The
Çerkezköy–Kapıkule section of the Halkalı–Kapıkule Railway Line was officially
inaugurated at a ceremony held in Edirne on 9 October 2026. The ceremony was
attended by H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye;
Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement; and Abdulkadir Uraloğlu,
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, marking an important milestone in
strengthening transport connectivity between Türkiye and the European Union.
Following
the opening speeches, President Erdoğan officially inaugurated the line by
personally taking the controls of the train for a short journey. Commissioner
Kos and Minister Uraloğlu accompanied him on board.
With
€275 million in grant financing provided by the European Union under the
Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA II), the Çerkezköy–Kapıkule
section represents the largest infrastructure project implemented to date under
EU–Türkiye financial cooperation. In addition to strengthening the railway
connection between Türkiye and Europe, the project is expected to facilitate
trade and enhance connectivity between Europe, the South Caucasus and Central
Asia along the Middle Corridor.