Türkiye to build railway linking Black Sea to Georgian border

Turkey has announced plans to construct a new 513-kilometre railway connecting Samsun, Trabzon, and Sarp on the border with Georgia, officials said. 

The project aims to improve transport between five Black Sea provinces and create a strategic corridor toward the South Caucasus and Central Asia, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Türkiye’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, said the railway will ease both passenger and freight transport in the northeast, contributing significantly to the development of the region. “Traffic congestion on roads in the area will be greatly reduced,” he added.

The project will include 14 stations, with passenger capacity expected to reach 12 million annually and freight volume 14 million tons. Trains on the line are expected to operate at speeds of up to 250 km/h.

The planned Erzincan-Trabzon section will strengthen connections between Türkiye’s Black Sea coast and the southern regions, integrating the area into the international transport network. Preliminary work on the project could begin as early as 2026.

By Vugar Khalilov