Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, stated that there has been a 69% progress overall on the Halkalı-Ispartakule–Çerkezköy–Kapıkule High-Speed Train Line project, emphasizing that they aim to complete the Kapıkule-Çerkezköy section like works by the end of 2025.

During his examination of the Halkalı-Ispartakule High-Speed Train Line, Uraloğlu explained that they have been creating multimodal connections within the country since 2002 by investing in the transportation sector and implementing international projects that provide seamless transport between continents. He mentioned that the realization of the Silk Railway project, considered the shortest, safest, most economical, and climatically suitable railway corridor between Asia and Europe, marked a significant step towards the effective conduct of transportation activities on this route. With the opening of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway Line on October 30, 2017, they took a massive step towards achieving this goal.

Furthermore, Uraloğlu described the Halkalı-Kapıkule Railway Line as a project that will connect Turkey to the European Union with a high standard railway line and play a vital role in the Silk Railway project as the initial point for trains coming from Far East to Europe. Uraloğlu highlighted that the project, known as the Halkalı–Ispartakule–Çerkezköy–Kapıkule High-Speed Train Line, has a total length of approximately 229 kilometers, consisting of three phases, including the Kapıkule-Çerkezköy, Çerkezköy-Ispartakule, and Ispartakule- Halkalı segments.

The completion of all phases aims to increase the current line’s capacity fourfold, with a planned reduction in passenger travel time from 4 hours to 1 hour 30 minutes and a decrease in freight transportation time from 8 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes. Uraloğlu expressed that they aim to complete the Kapıkule-Çerkezköy section by the end of 2025, utilizing partially European Union funds for the financing of the 153-kilometer longest initial segment.

Providing information about this segment, Uraloğlu mentioned that they have completed the construction of two viaducts, 1083 meters in total length, finished six out of eight open-close tunnels, subways, overpasses, and the majority of art structures. They are also constructing new station buildings and remodeling existing ones along the line. Uraloğlu reported that they have achieved about 88% physical progress on the Kapıkule-Çerkezköy segment and target to complete the works by the end of 2025.