Turkey's Mersin‑Adana‑Osmaniye‑Gaziantep High‑Speed Rail Project Targeted for 2028 Completion

Turkey's Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure announced that the Mersin‑Adana‑Osmaniye‑Gaziantep high‑speed rail line is slated to enter full service by 2028. Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said construction is over 80 % complete and that the first segment will be tested in early 2027, with the Mersin‑Adana section expected to finish by the end of 2026.

The 361‑kilometre route will be shortened to about 312.5 km, cutting travel time between Mersin and Gaziantep from 6 hours 23 minutes to roughly 2 hours 15 minutes. The line will feature 50 tunnels, 63 bridges and 130 over‑/under‑passes, and will support speeds up to 200 km/h. When operational, it is projected to carry around 3.1 million passengers and 37 million tonnes of freight annually, boosting logistics and trade, especially with the Middle East. Gaziantep Mayor Fatma Şahin highlighted the project's strategic economic impact for the region.