Ankara‑İstanbul high‑speed train to cut travel time below four hours

Ankara‑İstanbul high‑speed rail T26 tunnel Alifuatpaşa junction 2028 rail expansion

Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced that the completion of the T26 tunnel and the Doğançay Ripajı‑2 project will shave about 30 minutes off the Ankara‑İstanbul high‑speed rail (YHT) journey, bringing the total travel time to under four hours. The T26 tunnel, 5,587 m long, is slated for early‑2027 completion and will cut the Alifuatpaşa‑Arifiye segment from 20 to 9 minutes; Doğançay Ripajı‑2 will reduce its section from 23 to 4 minutes.

Around 5,000 km of railway lines are under construction nationwide, with 3,000 km planned to be finished by 2028. This will raise the number of cities directly served by high‑speed trains from 11 to 27. The government’s long‑term goal is a 28,500 km rail network by 2053, enabling a coast‑to‑coast trip in 48 hours.

The newly opened Pamukova YHT station has already served over 41,000 passengers, while the nearby Alifuatpaşa junction handles roughly 900 trucks each day, easing regional freight traffic. Since the YHT system began in 2009, about 114 million passengers have travelled on Turkey’s high‑speed network. Additional projects such as the Bandırma‑Bursa‑Yenişehir‑Osmaneli, Halkalı‑Kapıkule, Ankara‑İzmir and Mersin‑Gaziantep lines are also progressing toward the 2028 target.

Entities

Abdulkadir Uraloğlu · Alifuatpaşa Junction · Ankara‑İstanbul high‑speed rail line · Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure (Turkey) · Pamukova High‑Speed Train Station · Pamukova YHT Station · T26 Tunnel · Turkey

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 6 SOURCES] The number of provinces directly served by high‑speed rail will increase from 11 to 27 by 2028. www.turkgun.com · haber.doviz.com · www.gazeterize.com · www.konhaber.com · www.bursahakimiyet.com.tr
[● 3 SOURCES] Pamukova high‑speed rail station has served over 41,000 passengers since opening. www.turkgun.com · www.gazeterize.com
[● 7 SOURCES] Turkey aims for a 28,500 km rail network by 2053, enabling a 48‑hour circumnavigation. www.turkgun.com · haber.doviz.com · www.bursatv.com.tr · www.gazeterize.com · www.konhaber.com · +1 more
[● 4 SOURCES] Alifuatpaşa junction is used by about 900 trucks each day. www.turkgun.com · www.bursatv.com.tr · www.gazeterize.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Completion of the T26 tunnel and Doğançay Ripajı‑2 projects will reduce Ankara‑Istanbul travel time by 30 minutes. haber.doviz.com
[● 7 SOURCES] About 5,000 km of railway lines are under construction, with 3,000 km expected to be completed by 2028. www.turkgun.com · haber.doviz.com · www.bursatv.com.tr · www.gazeterize.com · www.konhaber.com · +1 more
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Bandırma‑Bursa‑Yenişehir‑Osmaneli high‑speed rail line is under construction and will link Bursa to the network. www.bursahakimiyet.com.tr
[● 4 SOURCES] Around 114 million passengers have travelled on Turkey's high‑speed rail network since 2009. www.turkgun.com · www.istanbulgazetesi.com.tr · www.bursatv.com.tr · www.konhaber.com
[● 5 SOURCES] Ankara‑İstanbul YHT travel time will be reduced by 30 minutes, bringing the total journey to under four hours. www.cnbce.com · haber.doviz.com · sanayigazetesi.com.tr · www.tgrthaber.com · www.aksam.com.tr
[● 2 SOURCES] By 2053 Turkey aims for a 28,500 km rail network that will allow a coast‑to‑coast trip in 48 hours. www.turkgun.com · haber.doviz.com
[● 2 SOURCES] The T26 tunnel is 5,587 m long, expected to be completed in early 2027, and will cut travel time between Alifuatpaşa and Arifiye from 20 to 9 minutes. www.cnbce.com · haber.doviz.com
[● 2 SOURCES] Doğançay Ripajı‑2 will reduce travel time on its segment from 23 minutes to 4 minutes. www.cnbce.com · haber.doviz.com