The Turkish Minister for Transport and Infrastructure has announced that the approval procedures for the Cerkezköy – Kapikule section of the high-speed rail (HSR) line between Halkali, near Istanbul, and Kapikule on the Bulgarian border are due to be finalised shortly. Test runs are currently taking place on this section, with the start of operation due to occur at the end of 2026. The 229 km HSR line is divided into the Halkali – Ispartakule, Ispartakule – Cerkezköy and Cerkezköy – Kapikule sections. The 153 km Cerkezköy – Kapikule section is the most advanced and is being jointly funded by the EU and Turkey. Along the line, 31 bridges, eight tunnels, 61 overpasses, 53 underpasses and 175 culverts are being constructed. The track has been laid over 353 km. Electrification and signalling work are nearing completion. The double-track, electrified line, equipped with ERTMS Level 1, is designed for passenger rail transport and rail freight transport at speeds of up to 200 km/h. Annual capacity is set to rise from around 600,000 to just under 3 million passengers and from 1.5 million t to 9.5 million t of freight. At the same time, Turkey is expanding the Kapikule border facility from 253,000 to 660,000 m² and from 23 to 42 tracks.