Türkiye secures $6.75bn for Bosphorus rail line

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu announced that the multi-billion-dollar funding framework was agreed with leading global financial institutions to support construction of the Northern Ring Railway in northern Istanbul. The project is designed to strengthen rail connectivity across the Bosphorus Strait and reinforce Türkiye’s strategic transport corridor between Europe and Asia.

International financing framework

Preliminary agreements were concluded with the World Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Asian Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank, OPEC Fund for International Development and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. According to the minister, preparations for the construction tender are ongoing, with authorities aiming to finalize the process and commence groundwork within the year.

Project scope and capacity

The 125-kilometer railway will include 44 tunnels extending 59.1 kilometers and 42 bridges totaling 22.4 kilometers in length. The line will traverse the Bosphorus through the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, integrating directly into Istanbul’s northern transport axis. Once operational, the corridor is expected to handle 33 million passengers and 30 million tons of freight annually.

Uraloglu described the project as a transformative step for Türkiye’s logistics sector. “A new era will begin in logistics,” he said, emphasizing the line’s role in expanding national rail freight capacity and supporting trade flows.

Relief for Marmaray and airport links

The new railway is also expected to reduce pressure on the Marmaray line, which currently carries both commuter and freight traffic beneath the Bosphorus. In addition, the project will, for the first time, provide direct rail connectivity between Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gokcen Airport, further integrating Türkiye’s aviation and rail infrastructure networks.

Officials say the Northern Ring Railway Project will strengthen Istanbul’s position as a regional logistics hub while enhancing intercontinental rail transport efficiency.