The tender process is beginning for a massive project that will revolutionize Kocaeli's transportation system. It will connect the districts of İzmit and Gölcük. The project tender for the 21-kilometer-long "Southern Light Rail System Line" will be held on Wednesday, July 30. This project aims to greatly ease urban transportation by further expanding Kocaeli's rail system network.

The Metropolitan Municipality is taking another important step toward its goal of building a railway network throughout Kocaeli. The Metropolitan Municipality is implementing projects to ease traffic congestion, and is also expanding its rail network. In this context, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and the Metropolitan Municipality launched a joint project. Körfezray Metro Project Field work at 5 stations in the Izmit district continues as planned. The first phase of the metro line planned to open in 2028, covers the transportation of approximately 300 thousand passengers per day initially and 101 million passengers per year on the east-west axis of Kocaeli.

While the Körfezray Metro Project continues, the Metropolitan Municipality is now preparing for the project tender for the 21-kilometer-long "Southern Light Rail System Line," which will connect the districts of İzmit and Gölcük.

Prepared by the Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality and implemented within the framework of the Kocaeli Transportation Master Plan (KUAP 2053), the Southern Light Rail System Line is poised to meet a significant transportation need in the southern corridor of the city. The line, which will start from Gölcük and extend to İzmit via Başiskele, will serve with 17 stations. The line is projected to carry 202 passengers daily. This number will reach 2053 by the target year of 335. By the time it opens, the annual passenger count is expected to be approximately 71 million.

Within the scope of the tender to be held on July 30, 2025, the contractor company will carry out the feasibility and cost studies of the line, determine route alternatives, and prepare preliminary projects for the station and depot area within 120 days. Additionally, a promotional album and an animated film featuring three-dimensional visuals of station locations, storage areas and transfer centers will be included in the project package.

With the implementation of the rail system The travel time from Gölcük to Izmit center will be reduced to just 28 minutes. This will greatly relieve heavy traffic, especially in the morning and evening hours.

By integrating the Southern Line with the Northern Metro Line, which is currently under construction by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, uninterrupted metro transportation will be provided on long lines such as Gölcük-Körfez and Gölcük-Kartepe.

Approximate total investment cost of the project at current prices 50 billion Turkish Lira This major investment will breathe new life into urban transportation and improve the quality of life by providing an environmentally friendly, fast, and safe public transportation alternative. According to the prepared technical specifications, the project will be shaped within the framework of AYGM rail system criteria and national and international standards. Numerous technical aspects, including route geometry, station designs, disabled access, security, fire precautions, environmental impacts, and operational scenarios, will be determined through detailed engineering calculations.

The districts of İzmit and Gölcük, with their industrial and residential areas, are among the city's strategic areas. The Southern Metro Line will increase workforce mobility in these areas. The project will facilitate access to city centers and, by integrating with other planned rail lines, will make Kocaeli a model city in rail transportation infrastructure.