What is the name of the high-speed railway linking Ankara and Istanbul?

The Ankara–Istanbul high-speed railway links Turkey’s capital, Ankara, with Istanbul.

The route was developed in stages because it crosses difficult terrain and connects existing railway corridors with newly built high-speed sections. Passenger services between Ankara and Istanbul began in 2014, completing a major part of Turkey’s high-speed rail expansion.

The railway does not run through Istanbul’s historic central districts as a single uninterrupted high-speed alignment. Services use the Pendik area on the Asian side, with urban connections available for onward travel.

A common mix-up is Marmaray, which is Istanbul’s cross-Bosphorus rail system. Marmaray links the European and Asian sides of the city through an undersea tunnel, while the Ankara–Istanbul high-speed railway provides the intercity connection from the capital.