TURKIYE: Turkish-built EMUs entered passenger service on 22 July between Uzunköprü and Halkalı, replacing locomotive-hauled regional trains on the Edirne–Istanbul corridor after almost 20 years of operation.

Turkish-built EMUs begin Uzunköprü–Halkalı service with 324-passenger capacity, wheelchair spaces and speeds up to 160 km/h.
Turkish-built EMUs begin Uzunköprü–Halkalı service with 324-passenger capacity, wheelchair spaces and speeds up to 160 km/h.

The deployment is the first use of the national electric train fleet beyond the Adapazarı–Gebze regional route. According to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, the Uzunköprü–Halkalı service had previously used electric locomotives hauling five passenger cars.

The existing route links Edirne province with Istanbul through Halkalı terminal. The Halkalı–Uzunköprü service also serves intermediate stations including Çerkezköy, Çorlu, Lüleburgaz and Pehlivanköy.

Turkish-built EMUs offer capacity for 324 passengers

Each five-car EMU provides 322 seats and two dedicated wheelchair spaces, giving a total capacity of 324 passengers. The trains have a maximum operating speed of 160 km/h and include passenger information systems and facilities for people with reduced mobility.

TÜRASAŞ technical information lists a design speed of 176 km/h and confirms that the sets hold Technical Specifications for Interoperability certification. The manufacturer also equips the trains with Wi-Fi, a kitchen area, accessible boarding equipment and a baby-care room.

The switch changes the rolling stock rather than creating a new rail connection. Passengers travelling between Uzunköprü and Istanbul now use an integrated electric trainset instead of the locomotive-and-coach formation that worked the corridor for nearly two decades.

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The national EMU fleet expands beyond its first route

The domestically produced trains entered commercial service in 2023 on the Adapazarı–Gebze route. By 18 July 2026, the fleet had completed 11,551 journeys, travelled more than 1.122 million km and carried 2,634,363 passengers, according to ministry figures.

Turkish-built EMUs begin Uzunköprü–Halkalı service with 324-passenger capacity, wheelchair spaces and speeds up to 160 km/h.
Turkish-built EMUs begin Uzunköprü–Halkalı service with 324-passenger capacity, wheelchair spaces and speeds up to 160 km/h.

TÜRASAŞ manufactures the EMUs as part of Turkiye’s programme to develop domestic rolling-stock production. The state-owned company was formed in 2020 through the merger of TÜLOMSAŞ, TÜVASAŞ and TÜDEMSAŞ.

The Uzunköprü deployment extends the fleet’s operating area into the European part of Turkiye and provides Edirne province with the same EMU type already used on regional services east of Istanbul.

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