Türkiye's vision of full independence in railway technologies has passed another critical threshold. In a ceremony attended by Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu and Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek, Türkiye's first Domestic and National High-Speed Train was launched onto the rails. The 8-carriage set, designed and produced by TÜRASAŞ Sakarya Regional Directorate, has left the production line and entered the challenging dynamic testing phase. This development shows that Türkiye has joined the select few countries capable of producing high-speed railway vehicles and reaching a level to export this technology.
Aluminium Body and High Technology
The new national high-speed train directly challenges its global competitors with its technical specifications. TÜRASAŞ engineers set the train's maximum operating speed at 225 kilometres per hour. Furthermore, the vehicle body uses entirely aluminium material instead of conventional steel. This significantly reduces the train's weight while maximising its energy efficiency.
The prominent engineering details of the train are as follows:
- High Capacity: Produced in an 8-carriage configuration, the train offers a total passenger capacity of 584 (582 standard, 2 with disabilities).
- Advanced Propulsion System: The vehicle's traction system is equipped with AC/AC - IGBT/IGCT technology providing high-power management. Operating on a 25kV, 50 Hz power supply, the system enhances acceleration performance.
- Infrastructure-Friendly Design: Engineers kept the axle load below 18 tonnes, preventing the railway infrastructure from wearing out at high speeds.
- Safety: An Electro-Pneumatic Disc Brake system is used. The ETCS Level 1-2 signalling equipment ensures the train travels safely, both autonomously and manually, according to European standards.
Why is This Stage Important?
Until now, Türkiye imported high-speed and fast train sets from foreign brands at high costs. This new-generation set, produced at TÜRASAŞ's Sakarya facilities, directly ends foreign dependency in railways.
Indeed, the fact that the vehicle is produced in compliance with the Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI LOC&PAS, TSI PRM, TSI NOI, TSI SRT) standards is of great strategic importance. This international certification means that the national high-speed train can operate seamlessly on all European railway networks, not just in Türkiye, without encountering regulatory obstacles. Thus, immediately after meeting domestic demand, a multi-billion dollar export market opens up.
What's Next?
This 225 km/h set, now on the rails, will undergo an extensive testing process in real track conditions. Experts will test the train's braking distances, cornering performance, and climate control system under various conditions.
Following the successful completion of the test marathon, the vehicle will enter the TCDD Taşımacılık inventory and begin intercity passenger services. With this immense engineering experience gained, TÜRASAŞ is ushering in the era of national speed in Türkiye's transportation infrastructure while also building a strong foundation for future very high-speed train (250+ km/h) projects.
