State Railways of the Republic of Türkiye Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryolları
Map of the TCDD railway network as of 2023. The map shows the TCDD-managed national rail network. Passenger and freight services are operated by separate railway undertakings, including TCDD Transport.
The Turkish State Railways (Turkish: Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryolları), abbreviated TCDD, is a state-owned railway infrastructure manager in Turkey. It is responsible for managing and maintaining the state railway infrastructure assigned to it, including tracks, stations, signalling and electrification systems, and for managing access to the network by railway undertakings. It also undertakes railway infrastructure development and manages certain logistics facilities and associated transport infrastructure.
TCDD's origins date to the consolidation of state railway administration in 1927. It was reorganised in 1929 and became a separate state economic enterprise in 1953. Under the Railway Liberalization Law of 2013, its infrastructure-management activities were separated from passenger and freight train operations. Since 2017, these services have principally been provided by its subsidiary TCDD Taşımacılık A.Ş., alongside other authorised railway undertakings.
At the end of 2024, the railway infrastructure reported under TCDD comprised 13,919 kilometres (8,649mi) of track, including main lines, additional and station tracks, and high-speed and higher-speed tracks; this figure is not the length of distinct railway routes. Of the reported total, 7,274 kilometres (4,520mi) was electrified and 8,046 kilometres (5,000mi) was equipped with signalling. TCDD also participates in the İzmir commuter-rail joint venture İZBAN.
History
Map showing the Ottoman railways on the eve of World War I
In the early years of the Turkish Republic, railway lines and associated ports came under an expanding state administration. Under Law No. 1042 of 31 May 1927, the administration became the Devlet Demiryolları ve Limanları İdare-i Umumiyesi (General Administration of State Railways and Ports). Law No. 1483 of 1929 reorganised the railway administration, while Law No. 6186 of 29 July 1953 constituted the Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryolları İşletmesi as a separate state economic enterprise.
Alongside the consolidation of state railway administration, the early Republican government pursued a programme of railway construction and the acquisition of lines previously operated under Ottoman-era concessions. New routes extended the network into central and eastern Anatolia, connecting Kayseri in 1927, Sivas in 1930, Diyarbakır in 1935 and Erzurum in 1939. Railway construction and nationalisation were intended to improve connections between the country's interior, agricultural and industrial regions, and ports.
Railway construction slowed after the Second World War as government transport investment increasingly favoured highways. Although TCDD continued to operate and modernise the existing network, relatively few new railway lines were constructed during the following decades. Railway investment increased again after 2003, with conventional-line improvements and the development of a high-speed railway network. On 13 March 2009, TCDD inaugurated Turkey's first high-speed passenger service between Ankara and Eskişehir, marking a new phase in the development of the state railway system.
Law No. 6461, enacted on 24 April 2013, provided for the restructuring of TCDD as an infrastructure operator and for the creation of a separate state-owned railway undertaking, TCDD Taşımacılık. The transfer of passenger and freight train operations was implemented at the start of 2017. The law also enabled other licensed operators to provide railway transport services.
TCDD's former rolling-stock manufacturing subsidiaries TÜLOMSAŞ, TÜDEMSAŞ and TÜVASAŞ were combined in 2020 to form the separate state-owned manufacturer TÜRASAŞ.
Following the separation of train operations in 2017, TCDD's principal role is that of an infrastructure manager. Under Law No. 6461 it manages the railway infrastructure allocated to it, while passenger and freight trains are run by separately authorised railway undertakings, including its subsidiary TCDD Taşımacılık. Its duties include network maintenance, station and traffic management, and infrastructure development.
The company has a 50% interest in İZBAN, the İzmir suburban railway venture. TCDD also retains infrastructure-related activities beyond ordinary track management, including logistics centres, the Lake Van train-ferry connection, and, historically, the operation of major seaports. The administrative relationship of its port activities changed with the restructuring of İzmir Port in August 2026.
Former train operations
Before the 2017 separation, TCDD operated most passenger and freight train services over the state railway network. The following material describes this historical operating role. For current passenger services, freight operations, train fleets and timetables, see TCDD Transport and Rail transport in Turkey.
Passenger operations
Before 2017, TCDD directly operated intercity, regional, suburban and international passenger trains, as well as the high-speed Yüksek Hızlı Tren (YHT) services introduced in 2009. This section covers the former railway operator's service history. It is not a current timetable or a statement that TCDD remains the passenger train operator. Since the restructuring, passenger train services over TCDD's infrastructure have principally been operated by TCDD Transport, alongside other arrangements such as the İZBAN joint venture.
TCDD inaugurated Turkey's first high-speed rail passenger service, branded Yüksek Hızlı Tren (YHT), between Ankara and Eskişehir on 13 March 2009. Services subsequently expanded to Konya in 2011, Istanbul in 2014, Karaman in 2022 and Sivas in 2023. Since the 2017 restructuring, YHT trains have been operated by TCDD Transport, while TCDD manages the infrastructure.
Several extensions and new high-speed lines have been proposed or constructed since the first YHT opening. Project status and service coverage are described in High-speed rail in Turkey rather than in this company's operating history.
Historically, TCDD classified conventional intercity passenger services as anahat (mainline), including express trains and Blue Train services. In 2010, mainline trains accounted for approximately 24% of the operator's passenger traffic. The company's intercity rolling stock included TVS2000 passenger coaches used on both day and overnight services. Operation of these services passed to TCDD Transport in 2017.
TCDD historically operated international passenger services linking Turkey with neighbouring countries. The services listed below are historical examples and should not be understood as a list of trains currently running. Present-day timetables, border-crossing restrictions and international passenger operations require independent verification.
Van-Tebriz Treni (Van – Tabriz train) Route: Van, Özalp, Kapıköy, Razi, border crossing to Iran, Salmas, Tabriz (and back.)
Tehran – Damascus Train, route: Tehran, Tabriz, Razi, Kapıköy, border crossing to Turkey, Van, (train-ferry), Tatvan, Muş, Elazığ, Malatya, Fevzipaşa, Islahiye, Meydanekbez, Turkey – border crossing to Syria, (via Syrian Railways) – Meidan Ekbis, Aleppo, Damascus (and back.) This service was interrupted when the border between Syria and Turkey was closed due to the Syrian civil war.
Gaziantep – Baghdad: This service was indefinitely suspended since 13 March 2003 with the invasion of Iraq and the ongoing insurgency. Route: Turkey: Gaziantep, Karkamış, Akçakale, Ceylanpınar, Şenyurt, Nusaybin, border crossing to Syria, Al Qamishli, (via Syrian Railways), border crossing to Iraq, El-Yaribieh, Rabia, Mosul, Baghdad. It was also running from Istanbul to Gaziantep as mainline until 2003. It is begun again on 16 August 2012 between Eskişehir-Adana but due to renovations, it's shortened to Konya-Adana route on 15 March 2013.
Before restructuring, TCDD operated suburban passenger trains around Istanbul and Ankara. The European-side Istanbul suburban railway from Sirkeci Terminal towards Halkalı began electric services in December 1955. TCDD historically used E8000, E14000 and later E23000 electric multiple units for these services; the E4000 class also worked on electrified suburban routes.
The İzmir commuter system is operated through İZBAN, a joint venture between TCDD and the local government. The Marmaray railway and the Başkentray suburban railway are discussed in their respective articles.
Freight operations
Before 2017, TCDD was responsible for freight train operations as well as the infrastructure used by those trains. Rail freight volumes and the commodity mix changed over time; a 2003 World Bank restructuring study reviewed the sector's performance during the 1980s and 1990s. TCDD's 2013 statistical yearbook reported 26.6 million tonnes of freight transported during that year; a contemporary review of the figures also recorded the rise from 25.7 million tonnes in 2012.
Since the separation of operations, TCDD Transport and other authorised undertakings have carried freight over TCDD-managed infrastructure. TCDD continues to provide and maintain freight-related railway facilities, including marshalling yards, industrial connections and logistics centres.
Historically, TCDD administered several seaports that connected shipping with the national railway network. They included Haydarpaşa, İzmir, Mersin, İskenderun, Bandırma, Derince and Samsun. Several ports were transferred to private-sector operation through concession arrangements during the 2000s and 2010s.
The 2024 TCDD performance programme identified Haydarpaşa and İzmir as ports still operated by TCDD. Together they handled approximately 8.318 million tonnes of cargo in that year, according to the Ministry of Treasury and Finance.
In August 2026, the Türkiye Wealth Fund announced completion of the transfer process for İzmir Port, previously operated by TCDD, with effect from 1 August. It announced a new ownership, investment and operating arrangement, including separate plans for the cargo and passenger terminals. The announcement should not be interpreted as evidence that every proposed operating change had already been implemented.
In its report on Turkish public enterprises for 2024, the Ministry of Treasury and Finance recorded the following financial and workforce figures for TCDD as an infrastructure enterprise, distinct from those of its subsidiary TCDD Taşımacılık:
TCDD selected indicators (2024)
Indicator
Reported figure
Gross sales
₺9.7025 billion
Operating loss
₺27.5967 billion
Net loss
₺36.5950 billion
Treasury transfers (capital and assigned functions)
₺94.0997 billion
Capital investment
₺51.9475 billion
Annual average workforce
12,727 employees
The Treasury reported that approximately ₺12.1 billion of the 2024 net loss related to inflation adjustments. The capital transfers shown above are not equivalent to the company's sales revenue or its net loss.
A railway-sector review published in 2002 described the long decline of rail transport relative to road transport: it estimated that rail's share of domestic freight fell from roughly 70% in 1950 to below 10% by 2000, while rail's share of passenger travel fell from more than 40% to approximately 2% over the same period. These historical transport-market estimates should not be confused with the financial results of the modern infrastructure manager. The restructuring implemented in 2017 also limits direct comparison between pre- and post-restructuring financial results.
At the end of 2024, TCDD reported 13,919 kilometres (8,649mi) of railway track under its responsibility. This consisted of 9,235 kilometres (5,738mi) of conventional main-line track, 2,433 kilometres (1,512mi) of connecting tracks and station tracks, and 2,251 kilometres (1,399mi) of high-speed and higher-speed railway track. The aggregate measures track length rather than the geographic route length of a network of unique corridors.
Of the reported network, 7,274 kilometres (4,520mi) was electrified and 8,046 kilometres (5,000mi) was equipped with railway signalling by the end of 2024, equivalent to approximately 52% and 58% of the recorded track length, respectively. TCDD reported 2,576 level crossings at that date, including 1,191 with active protection and 1,385 with passive protection.
In 2024, services of all railway undertakings over TCDD infrastructure generated approximately 65.3 million train-kilometres. These infrastructure-use statistics should not be interpreted as passenger or freight volumes carried directly by TCDD.
TCDD Taşımacılık's 2025 Activity Report recorded a total of 13,919 km of track at the end of 2025, of which 7,274 km was electrified and 8,419 km was signalled. The last figure is higher than the 2024 Treasury total of 8,046 km; the different reporting years should be retained when comparing them.
Electrification
TCDD's principal electrified main-line system uses 25 kV, 50 Hz AC overhead equipment. Electrification initially focused on suburban lines, followed by longer intercity routes. By the end of 2024, TCDD reported 7,274 kilometres (4,520mi) of electrified track; the calculation includes electrified high-speed and secondary tracks, and therefore is not directly comparable with some older measures limited to route length or conventional main lines.
History
Turkish State Railways started an electrification plan in 1953. The plan was to first electrify important suburban lines in Istanbul and Ankara. The main reason for this was the many complaints of citizens living in the city about the pollution of the steam locomotives. The railways chose the standard 25 kV 50 Hz AC system to electrify with. The first line to be electrified was the Sirkeci-Halkalı line on the İstanbul commuter railway. Three electric locomotives were ordered from Alsthom and Jeumont from France as well as several sets of multiple units. Electrification was complete and electric train started to run on December 4, 1955. The electrification got many positive reactions. In 1969, TCDD electrified the Haydarpaşa–Gebze part of the commuter railway in İstanbul. Several more sets of E8000 emus were ordered as well as 15 E40000 electric locomotives to meet the demands of the railway. The Ankara Suburban Railway was electrified in 1972 and brand new E14000 multiple units were ordered.[citation needed]
With the success of electrifying suburban lines, the State Railways turned to electrify important main lines. The main reason for this is that tough gradients would be easier to climb with electric traction than steam or diesel traction. On February 6, 1977, TCDD finished the electrification as well as major earthworks of the Gebze-Adapazarı part of the İstanbul–Adapazarı main line. The State Railway then turned to electrify the entire İstanbul-Ankara main line, to try to save its diminishing reputation. Construction started in 1987. Forty-five E43000 electric locomotives were ordered from Toshiba and built in Eskişehir by Tülomsaş, to be used on the line. Electrification was completed between Arifye and Eskişehir and electric trains began to run in 1989. Electrification was connected to Ankara in 1993. The major ore route between Divriği and İskenderun was electrified in 1994 to make it easier for heavy trains to go up steep gradients. İstanbul to Edirne and Kapıkule was electrified in 1997 and 15 new E52500 electric locomotives were delivered from ASEA in 1998. In an attempt to revive İzmir's suburban network, Alsancak-Cumaovası and Basmane-Aliağa lines were electrified in 2001 and 2002 respectively. However these were not used at all. In 2006 the wires were taken down and the line was re-electrified completely between 2006 and 2010. This line opened on August 30, 2010, between Alsancak-Cumaovası and October 29, 2010, between Alsancak and Aliağa.[citation needed]
TCDD manages high-speed railway infrastructure, while passenger services branded YHT are operated by TCDD Transport. The first high-speed service opened between Ankara and Eskişehir in March 2009, and the Ankara–Sivas route entered passenger service in 2023.
One of the major projects under development during the 2020s was the Mersin–Adana–Osmaniye–Gaziantep railway upgrade, which received a UK export-finance-backed financing package announced in 2023. This was a project announcement, rather than evidence that the upgraded route had entered service.
Recent electrification work
According to the Treasury's 2024 public-enterprises report, TCDD completed electrification on a further 132 kilometres (82mi) of track during 2024. The reported sections were Köseköy–Yarımca (37 km), Sincan–Batı (9 km), Torbalı–Ödemiş (75 km) and Çatal–Tire (11 km). These reported completions raised the length of electrified track to 7,274 km.
Difiglio, Carmine; Güray, Bora Şekip; Merdan, Ersin (November 2020). Turkey Energy Outlook (Report). Sabancı University Istanbul International Center for Energy and Climate (IICEC). ISBN978-605-70031-9-5.
Regional directorates
TCDD organises track, station and infrastructure management through regional directorates and a high-speed railway directorate. Its 2024 performance programme identified regional offices in Istanbul (Haydarpaşa), Ankara, İzmir, Sivas, Malatya, Adana, Afyonkarahisar and Erzurum, as well as a separate Ankara-based YHT directorate. This is a dated organisational description; the number and geographic allocation of directorates have been revised over time.
TCDD manages rail-connected logistics centres and freight-handling infrastructure, separately from the freight train services operated by licensed undertakings. Its 2024 performance programme listed 12 operating logistics centres at the end of 2023: Samsun (Gelemen), Istanbul (Halkalı), Eskişehir (Hasanbey), Balıkesir (Gökköy), Denizli (Kaklık), Kahramanmaraş (Türkoğlu), Erzurum (Palandöken), İzmit (Köseköy), Uşak, Mersin (Yenice), Konya (Kayacık) and Kars.
TCDD Taşımacılık's 2025 annual report subsequently recorded 13 logistics centres within the national railway infrastructure, although it did not identify the additional centre in the same table.
These facilities provide interfaces between rail transport and other logistics activities, such as storage, loading and road freight. TCDD has also maintained Marşandiz Yard in Ankara and other marshalling and goods facilities. Plans for additional logistics centres should be distinguished from facilities already placed in operation.
Ferries
A train ferry on Lake VanA historical TCDD train ferry in Istanbul
TCDD operates the Lake Van train-ferry service between Tatvan and Van, which bridges a gap in the railway connection towards Iran. According to the Treasury's 2024 public-enterprises report, the service completed 364 crossings during 2024, carrying 476,717 tonnes of freight and 961 passengers. The ferries Sultan Alparslan and İdris-i Bitlisi have been associated with this route.
Historically, TCDD also used railway ferries across the Bosphorus between the European and Asian sides of Istanbul. That function changed following development of the Marmaray railway link; a Tekirdağ–Derince rail-ferry route was trialled during the transition period.
A separate freight train-ferry service between Bandırma and Tekirdağ was introduced in 2025, with an inaugural sailing reported in May, as an alternative rail crossing of the Sea of Marmara to the Marmaray tunnel. The new operation was organised through TCDD Transport and a contracted operator, rather than constituting a return to direct passenger or freight train operation by TCDD. Contemporary reporting identified the ferry as the Erdeniz and described a capacity of 60 railway wagons.
Network extensions and modernization
TCDD's infrastructure investment has included new high-speed and conventional routes as well as the electrification, signalling and renewal of existing railway track. In 2024, TCDD reported capital investment expenditure of approximately ₺51.95 billion; this is recorded expenditure and should not be confused with older published construction targets.
The Ministry of Treasury and Finance reported 132 kilometres (82mi) of newly completed electrification during 2024, including the Torbalı–Ödemiş and Çatal–Tire sections. The same report recorded improvements reducing the number of level crossings from 2,595 at the end of 2023 to 2,576 at the end of 2024.
Major modernisation and expansion projects are treated in greater detail under High-speed rail in Turkey, Marmaray, Başkentray, Gaziray and Rail transport in Turkey. Dates and lengths in individual project plans should not be presented as completed work without confirmation from an implementation report.
