Türkiye targets early-2026 reopening of 350-km railway along Syrian border

ANKARA

Türkiye is moving toward the reopening of a key 350-kilometer railway running parallel to the Syrian border, with officials aiming to bring the line back into service in the first quarter of 2026, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu has said.

Maintenance and rehabilitation work on the Karkamış in the southern city of Gaziantep and Mardin’s Nusaybin section and the Mardin–Şenyurt spur are advancing rapidly, according to Uraloğlu.

The route, largely inactive since the outbreak of the Syrian conflict, is undergoing extensive repairs to restore both infrastructure and operations.

According to the minister, the project covers 325 kilometers between Karkamış and Nusaybin and another 25 kilometers between Mardin and Şenyurt.

Crews are replacing damaged sleepers, repairing stations, renewing ballast and strengthening bridges, culverts and other engineering structures.

Work also includes the overhaul of the 800-meter Karkamış Bridge and the replacement of 1,472 specially manufactured sleepers.

Uraloğlu said the rehabilitation program is expected to be completed by the end of this year, allowing test operations to proceed before the planned reopening in early 2026.

Bringing the line back online, he noted, will boost freight capacity and support cross-border and regional connectivity.

The restored corridor is also expected to complement Türkiye’s planned Ovaköy–Nusaybin railway, enhancing international freight movements through the region.