INRAIL Istanbul North Rail Crossing Project

Overview
Project Summary Document
Environmental and Social Documentation
Procurement
Complaints

Overview

A sovereign loan of up to EUR 500 million to the Republic of Türkiye. The Project will be implemented through the General Directorate of Infrastructure Investments ("AYGM"). The loan proceeds will be utilised to finance the construction of 127 km greenfield railway line that will serve as a bypass of the Istanbul Metropolitan Area and provide a high-capacity overland crossing across the Bosphorus (the "Project"). The proposed railway line will start at the Cayirova station on the Asian side and end at the Catalca station on the European side, crossing the Bosphorus Strait using the existing track space allocated for this purpose on the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, also known as the Third Bridge, at the Bosphorus' northern end. The line will be double-tracked, electrified, fully signalized, and mixed-used, designed to carry passengers and freight.

The Project provides an integral missing link for the three international rail-served trade corridors crossing Istanbul: (i) the Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor linking China and Central Asia with the rest of Europe via rail and short-sea shipping connections; (ii) the Iraq Development Road corridor, which would link Asia and the European Union ("EU") via the Middle East and Türkiye by rail; and (iii) the Türkiye-EU corridor, which accounts for a third of Türkiye's international trade.

The Project aims to: (a) enhance the resilience, efficiency, and competitiveness of Türkiye's national logistics network; (b) significantly boost rail freight capacity and increase rail modal share; (c) set the enabling conditions to attract private sector investment and to foster innovation in logistics services; and (d) increase the accessibility of Istanbul Airport (IST) on the European side and Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW) on the Asian side by linking them to the rail network.

The Project will be co-financed by the World Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Islamic Development Bank, Asian Development Bank and OPEC Fund for International Development.

Project ID 56767

Status Concept Reviewed

Location

Türkiye

Business Sector

Transport

Notice Type

State

Project timeline

Exploratory
Passed Concept Review
Passed Structure Review
Passed Final Review
Board Approved
Signed
Implementing
Completed

Company Contact Information

Enver MAMUR - Deputy General Director of Infrastructure Investments
enver.mamur@uab.gov.tr
0312 203 10 00
https://aygm.uab.gov.tr/
Hakki Turaylic Cad. No:5 06338 Emek/Cankaya/ANKARA

Project ID 56767

Status Concept Reviewed

Location

Türkiye

Business Sector

Transport

Notice Type

State

Environmental Category

Approval Date

21 Oct 2026

Disclosure date

13 Mar 2026

PSD Translation (Turkish) (PDF, 0.17MB)

Project Description

The Project will be co-financed by the World Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Islamic Development Bank, Asian Development Bank and OPEC Fund for International Development.

Project Objectives

The Project involves the development of safe, sustainable, low-carbon passenger and freight rail transport across the Bosphorus. The Project would further facilitate international trade via a new high-speed railway line starting at the Cayirova station on the Asian side and ending at the Catalca station on the European side. It enhances Türkiye's connectivity to the European Union and other key international rail-served trade corridors.

Transition Impact

ETI score: 64

The Project's transition impact stems from the following key areas:

Green: The Project is expected to promote modal shift and lead to reductions in CO2 emissions. The introduction of the new railway infrastructure is expected to shift part of high-carbon intensive road traffic to rail.
Integrated: The Project will improve Türkiye's domestic and cross-border connectivity. The Project would increase capacity and improve service quality, while providing a high-capacity overland rail alternative to the Marmaray undersea tunnel across the Bosphorus Strait.

Client Information

TÜRKIYE SOVEREIGN

The borrower will be the Republic of Türkiye represented by the Ministry of Treasury and Finance. The Project will be implemented through the General Directorate of Infrastructure Investments, operating under the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure.

EBRD Finance Summary

EUR 500,000,000.00

A loan of up to EUR 500 million.

Total Project Cost

EUR 7,799,000,000.00

The total Project cost is estimated at EUR 7.799 billion (equivalent of USD 8.1 billion) for an approximately 127 km railway line.

World Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Islamic Development Bank, Asian Development Bank and OPEC Fund for International Development are expected co-financiers.

Additionality

The Bank's additionality is derived from the provision of loan size and tenor not available in the market from commercial lenders.

Environmental and Social Summary

Environmental and Social Categorisation:

The Project is categorised "A" in accordance with the EBRD Environmental and Social Policy (ESP) (2024) based on the length and scale of the railway alignment, the extensive use of tunnels and viaducts, and the environmental and social sensitivity of the Istanbul region.

Environmental and Social Issues:

The Project involves the construction of a new 127 km electrified, dual-track railway line between Cayirova and Catalca, crossing the Bosphorus via the rail-designated deck of the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge. Preliminary review indicates that key environmental and social issues include land acquisition and associated economic displacement, potential impacts on forested habitats and watercourses, cumulative impacts with the motorway corridor, noise and vibration effects, management of significant volumes of excavated spoil, hydrology and groundwater; community health and safety risks during construction, labour and working conditions for a sizeable construction workforce, climate resilience considerations, and potential impacts on cultural heritage. The use of tunnels and viaducts and the existing motorway corridor to some degree reduces the potential impacts, including those related to land acquisition and associated economic displacement and limited physical displacement is anticipated. The client prepared an ESIA that includes ESIA report, Stakeholder Engagement Plan, Resettlement Framework, Environmental and Social Management Plan - which assessed the E&S impacts and risks. The extent of these impacts and the adequacy of existing mitigation and planned management measures are being examined through a supplementary assessment being undertaken by EBRD.

Supplementary Assessment:

EBRD has appointed independent consultants to undertake a detailed review of the existing environmental and social documentation, including a Gap Analysis and supplementary biodiversity assessment, which will form part of a new disclosure package. This work will identify any additional studies, management measures or mitigation requirements needed to align the Project with the EBRD Environmental and Social Policy Environment and Social Requirements (ESR). The findings will inform the final Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP).

Information Disclosure and Stakeholder Engagement:

A Stakeholder Engagement Plan is being reviewed during EBRD's supplementary assessment against EBRD requirements. As this is a Category A Project, the ESIA package, including the Non-Technical Summary, supplementary assessments and ESAP, will be disclosed for a minimum of 120 days prior to Board consideration. Engagement with affected communities, local authorities and other stakeholders will continue throughout Project preparation.

Environmental and Social Action Plan:

An ESAP will be agreed with the client to address identified gaps and ensure compliance with the EBRD Environmental and Social Policy. Actions are expected to include measures related to biodiversity management, land acquisition and livelihood restoration, contractor management, community health and safety, monitoring and ongoing stakeholder engagement.

This PSD will be updated following the completion of the environmental and social due diligence.

Green assessments

Technical Cooperation and Grant Financing

The Bank has provided technical assistance to develop and implement the Project in accordance with the Bank's requirements. This technical cooperation support for the Project includes:

Assistance in undertaking and review of the climate due diligence
Assistance in undertaking and review of the environmental and social due diligence

The TC programme is subject to further amendments and confirmation.

Company Contact Information

Enver MAMUR - Deputy General Director of Infrastructure Investments
enver.mamur@uab.gov.tr
0312 203 10 00
https://aygm.uab.gov.tr/
Hakki Turaylic Cad. No:5 06338 Emek/Cankaya/ANKARA

Implementation Summary

PSD Last Updated

13 Mar 2026

Understanding transition

Further information regarding the EBRD’s approach to measuring transition impact is available here.

Business opportunities

For business opportunities or procurement, contact the client company.

For business opportunities with the EBRD (not related to procurement) contact:

Tel: +44 20 7338 7168
Email: projectenquiries@ebrd.com

For state-sector projects, visit EBRD Procurement:

Tel: +44 20 7338 6794
Email: procurement@ebrd.com

General enquiries

Specific enquiries can be made using the EBRD Enquiries form.

Environmental and Social Policy (ESP)

The ESP and its associated Environmental and Social Requirements (ESRs) set out the ways in which the EBRD implements its commitment to promoting “environmentally sound and sustainable development”. The ESP and the ESRs include specific provisions for clients to comply with the applicable requirements of national laws on public information and consultation, and to establish a grievance mechanism to receive and facilitate resolution of stakeholders’ concerns and grievances, in particular, about the environmental and social (E&S) performance of the client and the project. Proportionate to the nature and scale of a project’s environmental and social risks and impacts, the EBRD also requires its clients to disclose information, as appropriate, about the risks and impacts of projects or to undertake meaningful consultation with stakeholders and consider and respond to their feedback.

More information on the EBRD’s practices in this regard is set out in the ESP.

Integrity and compliance

The EBRD's Office of the Chief Compliance Officer (OCCO) promotes good governance and ensures that the highest standards of integrity are applied to all of the Bank's activities in accordance with international best practice. Integrity due diligence is conducted on all Bank clients to ensure that projects do not present unacceptable integrity or reputational risks to the Bank. The EBRD believes that identifying and resolving issues in the project assessment and approval stages is the most effective means of ensuring the integrity of Bank transactions. OCCO plays a key role in these protective efforts andhelps to monitor integrity risks in projects post-investment.

OCCO is further responsible for investigating allegations of fraud, corruption and misconduct in EBRD-financed projects. Anyone, either within or outside the Bank, who suspects fraud or corruption should submit a written report to the Chief Compliance Officer by email to compliance@ebrd.com. OCCO will follow-up all matters reported. It will review all matters reported. Reports can be made in any language of the Bank or of the Bank's countries of operation. The information provided must be made in good faith.

Access to Information Policy (AIP)

The AIP, which entered into force on 1 January 2025, sets out how the EBRD discloses information and consults with its stakeholders to promote better awareness and understanding of its strategies, policies and operations. Please visit the Access to Information Policy page to find out what information is available from the EBRD website.

Specific requests for information can be made using the EBRD enquiries form.

Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM)

If efforts to address environmental, social or public disclosure concerns with the Client or the Bank are unsuccessful (for example, through the client’s project-level grievance mechanism or through direct engagement with Bank management), individuals and organisations may seek to address their concerns through the EBRD’s Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM).

IPAM independently reviews project issues that are believed to have caused (or to be likely to cause) harm. The purpose of the mechanism is: to support dialogue between project stakeholders to resolve environmental, social and public disclosure issues; to determine whether the Bank has complied with its Environmental and Social Policy or the project-specific provisions of its Access to Information Policy; and where applicable, to address any existing non-compliance with these policies, while preventing future non-compliance by the Bank.

Please visit the Independent Project Accountability Mechanism webpage to find out more about IPAM and its mandate and how to submit a Request for review. Alternatively, contact IPAM by email at ipam@ebrd.com for guidance and more information on IPAM and how to submit a request.

Environmental and Social Documentation is not available for this project.

Selected procurement notices related to this project may be shown below. Further procurement opportunities related to this and other projects, if available, maybe be viewed in the EBRD Procurement Portal.

The EBRD's Environmental and Social Policy (ESP), Access to Information policy (AIP) and Project Accountability Policy (PAP) enable sound and sustainable development in its projects. The Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM) deals with complaints about environmental, social and disclosure matters related to the Bank’s investments.

No complaints about this project have been made so far.

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INRAIL Istanbul North Rail Crossing Project

Overview

Project timeline

Company Contact Information

Project Description

Project Objectives

Transition Impact

Client Information

EBRD Finance Summary

Total Project Cost

Additionality

Green assessments

Technical Cooperation and Grant Financing

Company Contact Information

Implementation Summary

PSD Last Updated

Understanding transition

Business opportunities

General enquiries

Environmental and Social Policy (ESP)

Integrity and compliance

Access to Information Policy (AIP)

Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM)