During the Innotrans railway exhibition in Berlin, Turkish State Railways (TCDD) celebrated its 160-year anniversary of the first railways laid in Turkey.

The celebration was chaired by Mr Isa Apaydin, President of the Board and Director General of Turkish State Railways (TCDD).

On this occasion, UIC conveyed its warmest congratulations to Mr Apaydin and members of the TCDD delegation present at Innotrans on their anniversary and thanked TCDD for their particularly active role and involvement in UIC’s international railway cooperation system.

The first journey by railways in Turkey on the Anatolian territory started along the 130 km Izmir-Aydin railway line on 23 September 1856.

In that period, Izmir-Aydin, Izmir-Turgutlu, Rumeli and Anatolia-Baghdad Railway Lines were partially constructed.

The British group that was granted the concession of Izmir-Aydin Railway Line in 1857 established a company called as “Izmir-Aydin Ottoman Railway”.

The completion of the Mudanya-Bursa Railway Line was then completed in 1874.

At Innotrans, Turkish State Railways together with the CMS Project company from Turkey, promoted the 10th UIC World Congress on High Speed Rail that is due to take place from 11 – 14 July 2017 in the Turkish capital Ankara.

This leading international congress dedicated to high speed rail is being organised by UIC, TCDD and CMS Project and will be held under the high patronage of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey.