Transport Operational Programme Newsletter l No 2 l 2017 KGR Exclusive Introductory Issue The project connecting Ankara to İstanbul 1 KÖSEKÖY-GEBZE SECTION OF THE ANKARA-İSTANBUL HIGH SPEED TRAIN 212.000.000 The total budget of the project (Euro) İstanbul 56 km Length of railway line (km) Gebze Köseköy 160 km/h 4.184 Maximum Speed Number of train services (2016) Ankara 9 bridges 2 tunnels Ahmet ARSLAN Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications Köseköy-Gebze section is 56 kilometers long. The infrastructure, superstructure, electrification, signalization and telecommunications works throughout the line have been completed. or the last which are the vital 15 years, the elements of economy; FRepublic of thus, increasing the Turkey has been competitiveness of taking giant steps for our country. achieving a world class transport. We I have no doubt that endeavor to rank our colleagues of Turkey at the top of more than a hundred world transport league thousand will keep with a versatile and their devoted and planned approach diligent work in including visionary order to continue predictions. the success of our Our march towards to We spread on effort Ministry. to ensure Turkish achieve immense goals Significant projects people making use in transport is are carried out with of a faster, safer and dedicated efforts of in progress more comfortable Ministry’s Directorate transport. These efforts sure have an General for Foreign economic aspect, as Relations and well. Each investment European Union in transport, maritime Affairs, Department and communications for European Union which fall into our Investments. These Ministry’s area of efforts have focused responsibility, deeply on the rehabilitation of influences the railway infrastructure economy, commercial during IPA-I affairs, social and period. Conducting cultural life, education, together with EU, the health, daily life and all integration of Turkish related practices. railway with Trans- We will continue European Transport our march towards Network (TEN-T) is 2023 targets and one of our national beyond vigorously transport goals. and decisively by improving the And we will continue to head towards this Ahmet ARSLAN infrastructure of Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications transport and logistics goal devotedly. 3 4 hile responsibility of the facilitating future we will leave Wthe to posterity. Financial harmonization fund of about 574 process of the million Euros provided Republic of Turkey by the European with EU transport Union as part of the policies, Transport Instrument for Pre- Operational Accession Financial Programme also plays Assistance IPA-I a supportive role in the covering the period of integration of Turkish 2007-2013, has aimed railways with Trans- to support our works European Transport towards these goals. We are working for Network (TEN-T). In transport, IPA-I has focused primarily on a more balanced, We are working supporting the railway safer and efficient to provide a more infrastructure and balanced, safer, transport system technical assistance. comfortable and more I would like to thank efficient passenger all my colleagues and freight transport; who had added value and to continuously to these projects for challenge ourselves their hard and devoted and raise the bar work. higher. We have worked and will We are determined continue working in a to continue our rigorous manner with works for a transport the same enthusiasm sector in which all on every issue that transport alternatives falls into our Ministry’s are used in a area of responsibility. balanced way and our services towards the In each step we integration of Turkey’s take, we prioritize renewed transport our people, infrastructure with the commit ourselves EU transport network. for providing a sustainable and increasing welfare Erdem DİREKLER Director General for Foreign Relations and European Union Affairs for our nation, and Head of Operating Structure we truly embrace the 5 Nedim YEŞİL Head of Department for European Union Investments 6 he 2000s were one of the three the years in major infrastructure Twhich rail projects carried out systems, that is to by our Directorate. say railway transport, When the budgets began to make a of “Modernization of comeback. In urban Samsun-Kalın Railway transport, investments Line Project” and began to focus on rail “Rehabilitation and systems. Likewise, Signalization of Irmak- from the standpoint Karabük-Zonguldak of intercity transport, Railway Line Project” work began on Rehabilitation and are summed up, our the renewal of the Reconstruction of Directorate managed railway infrastructure a budget of more than Köseköy-Gebze Section and efforts were of the Ankara-İstanbul made to develop the €700 million during High Speed Train Project, infrastructure for high the term of IPA-I. which was carried out speed trains. I would like to by our Directorate with With this change thank my dedicated of approach in the colleagues at the a budget of €212 million, area of transport, Department for contributed to bring Turkey’s first high European Union Ankara and İstanbul speed train was built Investments, between Ankara Directorate General closer... and Eskişehir. When for Foreign Relations plans to extend this and European line to İstanbul were Union Affairs, added to the agenda, all our Ministry’s the European Union administrators, and wanted to support the Delegation of the construction of the European Union the Köseköy – Gebze to Turkey for their section, as it closely constant support matched their own during our work. transport policies. This team spirit The result was the has contributed “Rehabilitation and enormously to the Reconstruction of success of these high- Köseköy-Gebze Section of the budgeted projects. Ankara-İstanbul High I believe that the work Speed Train Project” to be done during the carried out under the term of IPA-II will be a responsibility of our great success, thanks Directorate. to this team spirit With a total budget and the support we Nedim YEŞİL of €212 million, will receive from our Head of Department for European Union Investments this project was Ministry. 7 Ankara-İstanbul YHT Projesi Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Köseköy-Gebze Section of the Ankara-İstanbul High Speed Train Project, implemented as part of TOP, has made an important contribution to the high speed train service that brings Ankara and İstanbul closer. As part of the project, which was implemented at a total budget of 212 million Euros; infrastructure, superstructure, electrification, signalization and telecommunication works of the 56 km line have been completed. According to the 2016 data, a total of 4,184 journeys were 212.000.000 operated on the line with a maximum speed of 160 km/h. The total budget of the project (Euro) 8 onstructing among those countries railways suitable for using this technology and Chigh-speed trains is 8th in the global arena. something that humanity The next step was to has dreamed of since the extend this line to İstanbul. early 1900’s. By 1964, all When construction works the hard work, research regarding this extension and development had paid off and Japan was the began, the European country to first operate a Union expressed a high speed train, known wish to contribute to as the “Bullet Train”. the construction of the line through IPA-I In Europe, on the other financial funds. The Project Rehabilitation and hand, the construction result was Rehabilitation Name Reconstruction of of the first high speed and Reconstruction of Köseköy-Gebze Section of railway began in the the Ankara-İstanbul High Köseköy-Gebze Section 1980s. Initially, European Speed Train Project of the Ankara-İstanbul countries made High Speed Train Project. independent investments Construction works on Length of 56 km in this area. Later on, the Railway Line the line, undertaken by European Union set a the Salini- Impregilo, End TCDD (DG for Turkish target for developing the Recipient State Railways) Kolin and G.C.F. joint Trans-European high venture, started in speed rail network, and 2011. Rehabilitation these rail lines, mostly and Reconstruction of Works Contract trans-boundary, began to Köseköy-Gebze Section of benefit from EU funds. Contractor Salini-Impregilo S.p.A. the Ankara-Istanbul High Company - Kolin İnşaat Turizm Turkey was introduced Speed Train Project mainly Sanayi ve Ticaret to high speed train in the involved “the dismantling A.Ş. - G.C.F. Generale early 2000s. After project and reconstruction Costruzioni Ferroviarie S.p.A. Joint Venture planning and construction of the existing double works, Turkey’s first high track railway, and Date of 14.10.2011 speed train departed from the installation of Contract Ankara to Eskişehir on the electrification, March 13, 2009 at 09:40 signalization and a.m. The travel time telecommunication Service Contract between these two cities, systems of the line.” The on a 245 kilometre line, integration of the line Consultant ILF Mühendislik Teknik was cut to one hour 20 with the adjacent railway Company minutes and the high Danışmanlık Taahhüt lines, electrification, ve Ticaret Ltd. Şti., ILF speed train began to have signalization and Consulting Engineers high demand. Following Austria GmbH, Obermeyer telecommunication a competition organized Planen + Beraten GmbH, systems as well as the pre- by TCDD, the line was Optim Obermeyer Proje construction geotechnical named YHT - the Turkish Teknik Bilgi İşlem Merkezi works have also been A.Ş. and Neti Danışmanlık acronym for Yüksek Hızlı carried out within this İnşaat Ltd. Şti. Consortium Tren - High Speed Train. context. When YHT’s services Date of 31.10.2011 began, Turkey ranked 6th Contract 9 TOP brings the transport sector together at Haydarpaşa Train Station The works projects implemented through the Transport Operational Programme (TOP) and carried out by the Republic of Turkey and the European Union, were shared with the media and representatives of the transport sector at a magnificent event and photo exhibition held at Haydarpaşa Train Station.