High-speed trains carry more than 100 million passengers
ANKARA
More than 100 million passengers have used high-speed train (YHT) services since their launch in 2009, according to Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu.
The first YHT line, connecting Ankara and the western province of Eskişehir, began operation on March 13, 2009.
Since then, Türkiye has become the sixth country in Europe and the eighth globally to operate high-speed rail, said Uraloğlu in a statement.
The network now includes Ankara-Konya, Ankara-Istanbul, Konya-Karaman and Ankara-Sivas lines, covering a total of 2,251 kilometers, he added.
As of June 30, YHTs have traveled 98.2 million kilometers — equivalent to circling the Earth 2,451 times, the minister remarked.
The Ankara-Istanbul route carried the most passengers, reaching 38 million, followed by Ankara-Konya (21.4 million) and Ankara-Eskişehir (21 million), according to Uraloğlu.
YHT services now directly connect 11 cities, including Ankara, Eskişehir, Konya, Istanbul, and Sivas, and reach 20 cities in total through combined transport, he said, adding that this extends coverage to 51 percent of Türkiye population.
