Turkiye, June 2026 – The Islamic Development Bank has approved €650 million (approximately US$800 million) in financing for Türkiye's Istanbul North Rail Crossing (INRAIL) Project, a flagship railway investment designed to improve freight and passenger connectivity across the Bosphorus. The funding forms part of a broader international financing package supporting one of the country's largest transport infrastructure projects.
The INRAIL project will construct a 127-kilometre electrified railway linking the Halkalı and Gebze corridors via a new northern alignment, creating a high-capacity rail route that bypasses central Istanbul. The line will connect Türkiye's main railway network with Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, easing congestion on existing corridors while improving freight movements between Europe and Asia. The project is being co-financed by several multilateral development banks, including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.
The railway is expected to enhance logistics efficiency by providing a dedicated high-capacity route for freight while increasing resilience across Türkiye's rail network. By shifting more passenger and freight traffic from road to rail, the project also supports the country's decarbonisation objectives and strengthens the Middle Corridor connecting Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
The financing demonstrates growing international confidence in Türkiye's long-term rail development strategy and the role of multilateral partnerships in delivering strategic infrastructure. As construction progresses, the INRAIL project is expected to reinforce Türkiye's position as a key intercontinental transport hub while improving network capacity, trade connectivity and sustainable mobility.
Source: AGBI
Islamic Development Bank Backs Türkiye's Strategic Rail Corridor
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International development financing is playing an increasingly important role in delivering large-scale railway infrastructure that strengthens regional trade and sustainable transport. The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has approved significant financing for a major railway project that will enhance Türkiye's position as a logistics gateway between Asia and Europe.
