CURRENT SITUATION OF HIGH SPEED TRAIN PROJECT BETWEEN ANKARA AND ISTANBUL

(Updated on 14.11.2005)

With Ankara-Istanbul High Speed Train Project, which is amongst the biggest projects implemented by the Ministry of Transportation, it is aimed to decrease the travel time between Ankara and Istanbul as the biggest cities of our country, to create a fast, secure, and comfortable transportation means, and to increase the share of railways in transportation. The project will be implemented in two stages.

The 1 st Stage of the project is the section of 206 km between Esenkent and Eskisehir . The substructure works of between Esenkent and Eskisehir , which covers the 1 st Stage of Ankara-Istanbul High Speed Train Project, has been initiated on December 5 th , 2003 and it continues at a quick pace.

98% of excavation and 90% of backfill have been completed as earthworks. As for engineering works, 87% of the entire culverts, 82% of irrigating pipe crossings, 29% of underpasses, 69% of river bridges (pile + foundation), and 21% of tunnel constructions have been completed. The substructure construction tender between Sincan and Esenkent will be held on 19.12.2005 and the substructure construction tender between Eskisehir and Inönü will be held on 20.12.2005.

The contract price of the 1 st Stage, the construction works of which have been performed by a consortium established by Spanish OHL Company and ALSIM-ALARKO leaded by the latter, is 459 million Euros, inclusive of insurance premium. However, the approximate cost has been calculated as 628 million Euros together with the estimation increases by reason of maintaining the existing line and increasing the speed from 200 km/h up to 250 km/h . The 1 st Stage of the Project is aimed to be completed in 2006.

The 2 nd Stage of the Project will be implemented in two segments as Köseköy-Vezirhan and Vezirhan-Inönü. The bids were received on August 8 th , 2005 and the contract was awarded to CRCC-CMC-CENGIZ INS.-IC IÇTAS INS. Consortium. The contract will be concluded by the end of the objection period.

Besides, the project works of a segment of 56 km between Köseköy and Gebze, as the continuance of the 2 nd Stage, are about to be finalized.

When Ankara-Istanbul High Speed Train Project is completed, a double-line, electrified, and signaled railroad appropriate for 250 km/h speed between two major cities will be constructed. The travel time between Ankara and Istanbul , which is currently 6 hours and 30 minutes, will be 2 hours and 30 minutes between Ankara and Gebze and 3 hours between Ankara and Istanbul .

ANKARA-ISTANBUL HIGH SPEED TRAIN PROJECT
TRAVEL TIMES AND SPEEDS

On the other hand, development between Ankara and Eskisehir will decrease the travel time between Ankara and Izmir, which is the second railroad passenger transport artery of our country, approximately 1.5 hours.

Moreover, 10 units of high speed train sets will be procured concurrently with the Project and the train sets in question, which can reach 250 km/h speed, are equipped with air-conditioning, pressure balancing, paging, music, visual broadcasting, and passenger information systems.

This way, we are aiming to increase the railways share in passenger transportation between Ankara and Istanbul from 10% to 78%.

As is known, the railway line between Ankara and Istanbul is 562 km , 198 km of which is double-line and 364 km of which is single-line. This line is completely signaled and electrified. Travel time is 6 hours and 30 minutes with Baskent Express, 7 - 7.5 hours with other trains, 5 hours and 30 minutes by road, and approximately 3 hours by air with 50 minutes of flight.

Scenes from works:

Our Director General Mr. Süleyman KARAMAN and Assistant Director General Mr. Veysi KURT inspects the work onsite.		Road Department Head Mr. Ferhat DEMIRTAS inspects the work onsite.