A 153-kilometre high-speed railway between Çerkezköy and Kapıkule officially opened on 9 October 2026, connecting Istanbul’s western suburbs to the Bulgarian border at speeds up to 200 km/h.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by President Erdoğan. The double-tracked, electrified line slashes the Halkalı–Kapıkule journey from four hours to just 90 minutes - a significant shift for travellers crossing overland between Türkiye and the EU.
What changes for travellers
For anyone planning an Edirne day trip from Istanbul, the new rail link opens a noticeably faster overland option. Edirne sits roughly 10 kilometres east of Kapıkule, making the border station a practical staging point for the city.
Previously, the road between Istanbul and Edirne was the default for independent travellers; the new rail line gives a credible alternative that avoids traffic and the TEM motorway tolls. Full journey times on passenger services from central Istanbul will depend on connection schedules from Halkalı, but the core Çerkezköy–Kapıkule segment now takes around 45 minutes.
The line also carries freight, with capacity expected to rise from 1.5 million tonnes annually to 9.5 million - relevant context for the broader corridor, though it doesn’t directly affect tourist travel.
Overland travel from Bulgaria
Travellers arriving from Sofia or elsewhere in Bulgaria by rail had previously faced a slow border-crossing stretch once inside Türkiye. The upgraded line substantially improves that connection, making Istanbul more reachable by train from EU countries for the first time at high speed.
Passport control at Kapıkule still applies for non-EU nationals entering Türkiye from Bulgaria. EU and Schengen passport holders enter Türkiye visa-free for up to 90 days; check our Turkey visa guide for full entry requirements by nationality.
Planning your journey
If you are travelling to Edirne - home to the Selimiye Mosque and the Kırkpınar oil wrestling festival - the rail link makes a day trip from Istanbul significantly more viable. Combine it with an overnight stay to take in the city properly.
For broader transport options across the country, our getting around Türkiye guide covers trains, buses, domestic flights, and ferries.
The Çerkezköy–Kapıkule line is the latest section of Türkiye’s ongoing high-speed rail expansion. The country now has over 1,200 km of high-speed track in operation, with further extensions planned toward Kars and Halkali in the coming years.
For the day trip itself, see our best tours in Edirne guide, and for an overnight stay our Edirne hotel guide lists places to sleep near the Selimiye Mosque.