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Türkiye Plans Hejaz Railway Revival
(MENAFN) Türkiye is moving to resurrect and expand the historic Hejaz Railway, extending it all the way to Oman to forge a strategic trade corridor that bypasses the increasingly volatile Strait of Hormuz, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu announced Wednesday.
Speaking at the Anadolu Editor Desk, Uraloglu said the ambition is twofold — reviving the storied rail line for both tourism and modern freight transit.
The project's first phase centers on linking Türkiye to Aleppo, leveraging the existing Aleppo-Damascus-Jordan rail network while negotiations with Saudi authorities continue in parallel. The ultimate objective, however, is a full extension to Oman and access to the open ocean — positioning the corridor as a viable geopolitical alternative to the Strait of Hormuz.
On the 1,200-kilometer Development Road Project — a sweeping corridor running from Iraq's Basra Gulf to the Turkish border — Uraloglu confirmed that design work has been completed. The mega-infrastructure initiative, incorporating highways, railways, energy infrastructure and communications networks, will be financed through international partnerships involving the UAE, Qatar, Iraq and Türkiye. The minister noted, however, that construction remains contingent on a more stable regional climate.
Turning to the Zangezur Corridor — a critical segment of the broader Middle Corridor — Uraloglu said the tender for the 224-kilometer Kars-Igdir-Aralik-Dilucu line on the Turkish side has been finalized and work is already underway. As construction on the Azerbaijani side nears completion, Ankara is closely monitoring progress on the passage through Armenian territory, which would provide a significantly shorter connection to the Turkic world and Central Asia.
On urban rail infrastructure, the minister spotlighted plans to incorporate a railway line onto the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge in Istanbul as a pivotal step in expanding freight capacity between Europe and Asia. Financing for the initiative — totaling $6.75 billion — has been secured from six international institutions led by the World Bank, with preliminary agreements already signed. Uraloglu indicated the tender is expected within days, with construction set to begin before year's end.
Speaking at the Anadolu Editor Desk, Uraloglu said the ambition is twofold — reviving the storied rail line for both tourism and modern freight transit.
The project's first phase centers on linking Türkiye to Aleppo, leveraging the existing Aleppo-Damascus-Jordan rail network while negotiations with Saudi authorities continue in parallel. The ultimate objective, however, is a full extension to Oman and access to the open ocean — positioning the corridor as a viable geopolitical alternative to the Strait of Hormuz.
On the 1,200-kilometer Development Road Project — a sweeping corridor running from Iraq's Basra Gulf to the Turkish border — Uraloglu confirmed that design work has been completed. The mega-infrastructure initiative, incorporating highways, railways, energy infrastructure and communications networks, will be financed through international partnerships involving the UAE, Qatar, Iraq and Türkiye. The minister noted, however, that construction remains contingent on a more stable regional climate.
Turning to the Zangezur Corridor — a critical segment of the broader Middle Corridor — Uraloglu said the tender for the 224-kilometer Kars-Igdir-Aralik-Dilucu line on the Turkish side has been finalized and work is already underway. As construction on the Azerbaijani side nears completion, Ankara is closely monitoring progress on the passage through Armenian territory, which would provide a significantly shorter connection to the Turkic world and Central Asia.
On urban rail infrastructure, the minister spotlighted plans to incorporate a railway line onto the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge in Istanbul as a pivotal step in expanding freight capacity between Europe and Asia. Financing for the initiative — totaling $6.75 billion — has been secured from six international institutions led by the World Bank, with preliminary agreements already signed. Uraloglu indicated the tender is expected within days, with construction set to begin before year's end.
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