{"id":142299,"date":"2024-10-21T19:41:59","date_gmt":"2024-10-21T09:41:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.railfreight.com\/?p=57286"},"modified":"2024-10-21T19:41:59","modified_gmt":"2024-10-21T09:41:59","slug":"turkiye-puts-its-first-international-private-freight-train-on-the-tracks-to-hungary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=142299","title":{"rendered":"T\u00fcrkiye puts its first international private freight train on the tracks to Hungary"},"content":{"rendered":"

T\u00fcrkiye has launched its first international freight train operated by a private company. It marks a watershed moment in Turkish rail freight, which has long been dominated by state-owned companies. Ankara\u2019s transport minister expressed ambitious goals for the country\u2019s rail freight sector at the departure ceremony of the train to Budapest.<\/strong>
\n<\/span>The train, which is operated by Turkey\u2019s five-year old private rail operator Pasifik Eurasia, departed for Budapest from Istanbul. The entire journey will take around four days to complete, and crosses through Bulgaria and Romania before making the final stride towards Hungary\u2019s capital city.<\/p>\n

Liberalisation<\/h2>\n

The departure of Pasifik Eurasia\u2019s train is a milestone in Turkish rail freight, as it is the country\u2019s first privately-operated international freight train. The liberalisation of the rail freight sector reflects Turkey\u2019s ambitions for the development of its rail network, according to transport minister Abdulkadir Uralo\u011flu.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are excited to see Pasifik Eurasia become the first private operator of international rail freight,\u201d Uralo\u011flu commented. \u201cThis route between Istanbul and Budapest will enhance our export capabilities and further cement T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s role as a bridge between Asia and Europe.\u201d Liberalisation is supposed to encourage competition and investments in the railway sector.<\/p>\n

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Turkish transport minister Abdulkadir Uralo\u011flu leads the attending crowd. Image: \u00a9 TCDD Ta\u015f\u0131mac\u0131l\u0131k A.\u015e.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Asia – Europe bridge<\/h2>\n

Ultimately, Turkey wants to become a bridge between Asia and Europe and profit from the growing flow of goods along the Middle Corridor. \u201cWe are prioritising railways as a state policy,\u201d Uralo\u011flu said. \u201cOur vision is to create the shortest, safest, and most economical rail corridor between the two continents.\u201d<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s reopening of the Baku – Tbilisi – Kars rail line in the Caucasus has helped Turkey in that ambition, but it plans to significantly expand its own infrastructure as well: By 2053, it wants to expand rail infrastructure to a total length of 28,590 kilometres from the current 13,919 kilometres, according to Uralo\u011flu.<\/p>\n

The market share of rail freight is also a point of improvement, considers the Turkish government. Currently, the share stands at 5 per cent, but Ankara wants to grow it to 22 per cent, to a total of 448 million tonnes. Pasifik Eurasia also seems to have a role to play in that ambition. It has committed to running 600 trains yearly, which will carry 750,000 tonnes of export goods 600 million euros.<\/p>\n