Türkiye accelerates rail projects for trade routes bypassing Hormuz

Nikkei Asia reported that Türkiye is investing approximately $10 billion to address bottlenecks in the Middle Corridor while seeking to connect with Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia through a modern Hejaz Railway.

Nikkei Asia, a Japanese outlet, reported that Türkiye is accelerating rail projects to create alternative trade routes unaffected by wars and regional crises.

$10 billion invested in the Middle Corridor

Approximately $10 billion is being invested to eliminate bottlenecks in the Middle Corridor, which connects China and Europe via Türkiye. The delivery time between China and London could fall to as little as 14 days once bureaucratic obstacles are overcome.

As part of these efforts, the tender for the 224-kilometer Kars-Iğdır-Aralık-Dilucu railway, which will form Türkiye's section of the Zangezur Corridor, had been completed and work had begun.

Hejaz Railway to extend to the Gulf

Şam'daki tarihi Hicaz Demir Yolu Garı (arşiv)

The aim is to connect Türkiye with Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia through a modern Hejaz Railway. The line, which is being considered for a future extension to Oman, is intended to create an alternative trade route to the Strait of Hormuz.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said in a statement in June that the existing Aleppo-Damascus-Jordan line would be used during the project's first phase and that talks with Saudi Arabia were continuing. The design of the 1,200-kilometer Development Road project, which will extend to the Persian Gulf via Iraq, has also been completed.

Türkiye'nin desteklediği mevcut ve planlanan ulaşım koridorları haritası