Minister Uraloğlu: ’55 thousand passengers were carried on the Istanbul-Sivas High-Speed Train line in a month’

Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu stated that the Istanbul-Sivas HST express train services without transfer have received great interest from the citizens, reporting that 55,000 passengers have traveled in the train sets with a capacity of 483 passengers in one month. Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu made a statement regarding the Istanbul-Sivas HST express train services. Emphasizing that the direct, non-stop, and express HST services between Istanbul and Sivas, which started on May 4th, connect the eastern and western regions quickly, safely, and comfortably, Minister Uraloğlu highlighted that after the Ankara-Sivas HST Line, one of the most important projects of the railway initiative launched under the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was put into service on April 26, 2023, uninterrupted travel by HST between Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire, Ankara, the capital of our Republic, and Sivas, the center of Seljuk Empire, became possible. Uraloğlu stated that the HST services between Istanbul and Sivas have facilitated the economic integration of Sivas and its surrounding provinces with major cities like Istanbul and Ankara, stating that ‘thanks to our line, both labor force mobility and tourism potential have increased, bringing vitality to the local economy in the region.’ ‘HST completes the journey from Istanbul to Sivas in an average of 7 hours and 10 minutes, which takes 12 hours by road.’ Minister Uraloğlu, emphasizing that the line, especially between Ankara and Sivas, offers the pleasure of travel throughout all four seasons with many engineering marvels and impresses with its modern and high-tech infrastructure, continued as follows: ‘The tunnels, viaducts, and bridges built on the HST lines are all engineering marvels containing high technology. While HSTs offer scenic beauty on this line throughout the four seasons, traveling at a speed of 250 kilometers per hour, they complete the journey from Istanbul to Sivas, which takes 12 hours by road, in an average of 7 hours and 10 minutes. Our high-speed trains provide passengers with comfortable travel and offer important services such as the internet, providing a pleasant travel experience.’ Minister Uraloğlu highlighted that there is a great interest from the citizens in the Istanbul-Sivas High-Speed Trains, which significantly shorten the travel time between Istanbul and Sivas, stating that the 483-passenger capacity sets used on this line operate with a 90% occupancy rate, and reported that 55,000 passengers have traveled in one month. Minister Uraloğlu emphasized the environmentally friendly aspect of the high-speed train sets, even though the name of the train is black, stating, ‘Every action we take today leaves a carbon footprint; as the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, we are taking precautions to create a more efficient transportation ecosystem to reduce logistics-related greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. As a result of our railway-focused policies in the last 22 years, HSTs, which have entered our lives, offer an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly transportation alternative.’