Turkey Initiates Bidding Process for Siirt Railway Development Project

As reported by TCDD, Turkey’s infrastructure authority, there’s an exciting new project on the horizon: a 34 km railway extension connecting Yolçatı to Siirt. This development aims to enhance connectivity in the region.

The proposed route will feature stations at key locations such as Siirt airport and the university, along with a central city stop. Designed for speeds of up to 160 km/h,this alignment will incorporate six bored tunnels stretching over 15.6 km, alongside additional service and emergency tunnels totaling around 11.7 km. There are also plans for two cut-and-cover tunnels measuring about 1.5 km and two viaducts extending over 600 meters.

Bids for this ambitious project are expected by June 17, with an anticipated completion timeline of approximately five years post-contract signing.

This line is set to be electrified as part of broader modernization efforts.Transportation Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu has indicated that not only will the existing line from Yolçatı to Kurtalan undergo upgrades, but there are also intentions to establish a new route linking Diyarbakır and Mazıdağı—marking the frist phase in creating a rail connection between Diyarbakır and Mardin.

This tender declaration follows recent news that the Kurdistan Workers Party plans to disband; Uraloğlu emphasized that these modernized railways would significantly boost economic growth, trade opportunities, and tourism in southeastern Turkey.

A railway connecting Kurtalan and Siirt was initially envisioned back in the ’40s as part of a larger transit route toward Iran; however, challenging mountainous terrain south of Lake Van halted those plans. Rather, as its opening in ’71, an option path from Elazığ leads through Tatvan where passengers can take a train ferry across Lake Van before continuing their journey into Iran.