Turkiye Unveils Samsun-Trabzon High-Speed Rail Project Cutting Travel Hours

Turkiye's Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, has unveiled details of an ambitious high-speed rail project that will connect six provinces from Samsun to Artvin, fundamentally reshaping travel patterns across the Black Sea region.

Under the project, travel time between Samsun and Trabzon will be reduced to just two hours. Uraloğlu stated that construction has already begun on the Kırıkkale–Çorum section of the line, while tenders for the Black Sea stages of the railway will be launched later this year. In addition, he emphasized that a new sea airport to be built north of Trabzon, with an annual capacity of 10 million passengers, will elevate the city's global profile.

The minister made the remarks at the Trabzon Politicians, Bureaucrats and Businesspeople Iftar Meeting held at the Iller Bank Social Facilities in Ankara, where numerous senior officials and members of the business community were in attendance.

In his speech following the iftar, Uraloğlu said more than 260 billion Turkish lira has been invested in Trabzon's transportation and communications infrastructure since 2002.“We increased the length of divided highways from 56 kilometers in 2002 to 266 kilometers, and expanded the bituminous hot mix asphalt road network from 89 kilometers to 559 kilometers,” he said.

He noted that the Black Sea Coastal Road has been completed, alongside key projects such as the Uzungöl Tourism Center Road and the Tangent Road.“We constructed the Zigana Tunnel, the longest twin-tube highway tunnel in Europe. Most recently, with the participation of our President, we opened the Boztepe Tunnels,” he added.

Uraloğlu said that as of today, 23 highway projects are ongoing, including Kanuni Boulevard, the Trabzon–Maçka Road, and the Trabzon Southern Ring Road.“We are nearing completion on Kanuni Boulevard, which will significantly ease urban traffic. The Trabzon Southern Ring Road is being implemented in two phases, with work on the first stage continuing at full speed,” he explained.

He stressed that the Southern Ring Road project will separate urban traffic from heavy transit traffic-particularly freight vehicles heading toward the Sarp Border Gate-along the busy Akçaabat–Arsin stretch of the Black Sea Coastal Road.

Turning to rail infrastructure, Uraloğlu said the Samsun–Trabzon–Sarp high-speed railway will connect Samsun with Ordu, Giresun, Trabzon, Rize and Artvin, integrating the entire eastern Black Sea coastline.“We have begun construction between Kırıkkale and Çorum, and this year we will tender the remaining sections,” he said.

The minister also underlined that Trabzon Airport is no longer sufficient for a city that continues to grow rapidly.“Our President recognized this reality and, during his most recent visit, shared the good news of a new airport with the people of Trabzon,” Uraloğlu stated.

The new airport project envisions a 10-million-passenger-capacity terminal and a 3,000-meter runway capable of accommodating wide-body aircraft. Unlike the existing facility, the new airport will be constructed on a 3 million square meter reclaimed area in the sea, slightly north of the current runway.

“We have included it in the investment program, completed the tender process, and finalized the site handover. We will soon lay the foundation and begin construction,” he said.

According to Uraloğlu, the new airport will not only boost the local economy but also position Trabzon as an aviation hub with global reach.“It will strengthen the city's role in international connectivity and economic development. I wish it to be beneficial and auspicious for our country and our city,” he concluded.

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