Here are highlights from what will happen in Turkish railways this year:

New high speed train sets are coming

The remaining 6 Siemens Velaro sets of 7 ordered by TCDD will start to be delivered this year. The number of high speed train services will be increased as soon as they put into operation.

Construction works to start in Marmaray

As problems solved with the contractor, we’ll see construction works will start at Marmaray. Deadline was announced as the end of 2017, but it would not be suprising to see suburban service at Pendik-Gebze section this year.

TCDD Tasimacilik AS to kick off

Liberalization will kick off this year after publishing of a few remaining legislation. TCDD Tasimacilik AS, the subsidiary of TCDD to run as train operator will start operations.

Licences in railway

Licences will be needed in railway business. Train operators, forwarders, terminal service operators, agencies will need to pay for and get licence to work.

Ankara HST station to open

The first high speed train station of Turkey built with build-operate-transfer method will )open this year in Ankara.

New Van Ferry to start

One of the two Van Lake ferries which made its first trial run last week will start operation. This fast and big ferry will help the bottleneck in Van Lake.

Konya Karaman railway to end

Ground works and track laying is almost completed on Konya-Karaman railway, and passenger trains are expected to run in early 2016. High speed trains will wait for completion of electrification and signalization.

Nemrut Bay railway to open

The construction works for the railway connecting ports and plants in/around Nemrut Bay to national rail network will start just after the tender at the beginning of 2016. Project is expected to be completed in this year.

Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway to open

Expectations about Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway which will connect Turkey to Central Asia via Georgia and Azerbaijan are now bigger after political crisis with Russia. The construction works managed by Turkey is expected to be completed and trials runs to startt within this year.

Cover Photo: Jeff Hawken ©