Turkey Begins High-Speed Rail Test Runs

The Halkalı Kapı Kule High-Speed Train project successfully completed its first test runs. The system is designed to reach speeds of 200 kilometers per hour. A dual rail system will allow for both passenger and freight transport. The project aims to reduce travel time between Edirne and Istanbul to 1.5 hours. This infrastructure is intended to modernize Turkey's rail connections with Europe. The project is not mandatory until July 2026. The 300-kilometer railway line includes segments between Çerkezköy and Kapı Kule, Çerkezköy and Isparta Kule, and Isparta Kule and Halkalı. Work on the initial Çerkezköy to Kapı Kule section is nearing completion. These segments include the 173-kilometer Kapıkule to Çerkezköy stretch, the 67-kilometer Çerkezköy to Isparta Kule stretch, and the 8.4-kilometer Isparta Kule to Halkalı stretch.