Türkiye is not exactly known for having a bustling and thriving rail freight industry. Regardless, its rail sector seems to be on a modest growth trajectory with major infrastructure projects and a recently liberalised market. RailFreight.com spoke with the country’s first private operator, Körfez Ulaştırma, about its development and vision for the future.
Körfez Ulaştırma is the dedicated rail freight subsidiary of Tüpraş, Türkiye’s largest industrial enterprise and primary oil refiner. The rail operator is still young. Tüpraş founded it following the rail market’s liberalisation in 2017.
This policy change “created an opportunity to manage transportation across the refinery–loading terminal–distribution chain in a more integrated, reliable and efficient manner, particularly in terms of capacity planning, safety and operational continuity”, the operator tells RailFreight.com. “Körfez Ulaştırma was established and positioned as an integrated rail solution designed to meet precisely these needs.”
Less than ten years later, Körfez Ulaştırma holds a rail freight market share of approximately 12% to 13%, according to the company itself. In 2025, it moved 2.4 million tonnes of fuel. For parent company Tüpraş, rail transportation offers clear advantages over road transportation in terms of safety, efficiency and sustainability. A single block train can move the equivalent of dozens of road tankers in one operation, enabling higher volumes, more predictable costs and a significantly lower carbon footprint.
Beyond fuels
Körfez Ulaştırma believes it has proven its value for Tüpraş in fuel transportation. However, the rail operator now also has customers beyond Tüpraş, and it operates in freight segments beyond fuel transportation. The operator explains that it now also provides container transport services between ports and industrial customers, such as Beko and Türk Traktör. Moreover, it operates Europe-connected intermodal services on the Halkalı–Kapıkule and Railport–Kapıkule lines (towards Bulgaria) in cooperation with Mars Logistics.
While fuel and other dangerous goods remain the backbone of the business model, container transportation to and from ports and intermodal traffic are now some of the fastest-growing segments of the operator’s portfolio. Körfez Ulaştırma started serving ports in 2024, and in 2025 it operated 85 block trains between Halkalı and Kapıkule.
This fits within Körfez’s business strategy, which emphasises controlled growth while safeguarding the safety and continuity of existing operations. The company is broadening its horizons, but it is not pursuing growth for the sake of volume alone.
In pursuit of sustainable value
“We are selectively evaluating intermodal opportunities and different cargo segments that are aligned with our capabilities. New routes, such as finished-vehicle transportation originating from Ford’s plant in Romania, are a concrete example of this approach.”
“As we grow, our guiding principle is not volume maximisation, but the creation of sustainable value for our customers and stakeholders”, the operator adds.
Körfez Ulaştırma could, in due course, expand its core business activities to include export-oriented transportation as well. At present, the operator does not provide any fuel export transportation services to destinations outside Türkiye. However, it does see this as a potential opportunity area that may be evaluated over the medium term. This is because the Middle Corridor and cross-border rail connections continue to develop, the company says.
New opportunities
Among those developments are the Istanbul bypass (INRAIL) and the Iraq Development Road. These projects could create “significant opportunities” for rail freight, believes Körfez. The most promising outcomes for the rail operator are the expansion of the range of products that can be transported by rail between Asia and Europe, as well as the potentially shorter and more predictable transit times through alternative routes.
The abovementioned projects inspire hope for the future of Turkish rail freight. Recent developments, too, point to operational improvements. Türkiye’s railway infrastructure has seen significant investment and modernisation in recent years. Körfez expects it to have a positive impact on capacity, safety and efficiency.
Körfez has some concrete ideas on how to improve the circumstances for Turkish rail freight. Firstly, stronger coordination mechanisms should ensure operational continuity while infrastructure works are going on. Secondly, branch lines providing direct rail access to industrial zones and ports should be expanded, as this would reduce intermediate road haulage and make rail freight more competitive, the operator explains. Lastly, Körfez would like to see further improvements to track access charges and stronger incentives for electrification.