Azernews.Az

Akbar Novruz

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The World Bank has approved a $2 billion loan for the implementation of the Istanbul North Rail Crossing Project (INRAIL), a major infrastructure initiative aimed at strengthening rail connectivity across the Bosphorus and enhancing regional trade routes, AzerNEWS reports.

According to the bank, the financing forms part of a broader coordinated effort involving six multilateral development institutions to mobilize a total of $6.75 billion for the project.

INRAIL предусматривает the construction of a 127-kilometer electrified, high-capacity railway line in Istanbul, creating a new land rail crossing over the Bosphorus Strait. The project will utilize the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, which is designed to accommodate rail traffic while bypassing the city center.

The new line is expected to significantly increase freight and passenger capacity, reduce logistics costs, and improve connectivity between Istanbul’s two major airports and the national railway network. It will also enhance the reliability of key transport corridors, including the Trans-Caspian route, the Türkiye–EU corridor, and the Iraq Development Road.

The project holds particular importance for the Middle Corridor, which connects Asia and Europe via Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye. The route serves as a strategic alternative to traditional northern and southern corridors, linking China to European markets through Central Asia and the Caspian region.

Currently, rail corridors passing through Istanbul face capacity bottlenecks at the Bosphorus, limiting trade efficiency. INRAIL aims to eliminate these constraints by providing uninterrupted, high-capacity rail connectivity.

Approximately half of the route will pass through tunnels, reducing vulnerability to extreme weather conditions such as heat, floods, strong winds, and forest fires, thereby strengthening the resilience of the transport system.

Once operational, rail freight traffic across the Bosphorus is expected to increase from around 3 million tons annually to 50 million tons, dramatically improving delivery times and reliability for freight operators.

The World Bank is leading the project in cooperation with institutions including the Asian Development Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Islamic Development Bank, and the OPEC Fund for International Development.