Türkiye’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, says Türkiye has grown into a country that not only builds modern railways at home, but also shares its knowledge and experience abroad.
According to the minister, Türkiye has been offering training programmes to railway workers from several countries across Africa and Asia, helping them improve skills in railway construction, maintenance, repairs, and switch systems.
Last year, railway personnel from countries such as Tunisia, Libya, Syria, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Tanzania, and Sudan received hands-on instruction through the Türkiye Railway Academy.
The minister also explained that Türkiye provided consultancy support to Azerbaijan to help establish its own railway academy. Meanwhile, Syrian railway staff received extra training as part of efforts to rebuild Syria’s damaged rail infrastructure.
Building Skills and Protecting Knowledge
Founded in 2020, the Türkiye Railway Academy aims to train qualified professionals through practical learning and online education. It also helps preserve institutional expertise within Turkish State Railways (TCDD).
Uraloğlu highlighted Türkiye’s long railway history, starting with the İzmir–Aydın line in 1856, and the important role of the Hejaz Railway during the Ottoman period.
He noted that Türkiye’s railway network has expanded rapidly in recent years and now covers nearly 14,000 kilometres.
High-Speed Rail and Regional Leadership
Türkiye has also become one of the few countries operating high-speed rail systems, ranking eighth in the world and sixth in Europe in adopting this technology.
In addition, the head of Turkish State Railways currently leads the Middle East Regional Assembly of the International Union of Railways, helping strengthen regional cooperation and railway connections.
SOURCE: TRT TURKIYE
