstructure works in the third quarter of 2026, and the electrification and signaling works by the end of 2026 and the first quarter of 2027. We target to open this section, including the T26 Tunnel and its connections, by mid-2027,” Uraloğlu affirmed.
Sapanca-Geyve Section Also Underway
Work is also continuing at full speed on the 12-kilometer Sapanca-Geyve section, which is a continuation of the route. Infrastructure, superstructure, and electromechanical construction works are currently 65% complete. “We plan to complete and open that section in the first half of 2028, or even the first quarter if there are no delays in tunnel construction,” Uraloğlu said. He reiterated the vision of “weaving our homeland with iron networks” under the leadership of President Erdoğan. “With the ongoing and future projects, we will provide our country with a faster, safer, and more modern railway network. Once both the T26 and Sapanca region projects are completed, we will reduce the travel time between Ankara and Istanbul by half an hour.”
Upon the completion of the Sapanca-Doğançay Ripaj and the Bilecik T26 tunnel, the projected travel time between Ankara and Istanbul will decrease from 4 hours and 7 minutes to 3 hours and 37 minutes.
