2.4 Turkey Railway Assessment
Travel Time Matrix Railway Companies and Consortia Key Route Information Southern Turkey
In March 2012, railways was operational everywhere in Turkey and was still operational from Mersin, Iskenderun and Gaziantep to the three Syrian rail entry points, which are: Meydanekmez (West), Elbeyli/Cobanbey (with a new connection from Gaziantep), Nusaybin (East). Following Syrian cities could be reached by rail from Turkey: Aleppo, Lattakia, Homs, Hama, Damascus and Deir Ezzo.
No transhipment at the border (wagons remain the same, but there is a change of locomotive).
Cargo transported: Pallets, boxes, bags, containers.
It takes maximum 6 days from Mersin to Homs and 7 days to Damascus and Deir Ezzo.
1 train is generally 3 blocks of 500 tons, total 1500 tons (between 15 and 30 wagons for 1 block of 500 tons, and 17 tons maximum per axe).
Turkey has a well-developed, state-owned railway system built to standard gauge (1,435 mm (4 ft 8 12 in) which falls under the remit of the Ministry of Transport and Communication.
The primary rail carrier is the Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryollar (TCDD) (Turkish State Railways) which is responsible for all long-distance and cross- border freight and passenger trains. A number of other companies operate suburban passenger trains in urban conurbations.
The Turkish State Railways (TCDD) may be split with the passenger and freight operations being part of a new company named DETA (Demiryolu Tamacl Anonim irketi, meaning Railway Transport Company) with TCDD left as a track and infrastructure operator. This restructuring will also allow other rail operators to run trains on TCDD tracks by means of track access charges, and will end the monopoly of TCDD.
The new law about liberalization of Turkish railway transportation is accepted by Turkish Parliament and approved by the President of Turkey in April 2013. According to the law, TCDD will stay as the owner of infrastructure and the new company TCDD Tamaclk A will be operating the trains. Private companies will soon be allowed to run on TCDD infrastructure as well as the new infrastructure owned by private companies if constructed. Turkish Ministry of Transportation has a plan of constructing 4000 km conventional and 10000 km high speed lines till 2023.
Page 1 Participated companies:
1. Hyundai eurotem railway vehicles industry and trade joint stock company (15% shareholding) 2. STA –Sivas Sleeper Manufacturing Industry and Trade Joint Stock Company (15%) 3. Vademsas voestalpine kardemir railway systems industry and trade joint stock company (15%)
Below a map of railways covering south-eastern Turkey:
Contacts:
General Directorate of Turkish State Railways
Address: Anafartalar Mahallesi, Hipodrom Caddesi No: 3 Altnda – ANKARA
Telephone: +90 312 309 05 15 -Central
Trade Registry No or MERSS No: 0294-0034-1880-0010
Travel Time Matrix
Travel Time from Capital City to Major Towns
Iskenderun Adana Mersin
02:15 04:00
02:15 01:00
04:00 01:00
P.S: There is no railway to or from Gaziantep, as it has only internal tram.
City System Electrification Conductor System Gauge Bidirectional traffic
Gaziantep Gaziantep Tram 750 V DC Overhead line 1,435 mm (4ft 8 1/2 in) standard gauge Right-hand traffic
Page 2 Railway Companies and Consortia
All trains are managed by the Turkish State Railways – contacts mentioned above.
For more information on railway company contact details, please see the following link: http://en.tcdd.gov.tr/index.php
Key Route Information
From Turkey to Iran:
Railway connection between Turkey and Iran is established via Trans Asya train that serves once a week between Istanbul-Tehran-Istanbul and that is composed of couchette cars; and a train that serves once a week between Van-Tabriz-Van that is composed of 2 nd Class compartment (with seating places) cars.
Standard Route Information
From Turkey to Iran: From Turkey to Syria From Turkey to Iraq
Track gauge 1067 mm (3'6") 1067 mm (3'6") 1067 mm (3'6")
Ruling gradient n/a n/a n/a
Total track distance (single and/or double) n/a n/a n/a
Type of rail (weight and if welded or not) n/a n/a n/a
Type of sleeper and fastenings n/a n/a n/a
Total track travel time n/a n/a n/a
Maintenance (Good, marginal, bad) n/a n/a n/a
Companies-consortiums operating on line n/a n/a n/a
Traffic frequency (monthly/weekly/daily) n/a n/a n/a
Security (Good, marginal, bad) n/a n/a n/a
Main stations (Add details below) n/a n/a n/a
Southern Turkey
Standard Route Information
Mersin - Adana Mersin - Adana - Iskenderun Iskenderun
Track gauge 1,435 mm 1,435 mm 1,435 mm
Total track distance (single and/or double) Double Single Single
Type of rail (weight and if welded or not) Welded Welded Welded
Type of sleeper and fastenings n/a n/a n/a
Total track travel time 01:00 04:00 02:15
Maintenance (Good, marginal, bad) Good Good Good
Main stations (Add details below) Adana Adana Adana
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