Yüksek Hızlı Tren

Yüksek Hızlı Tren or YHT (English: High Speed Train) is a high-speed rail service in Turkey, operated by TCDD Taşımacılık, and is the railway's premier intercity train service. As of 2022, the network spans 1,385 km (860.6 mi) and services major cities like Istanbul, Ankara, Eskişehir, İzmit, Konya and Sivas. Expansion of the system is underway and the network is expected to reach Edirne, Afyonkarahisar, Adana and İzmir in the 2020s.

Yüksek Hızlı Tren
An eastbound YHT train (TCDD HT80000) in Ankara
Overview
Service typeHigh-speed rail
StatusOperating
LocaleNorthwest, Central Anatolia
Predecessor
First service13 March 2009
Current operator(s)TCDD Taşımacılık
Former operator(s)Turkish State Railways
Ridership8.3 million (2019)
Route
TerminiAnkara
Istanbul or Karaman or Sivas
Distance travelled1,385 km (860.6 mi)
Average journey time1 hour, 50 minutes
Service frequency12x Daily (Ankara-Eskişehir)
9x Daily (Ankara-Istanbul)
5x Daily (Ankara-Konya)
2x Daily (Ankara-Karaman)
3x Daily (Ankara-Sivas)
4x Daily (Istanbul-Konya)
1x Daily (Istanbul-Karaman)
On-board services
Class(es)First, business and economy class
Disabled accessFully accessible
Catering facilitiesOn-board café, and at-seat meals (depending on the route)
Entertainment facilitiesOn-board television with feature films
Baggage facilitiesChecked baggage available at selected stations
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification25 kV 50 Hz AC
Operating speed300 km/h (186 mph) maximum
Track owner(s)Turkish State Railways

High-speed rail in Turkey was originally planned to be built as early as 1975, but it wasn't until 2003 that the construction of the Ankara-Istanbul high-speed railway began. The first section was completed in 2007, between Eskişehir and Esenkent with passenger operations beginning on 13 March 2009 between Eskişehir and Ankara. On 23 August 2011, the Turkish State Railways inaugurated its second high-speed railway to Konya and on 25 July 2014, the railway was opened to Istanbul. The State Railways have integrated the YHT network with other projects done in major urban areas. In Ankara, the route was expanded from three tracks to five tracks to allow for frequent Başkentray commuter rail service, along with a new high-speed rail concourse at Ankara station. In Istanbul, YHT trains use the Marmaray Tunnel to traverse the Bosphorus strait and reach the European side of the city.

YHT trains run on both dedicated high-speed railways, as well as existing conventional railways that have been upgraded to allow speeds of 200 km/h (124 mph) and 160 km/h (99 mph) respectively. The latest expansion of the network happened on 26 April 2023, with a 406 km (252 mi) expansion from Ankara to Sivas, along the newly built Ankara-Sivas high-speed railway.

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