Türkiye Launches Tender for New 13.3km Samsun Tram Line

Turkey launches Samsun tram line tender, a 13.3km project with 16 stations and new trams. This expands urban rail, supporting a strategic Black Sea freight corridor.

January 21, 2026 10:39 am

🛑 Key Takeaways:

Türkiye will launch a tender this month for a new 13.3 km tram line in the Black Sea port city of Samsun.
The project includes 16 new stations and the procurement of 10 new trams, integrating with the city’s existing 33 km network.
This urban rail expansion is part of a wider national strategy to establish a Black Sea-Mediterranean freight corridor, bypassing the congested Bosphorus straits.

SAMSUN, TÜRKİYE – The Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure will hold a tender in January for a new 13.3 km tram line in Samsun, Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced on January 10. The project, which includes 16 stations and 10 new trams, will connect the city center with a new hospital and public campus. Specific costs and a construction timeline were not disclosed.

Category	Specification / Detail
Project	Samsun City Center – Kamu Kampüs Tram Line
Length / Stations	13.3 km / 16 stations
Rolling Stock	10 new trams to be procured
Integration Point	Kılıçdede station (connects to existing 33 km coastal line)
Key Stakeholders	Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure
Project Value	Not Disclosed

Operational & Technical Details

The new line is designed to serve the high-density districts of İlkadım and Canik. It will provide a direct public transport link from the city center to the new Central Hospital and the Kamu Kampüs (Public Campus). The line will integrate into the existing 33 km coastal tram network at Kılıçdede station. The project tender includes the purchase of 10 modern tram vehicles to operate on the new extension.

Market Impact Analysis

The Samsun tram project is a component of a larger national rail strategy aimed at enhancing Türkiye’s logistics capabilities. Minister Uraloğlu framed it within the context of the 293 km Ankara-Samsun high-speed line, currently under construction. This high-speed corridor is projected to carry 12 million passengers and 14 million tons of freight annually, cutting Ankara-Samsun travel to 2.5 hours. The Minister stated this corridor will connect the Port of Samsun (Black Sea) with the Port of Mersin (Mediterranean), creating a strategic freight route that reduces traffic on the Istanbul and Çanakkale straits. This positions Samsun as a key northern hub in Türkiye’s plan to become a “global logistics superpower.” A future 509 km Samsun-Sarp railway is also planned to further extend this network along the Black Sea coast.

FAQ: Quick Facts

What is the main value of this contract?

The financial value of the contract has not been publicly disclosed. The project scope includes a 13.3 km line, 16 stations, and the procurement of 10 trams.

When is the expected completion date?

A completion date has not been announced. The tender to select a contractor is scheduled for January.