KONYA - Turkey will invest 20 billion USD in high-speed train projects within next 12 years, according to Turkish Railway DG.
Traffic problems, environmental pollution and the rise in oil prices makes it necessary to use high-speed trains.
Turkey`s target is to be among the first 8 countries in railway transportation in the world and it implements some projects to this end.
When railways projects realized in Turkey, it will be easier and faster to travel to Istanbul and Ankara from, i.e. central city of Konya.
``Travelling between Konya and Ankara will take 1 hour 15 minutes (a distance of 305 km) and Konya-Istanbul will take 3 and a half hours (747 kilometers)``, said Konya Deputy Ahmet Buyukakkaslar.
``High-speed trains will steal 15 percent of freight and 45 percent of passenger transportation from highways``, noted Buyukakkaslar.
Without any serious investments in last 50 years, Turkey has 8,500 kilometers of railways. However, USA has 212,000; Russia 95,000; and Germany 44,000 kms of railway.