The 229 km high-speed rail (HSR) line between Halkali near Istanbul and Kapikule on the Bulgarian border is to be completed by 2028. The project is divided into three sections, with the first 153 km between Kapikule and Cerkezköy to be completed by the end of 2025. The second and third phases, the construction of the Cerkezköy – Ispartakule and Ispartakule – Halkali sections, are both scheduled for completion by 2028. The future line for rail freight transport and passenger rail transport will also connect to the Turkish capital Ankara. The construction is co-financed by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). After the start of operations, rail freight transport along the corridor is expected to increase from 1.53 million t to 9.6 million t per year.
