Konya–Yenice railway

Konya–Yenice
A freight train passing through Pozantı.
Overview
OwnerTurkish State Railways
LocaleKonya Plain
Taurus Mountains
Çukurova
Termini
Service
TypeHeavy rail, Higher-speed rail
SystemTurkish State Railways
Operator(s)TCDD Taşımacılık
Körfez Ulaştırma
Omsan
History
Opened25 October 1904 (first section)
9 October 1918 (final section)
Technical
Line length344.7 km (214.2 mi)
Number of tracks2 (Konya-Karaman)
1 (Karaman-Yenice)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification25 kV, 50 Hz AC overhead line
Operating speed200 km (120 mi) (Konya-Karaman)
120 km (75 mi) (Karaman-Ulukışla)
100 km (62 mi) (Ulukışla-Yenice)
Route map

km
Polatlı-Konya HSR
to Ankara
Eskişehir–Konya railway
to Afyon & Eskişehir
0
Konya
D.696
20.3
Kaşınhan
44.2
Çumra
Çumra Sugar Factory
61.9
Arıkören
102.2
Karaman
Layover yard
End of electrification
Sudurağı
Ayrancı
Böğecik bypass
Böğecik
Ereğli
Bulgurlu
Çakmak
Tepeköy bypass
Ulukışla-Boğazköprü railway
to Kayseri
Start of
electrification
Ulukışla
Gümüş
Toroslar-1 tunnel D.750
tunnels Toroslar-2 … 7
Çiftehan
tunnels Toroslar-8 … 15
Pozantı
tunnels Toroslar-16 … 19
Belemedik
tunnels Toroslar-20 … 30
Toroslar-31 tunnel
Hacıkırı
Toroslar-32 tunnel
Karaisali Bucağı
tunnels Toroslar-33 … 37
Kelebek
Durak
Yenice

The Konya–Yenice railway (Turkish: Konya-Yenice demiryolu) is a 344.7 km (214.2 mi) long, partially electrified railway in southern Turkey. The railway is a major route connecting Turkey's Mediterranean coast to the Anatolian interior as well as the only railway line through the Taurus Mountains. The line begins in Konya and runs southeast through Karaman until turning south at Ulukışla and joining the Adana–Mersin railway at Yenice. The section between Konya and Karaman is classified as a High-standard railway (Turkish: Yüksek standartlı demiryolu), while the rest of the route is classified as a Conventional railway (Turkish: Konvansiyonel demiryolu).

The Konya–Yenice railway was built by the Baghdad Railway mainly between 1904 and 1912, with the final 36 km (22 mi) gap completed in 1918. It served an important role during World War I in transporting troops and materiel to the fronts in Mesopotamia and Palestine. Numerous engineering works were undertaken to build through the steep Taurus Mountains, the most famous of them being the Varda Viaduct.

The first section of the route, between Konya and Karaman, is an electrified, double track, higher-speed railway which hosts YHT high-speed train service. This 106 km (66 mi) long section of the railway allows for speeds up to 200 km/h (120 mph), making it the fastest conventional railway in Turkey, excluding dedicated high-speed rail lines. Plans to upgrade the entire railway are underway with the second section between Karaman and Ulukışla under construction. These upgrades will include electrification, ECTS signalling, adding a second track and upgrading the right-of-way to allow for speeds up to 200 km/h (120 mph). Plans for the third section of the project, between Ulukışla and Yenice, have been finalized and the tender has been awarded in August 2021.