Investment budget cuts of Turkey will not effect Marmaray and metro lines to new airport.
Despite higher exchange rates and 20% of inflation, investment budget of government has decreased down to TL 65 bn (25% decrease compared to 2018), two projects, Marmaray and Istanbul Airport metro line projects managed to increase its funds in 2019. These two projects almost got one quarter of the whole investment budget of Ministry of Transport.
Marmaray, which is expected to cost TL 27 bn in total, has got a budget of TL 2.9 bn in 2019. This is about one quarter of all rail and urban transport projects. Though the project is expected to open on 10th of March, it’ll need another TL 2 bn next year.
The airport lines to new airport of Istanbul is the second project with huge fund. This year, Gayrettepe-Airport metro line will use a budget of TL 2.28 bn and Halkali-Airport metro of TL 460 mn. In total, these two projects will use an amount like Marmaray this year. Both project are expeced to cost TL 14 bn in total. As of end of this year, TL 5 bn of it will be spent.
Two other projects with huge fund are Ankara-Sivas HST line and Ankara metro completing projects, each having a budget of TL 1 bn.
Cover photo: Onur Uysal ©
Categories: Urban Transport
Rail Turkey En 
I wonder why Marmaray needs such a lot of investment budget even though it is basically ready. Does it need more trains? Is maintenance part of the investment budget and is it that expensive? I imagine it needs more train drivers, but 2bn Lira in 2020 is more than expected.
Very good question. I don’t have a very good answer.