Project

Halkalı–Kapıkule Railway Line Project

TürkiyeRail Infrastructure, Cross-Border InfrastructureReviewed 1 October 2026

A 229 km double-track, electrified 200 km/h passenger and freight line linking Istanbul to the EU border. It is Türkiye's largest EU-cofinanced infrastructure project. Çerkezköy–Kapıkule (about 153 km, €275m of EU IPA II funds; contract signed 11 June 2019) was more than 96% complete by February 2026. The first two-way freight trains ran on this section on 17–18 June 2026, and the ministry expects it to open shortly, with passenger service after certification. Ispartakule–Çerkezköy (67 km; EBRD €150m and AIIB €300m) reached 12.17% physical progress by Q1 2026 after major design changes. AIIB reports a revised completion of Q1 2029, while the government has signalled an earlier date.

Status

Under ConstructionStatus

Overview

Location
Istanbul (Halkalı) to the Bulgarian border (Kapıkule), Türkiye
Delivery Model
Publicly procured works
Financing
EU IPA II grant co-financing (Çerkezköy–Kapıkule); EBRD and AIIB loans (Ispartakule–Çerkezköy)

Project Developments

  • Project · 17 June 2026First two-way freight trains run on the Çerkezköy–Kapıkule section of the Halkalı–Kapıkule line

    The first two-way freight train services on the EU-cofinanced Çerkezköy–Kapıkule section of the Halkalı–Kapıkule Railway Line ran on 17–18 June 2026, with the two trains meeting at Lüleburgaz station.

Participants & Roles

Procuring Authority

Lender / Financier

Operator

Sources