A New Rail Link Is Set to Reshape Global Trade Routes

A $2 billion World Bank-backed investment will fund a major rail project in Istanbul, Turkey, strengthening the transport link between Europe and Asia while boosting trade and mobility.

“Our economic program… will continue to strongly support public investments in the transport sector,” said Mehmet Şimşek, Minister of Treasury and Finance of Türkiye, highlighting the project’s role in sustainable growth.

The 125-kilometre electrified railway will connect key hubs, including Gebze, Sabiha Gökçen Airport, Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, Istanbul Airport, and Halkalı, creating a continuous corridor across northern Istanbul. Designed to bypass congestion in the city centre, the line will ease one of the biggest bottlenecks at the Bosphorus and enable uninterrupted rail traffic between continents. Once operational, it is expected to carry 33 million passengers and 30 million tons of freight annually, while expanding freight capacity across the Bosphorus from around 3 million to as much as 50 million tons per year. With 44 tunnels and 42 bridges enhancing resilience to extreme weather, the project also aims to generate up to 414,000 jobs and strengthen Türkiye’s position as a key logistics hub connecting Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.