Passenger train service from Halkali Train Station is planned after the engineering works completed this summer.
There’s a long to-do list before passenger service starts from Halkali. Here are the things to be done before opening:
- Facilities for passengers in the station
- Electrification of Halkali-Cerkezkoy section
- Renewal of rail bridges on European side
- Switch control system at Halkali Station
After all these works completed, the passenger train services between Halkali-Kapikule, Halkali-Uzunkopru and Tekirdag-Muratli will be possible. Target date is August 2016.
If Halkali is opened for passenger trains, the only international train service to/from Turkey, Istanbul-Sofia Express may depart from Halkali, passengers of which are currently being transported by buses to Kapikule.
Halkali was closed for train services in March 2013. Last year, train services between Cerkezkoy-Kapikule and Cerkezkoy-Uzunkopru started, but not lived long due to insufficient demand.
Cover Photo: Onur Uysal ©
Categories: Passenger
Rail Turkey En 
This is long overdue. I hope that both domestic and international train services will operate. It is a shame that we have had to wait so long with no train services on this route. Also, the onward connections by public bus to central Istanbul are very slow and crowded, so the rebuilding of the Marmaray line to connect at Halkali is needed urgently.