Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said Türkiye plans to increase the number of provinces directly connected by high-speed rail from 11 to 27 by 2028, with a long-term goal of enabling travel across the country within 48 hours by 2053.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) on Sunday, Uraloğlu said transportation is essential for trade, production and sustainable development, stressing that infrastructure investments serve not only as physical projects but also as strategic initiatives that support exports, employment, regional development and international cooperation.
He said the government has invested $355 billion in transport and infrastructure over the past 24 years, describing the spending as historic.
Uraloğlu noted that Türkiye has expanded its transport network through divided highways, motorways, high-speed rail lines, ports, airports, logistics centers and communications infrastructure, adding that railways have been treated as a state policy since 2002.
He said railway investments have transformed not only transportation but also the economy and urban development.
