Türkiye has started building the Kars–Iğdır–Aralık–Dilucu Railway Line. The 224-kilometre project will connect Türkiye with the Zangezur Corridor and link it to Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan. Officials say the line will open a new era of peace, trade, and cooperation in the South Caucasus and beyond.
Project Factsheet
-
Length: 224 kilometres
-
Cost: €2.4 billion (approx. $2.8 billion)
-
Completion target: 2029
-
Capacity: 15 million tons of cargo and 5.5 million passengers per year
-
Features: 5 tunnels, 19 cut-and-cover tunnels, 3 viaducts, 10 bridges, 144 underpasses, 27 overpasses, and 480 culverts
-
Jobs: 15,000 created during construction
-
Impact: Expected to raise Eastern Anatolia’s GDP by 5–7%
-
Trade effect: Will cut delivery times from Asia to Europe by 10–15 days, bypassing Russia and Iran
Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said the railway is a major step in the “Middle Corridor.” This trade route connects China to Europe through Central Asia, the Caspian, and Türkiye.
He noted that Türkiye has invested nearly $300 billion in transport over the past two decades, with $64 billion going to railways. The new line will expand opportunities for industry, agriculture, and tourism in eastern Türkiye. Cities like Kars and Iğdır will become gateways to global markets.
Uraloğlu called the project a “roadmap for peace.” By linking Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Armenia, it is expected to support regional stability while boosting trade.
Global importance
The railway will not only benefit Türkiye and its neighbours. It will also make trade between China and the UK faster and more reliable. This shift could reduce reliance on Russian and Iranian routes, giving the Eurasian transport map a new shape.
The progress of the Chop–Uzhhorod European-Gauge Rail Project in Ukraine shows how infrastructure is reshaping connectivity across Europe. Just as Türkiye’s Kars–Iğdır–Aralık–Dilucu Railway Line strengthens ties through the Zangezur Corridor, Ukraine’s new railway aims to link its transport network directly with the European Union.
Both projects highlight how modern rail systems can accelerate trade, tourism, and cultural exchange across borders. Together, they represent a wider effort to build peace and prosperity through reliable regional corridors.
