TURKEY: Work has started on the first section of the planned high speed line between Kırıkkale and the Black Sea port of Samsun.
Construction of the 120 km Delice – Sungurlu – Çorum section began on April 15 with the opening of a project office by a consortium of Yapı Merkezi and YSE Yapı which won the contract awarded by infrastructure manager TCDD. The consortium’s bid of TL75·3bn came in lower than the estimated project cost of TL85·1bn; the highest bid received was TL84·5bn.
The initial section of the route will connect the existing Ankara – Kırıkkale – Kayseri high speed line with Çorum, which is roughly halfway between Kırıkkale and Samsun.
It will include seven bored and three cut-and-cover tunnels, 26 bridges and viaducts, 12 overpasses, 72 underpasses and 185 culverts, as well as stations at Sungurlu, Çorum Industrial Zone and Çorum.
Opening of the mixed traffic line is planned for January 3 2030, with passenger services to operate at 200 to 250 km/h.
Tenders to build the second phase between Çorum and Havza with two stations at Mecitözü and Merzifon are to be opened later this year.
At Havza the new alignment will connect with the recently upgraded Sivas – Samsun line.
Once complete the route will offer passengers a journey time between Samsun and Ankara of around 2 h 45 min, compared to over 7 h by road.
