Commissioning of National Electric Train Sets on the Uzunköprü–Halkalı Line

On 22 July 2026, the National Electric Train sets began passenger service on the Uzunköprü–Halkalı–Uzunköprü line. Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced that the train sets, produced in Türkiye using local and national capabilities by Türkiye Raylı Sistem Araçları Sanayii AŞ (TÜRASAŞ), would begin serving this line as of that date. Thus, the National Electric Train sets have been operated on a different regional railway line for the first time, outside the Adapazarı–Gebze Regional Train.

_{Ulaştırma ve Altyapı Bakanı Abdulkadir Uraloğlu,18 Temmuz 2026 (Anadolu Ajansı)}

With the introduction of the National Electric Train sets on the Uzunköprü–Halkalı line, which had been served for approximately twenty years by electric locomotives with five carriages, the use of domestically produced trains in regional rail transport has been expanded. The aim of this upgrade is to enhance service quality in passenger transport between Thrace and Istanbul.

The National Electric Train sets have a total passenger capacity of 324, including 322 seated positions and 2 wheelchair spaces. The trains can reach an operational speed of 160 kilometers per hour and have been designed with emphasis on passenger comfort, accessibility, safety, and operational efficiency. The goal is to provide a more modern and comfortable travel experience in regional rail transport.

The train sets developed by TÜRASAŞ using local and national capabilities are among the key outputs of Türkiye’s efforts to enhance domestic production capacity in rail system technologies. The project is considered part of investments aimed at reducing dependence on foreign technology in rail vehicles and promoting the widespread use of domestic technologies.

Since their entry into service in 2023, the National Electric Train sets have completed 11,551 trips as of 22 July 2026. During the same period, the trains have covered more than 1,122,000 kilometers and served 2,634,363 passengers. The data obtained demonstrate that the train sets are being regularly utilized in regional passenger transport and that their operational performance has been sustained.

With the commencement of service on the Uzunköprü–Halkalı line, the operational scope of the National Electric Train sets has been expanded and applications for deploying domestically produced trains on other regional lines have increased. The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure has stated that this new application will strengthen rail access to Istanbul for citizens living in Uzunköprü and its surroundings and will improve service quality in regional passenger transport.