Türkiye Secures $6.75B Financing for Northern Bosporus Rail Link
Türkiye Secures $6.75B Financing for Northern Bosporus Rail Link
Türkiye has reached a preliminary agreement to secure $6.75 billion in financing for the long-awaited railway project crossing the Bosporus, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced.
The deal involves six international financial institutions, including the World Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Asian Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the OPEC Fund for International Development.
"The strong interest from international institutions reflects confidence in Türkiye's railway vision," Uraloğlu said, calling it the country's largest externally financed rail project.
Northern Railway Crossing Project
The Northern Railway Crossing Project will create a new high-capacity, double-track electrified rail line stretching 126 km (78 miles). It will strengthen freight and passenger links between Asia and Europe while easing congestion in Istanbul.
The route connects:
- Çayırova to Sabiha Gökçen Airport (Asian side)
- Across the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge to Istanbul Airport
- Extends to Çatalca and integrates with the Halkalı-Çerkezköy High-Speed Train Line on the European side
The project includes 44 tunnels (59 km) and 42 bridges (22 km), enabling a direct rail connection between Istanbul's two airports for the first time.
A New Era in Logistics
Uraloğlu highlighted that the project will relieve traffic on the Marmaray line — the world's first underwater rail link connecting two continents — and significantly boost Türkiye's role in transcontinental freight transport.
Upon completion, the rail line is expected to handle 33 million passengers and 30 million tons of freight annually, marking what the minister described as the start of a new era in logistics.
Project summary
- Financing: $6.75 billion · 6 international banks
- Length: 126 km (78 miles)
- Tunnels: 44 (59 km)
- Bridges: 42 (22 km)
- Annual passengers: 33 million
- Annual freight: 30 million tons
