Test runs begin for Istanbul's Marmaray Project

Test runs for the Marmaray tube project, which will connect Istanbul’s Asian and European sides via an undersea commuter train line, took place on Sunday with a ceremony in Istanbul with the participation of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Transportation, Maritime Affairs and Communications Minister Binali Yildirim. As part of the first test run, Erdogan and Yildirim were among the first passengers who travelled along the Marmaray tube tunnel. Speaking before the test run, Erdogan said the crossing time between the European and Asian sides of Istanbul will be just two minutes thanks to the project. “This project is not the project of the century, but it is the project of centuries. Above-ground works as part of the project will last for a month and a half. We, as the government, have made a 150-year dream a reality. We don't only make promises, we also achieve them. We solve the transportation problems across Turkey with numerous underground projects. We will inaugurate the high-speed train [YHT] route between the provinces of Eskisehir and Istanbul on October 29,” Erdogan said.