First train on Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul railway arrives in Turkey

A freight train coming from Islamabad, Pakistan to test a new 6,500-kilometer railway between Turkey, Iran and Pakistan arrived in the eastern Anatolia province of Van yesterday. The railway line, which was recently constructed between Islamabad, Tehran and Istanbul, aims at connecting members of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) to each other. The first freight train that traveled on the line left Pakistan on August 14 for Tehran, Iran before proceeding to Turkey. A number of Turkish, Iranian and Pakistani railway officials were on board for its arrival in Van. Commenting on the train's arrival, Turkish State Railways (TCDD) official Muhammed Atilcan said that the new line would connect Pakistan to Europe via Iran and Turkey. Atilcan also touted the speed of the train journey from Islamabad to Istanbul, which took some 13 days, compared to sea journeys from European countries to Pakistan, which take 40-45 days. The Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul railway project aims at initially boosting economic cooperation among Pakistan, Iran and Turkey and later with other ECO member countries.