Rail transport in Turkey
Turkey has a state-owned railway system built to standard gauge (1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)) which falls under the remit of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. The primary rail carrier is the Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryolları (TCDD) (Turkish State Railways) which is responsible for all long-distance and cross-border freight and passenger trains. A number of other companies operate suburban passenger trains in urban conurbations.
| Rail transport in Turkey | |
|---|---|
TCDD's premier high-speed rail service, Yüksek Hızlı Tren, waiting to depart Ankara. | |
| Operation | |
| National railway | Turkish State Railways |
| Statistics | |
| Ridership | 164.7 million (2019) |
| Passenger km | 5,88 billion (2011) |
| Freight | 11,3 billion tkm (2011) |
| System length | |
| Total | 12,532 |
| Double track | 946 km |
| Electrified | 3,304 km |
| High-speed | 745 km |
| Track gauge | |
| Main | 1,435 mm / 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in standard gauge |
| High-speed | 1,435 mm / 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in standard gauge |
| Electrification | |
| Main | 25 kV, 50 Hz AC |
| Features | |
| No. tunnels | 804 |
| Tunnel length | 200.407 km |
Native railway industry extends to the production of locomotives, passenger vehicles and freight wagons; some vehicles are also produced through licensing agreements and cooperation with foreign countries.
In the early 21st century, major infrastructural projects were realized; such as the construction of a high-speed railway network as well as a tunnel under the Bosphorus strait which connects Europe and Anatolia by rail for the first time.
Turkey is a member of the International Union of Railways (UIC). The UIC Country Code for Turkey is 75.