Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu's statements regarding the 2026 budget and railway projects reveal Türkiye's focus on ambitious growth in transportation and logistics. The Ministry, aiming to revitalize the railway mobilization that began in the early years of the Republic but was subsequently interrupted, views railways not only as a national means of transportation but also as a strategic lever for Türkiye's indispensable position within the global logistics network. Uraloğlu emphasized his vision of transforming Türkiye into "the undisputed logistics superpower of Eurasia," stating that investments in this area will strengthen the country's economic and strategic independence.

The targets shared by Minister Uraloğlu indicate that the railway network will grow rapidly. By the end of 2026, Türkiye's total railway line length is expected to exceed 14,437 kilometers, while high-speed train (HST) line length is expected to exceed 2,769 kilometers. This growth momentum is expected to be maintained in the following years. The line length is planned to reach 15,934 kilometers in 2027 and 17,728 kilometers in 2028. The HST line length, in particular, is projected to reach 5,343 kilometers in 2028, nearly doubling the current length.

The plan is to gradually increase the share of double-track railway length in the total main line, which is critical for network standardization and efficiency. This ratio will be raised to 19 percent in 2026, 21 percent in 2027, and 26 percent in 2028, thus improving line capacity and operational flexibility.

The Ministry has identified increasing the share of railways in passenger and freight transport as a key strategic objective. The plan is to raise existing railway standards and accelerate new, high-standard railway investments, with a particular focus on freight transport.

The most important pillar of this strategy is the integration of industrial zones, ports, and logistics centers into the main railway network via branch lines. This integrated development approach aims to reduce logistics costs by facilitating regional industries' access to international markets from production and freight centers. Furthermore, railways are being equipped with the most advanced technologies through smart transportation systems and digital transformation initiatives, improving safety and efficiency. Türkiye's efforts to eliminate foreign dependency and become a regional technology hub by investing in domestic and national railway technologies are also noteworthy.

The announced budget figures demonstrate the strong financial commitment behind these ambitious targets. Expenditure on railway construction, operation, and services is projected to exceed 377 billion lira in 2026. This figure represents an investment plan that will reach 474 billion lira by 2028.

Within the scope of this investment program, infrastructure construction of high-standard railway lines such as Ankara-İzmir, Mersin-Gaziantep and Adapazarı-Halkalı Critical sections of the line are among the priority projects.

Minister Uraloğlu emphasized that, in addition to intercity projects, the development of urban rail systems is also being prioritized. The target is to increase the length of the urban rail system from 465,8 kilometers by the end of this year to 522,1 kilometers by 2027. At the same time, the proportion of signaled railway lines is planned to increase to 76 percent by 2028, maximizing the safety and capacity of the railway network.

As a result of these comprehensive investments, the railway's share in passenger transport is planned to increase. This share is targeted to reach 5,93 percent in 2026 and 7,6 percent in 2028. With these strategic investments in the railway sector, Turkey is on the verge of a major transformation aimed at both revitalizing domestic trade and becoming an indispensable link in global logistics corridors.