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Photo: Turkish State Railways
Turkey eyes high-speed rail line to Bulgaria
Published: Thu, 2015-01-15 09:00-
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New line to connect Turkey and Bulgaria
Turkey’s Minister of Transportation, Communications and Maritime Affairs Lütfi Elvan has announced plans to connect Istanbul and Kapıkule, a crossing point in the province of Edirne on the country’s border with neighbouring Bulgaria, by a high-speed rail line which is designed to pass through Edirne.
A tender to carry out the project is expected to be held later in 2015, reports local newspaper Daily Sabah.
The Turkish minister said that it is the government’s top priority to set up new railway lines and highways which will are designed to enable Turkey to reinforce its transportation facilities reaching the country’s borders and neighbouring states. Other major infrastructural projects which the country’s government is aiming to carry out include the North Marmara Highway, the third bridge over the Bosphorus, as well as the two-track railway line which is designed to pass over the bridge, according to Elvan.
Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey, is located more than 257 km from Kapıkule.
The amount of the planned rail investment was not disclosed by the Turkish minister.
By 2023, the centennial of the foundation of the Turkish Republic, the government is aiming to build some 10,000 km of new high-speed train lines, and close to 5,000 km of conventional rail lines, according to data from a report released by consultancy firm PwC.
Av Jaroslaw Adamowski
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