The Euphrates Railway Bridge, spanning the waters of Karakaya Dam Lake between the eastern provinces of Malatya and Elazığ, has carried passenger and freight trains for four decades, serving as a crucial rail connection between eastern and southeastern Türkiye and the country’s central and western regions.
Constructed by the Turkish State Railways (TCDD), the bridge stretches 2,030 meters in length and 5 meters in width, making it the longest railway bridge in Türkiye.
Construction began in 1981 at the narrowest point of the Karakaya Dam reservoir and was completed after nearly five years. The bridge officially entered service on June 16, 1986, at a ceremony attended by then-Prime Minister Turgut Özal.
Located between Fırat Train Station in Malatya’s Battalgazi district and Kuşsarayı Train Station in Elazığ’s Baskil district, the bridge ensures uninterrupted rail transport for both passengers and freight. Around 700 trains cross the structure each month, including the Güney Kurtalan Express and the Van Lake Express.
Rising on 29 reinforced concrete piers approximately 80 meters high, the bridge features a steel superstructure assembled using traditional riveting rather than bolts. Its construction required 11,327 tons of iron, 1,100 tons of steel and more than 119,000 cubic meters of concrete. The foundations are secured by 420 rock anchors, each measuring 70 centimeters in diameter.
Designed with seismic resilience in mind, the bridge is equipped with earthquake isolators beneath its supporting piers — an advanced engineering feature introduced nearly 40 years ago to help preserve structural integrity during earthquakes and ensure uninterrupted service.
Framed by crimson evening skies, the steel structure, often likened to a “steel necklace” draped across the reservoir, remains both a vital transportation artery and an impressive engineering landmark.
