Ankara-Istanbul very high speed line is connecting biggest two cities of Turkey by high speed train.

Route

• 1a : Ankara – Sincan – Polatli – Eskisehir – Bozuyuk
• 1b : Bozuyuk – Bilecik – Kosekoy (partially conventional line used)
• 1c : Kosekoy – Izmit – Gebze – Pendik
• 1d : Pendik – Haydarpasa (under construction)

Technical Spects

• 533 km long
• Max speed: 250 km/h.
• Double lines, electrified (25 kV, 50 Hz AC)
• Current travel time 4 hours. Target is 3 hours.
• Min radius 3500 m
• Standard railway gauge (1435 mm)
• Max gradient 1,6%
• Max cant 130 mm

Timetable (as of 01.06.2015)

• Ankara-Istanbul (5 departures in each direction)
• Ankara-Eskisehir (5 departures in each direction)
• Ankara-Konya (7 departures in each direction) and Istanbul-Konya (2 departures in each direction) services use this line partially
• TCDD HST Timetables (Jan 2017)

Ridership (Ankara-Eskisehir)

• 2009 : 942 341 (Mar-Dec)
• 2010 : 1 889 666
• 2011 : 2 149 879
• 2012 : 1 981 887
• 2013 : 2 264 364
• Share of trains increased to 72% in 2013 (8%  in 2008). In the same period, share of buses decreased to 10% (55% before), share of cars decreased to 18% (37% before).
• Occupancy rate: %76 (2013)

Last Status (as of 01.06.2015)

• Ankara – Eskisehir section opened in 03.03.2009
• Eskisehir – Istanbul (Pendik) section opened in 25.07.2014
  • Eskisehir-Bozuyuk section completed
  • Bozuyuk-Kosekoy section partially completed. Trains are using conventional line at Karakoy and Alifuatpasa-Sapanca. Construction works expected to end in 2016.
  • Kosekoy-Gebze section almost completed. Signalization works on-going.
  • Gebze-Pendik section completed to a large extent. 3rd line is to be constructed for Marmaray service.
• Pendik – Haydarpasa section is closed. To be constructed as a part of Marmaray Project. Construction works stopped. Expected to open in 2017.

Stops

• Ankara (0 km)
• Sincan (24 km)
• Polatli (93 km)
• Eskisehir (245 km)
• Bozuyuk (295 km)
• Bilecik
• Sapanca (Temporarily Arifiye is being used)
• Izmit (441  km)
• Gebze (489 km)
• Pendik (509 km – temporarily service ends here since the rest of the stretch is not open)
• Haydarpasa (533 km – railway is under construction – no access to this station yet)

Ownership and Cost

• TCDD is the owner of the project.
• Took place in Government Budget in 1994.
• Project originally was renewal of the line with a budget of USD 237 mn. Project/budget changed first to USD 1.4 bn, then to EUR 2.5 bn. Project is expected to cost TL 9.9 bn (EUR 3.5bn).
• TL 7.34 bn was spent as of 31.12.2014. Budget of 2015 is TL 651 mn.
• Target is 9 mn passengers every year.

Rolling Stock

• CAF train sets
• Registered as HT65000 in Turkey
• Based on Renfe Class 120
• 6 cars, 413 seats
• Max speed 250 km/h

History

• 05.12.2003 – Construction works started in first phase (Ankara-Eskisehir)
• 11.09.2007 – 282 km/h speed achieved in test runs
• 13.03.2009 – Ankara-Eskisehir section opened
• 13.03.2009 – Construction works started in second phase (Eskisehir-Istanbul)
• 13.11.2009 – One HST set derailed while switching to conventional line near Eskisehir
• 17.05.2014 – Underpass in Eskisehir opened
• 25.07.2014 – Eskisehir-Istanbul (Pendik) section opened

Map: Onur Uysal

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Wikipedia – Ankara-Istanbul high-speed railway
Wikipedia – TCDD HT65000