1 bln passengers use Marmaray in 10 years: Minister

Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu has stated that in the last 10 years, 1 billion passengers have traveled with Marmaray, an undersea railway tunnel connecting Europe and Asia via the Bosporus Strait.

"Marmaray has carried more passengers than the population of the European continent consisting of 64 countries and around 745 million people. This is an investment and operational success," Uraloğlu said in a written statement on July 25.

Noting that Marmaray is one of the most important railway projects not only in Türkiye but also in the world, Uraoğlu stated their target in 2023 is to transport approximately 203,000 passengers through the line.

"Marmaray boasts the world's deepest immersed tube tunnel used by rail systems, with a depth of 60.46 meters. Initially starting with five stations, Marmaray now serves our citizens with 43 stations spanning 76.6 kilometers in length," he stated.

Marmaray has a daily capacity of 287 trips and can carry 877,072 passengers, Uraoğlu said.

In terms of train operations, it currently has a fleet of 440 train cars, with 34 sets of 10 cars and 20 sets of five cars.

Uraoğlu stressed that Marmaray, which offers uninterrupted rail transportation from London to Beijing, not only stands out in passenger transportation but also plays a prominent role in freight transportation. High-speed trains pass through Marmaray to reach Halkalı, and domestic and international freight trains also pass through during nighttime.

Inaugurated in 2013, Marmaray has achieved important successes not only with its passenger numbers but also as the first freight train to reach Europe from China via the Iron Silk Road, using the Marmaray line.