Istanbul–Tehran–lslamabad railway
Istanbul–Tehran–lslamabad railway or (ITI Train) is an international freight train service between Islamabad, Pakistan and Istanbul, Turkey via Tehran, Iran. The train was launched on 14 August 2009 on trial basis. It is an important project of Economic Cooperation Organization.[1]
The train connecting Islamabad, Tehran and Istanbul by covering 6,500 kilometer or 4,040 mile in 15 days. There is a break-of-gauge between Iran Railways, Standard gauge and Pakistan Railways, 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge at Zahedan. A container terminal is proposed in Zahedan for transshipment of containers from Standard gauge to Broad gauge. A passenger train service is also under consideration on this route, The main obstacle in project is the poor railway infrastructure between Quetta and Taftan in Pakistan.[2]
The 10th edition of the joint meetup of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) held in Istanbul national railways of Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan have mutually agreed to resume regular operations after a meeting Turkey’s Transport Minister, Adil Karaismailoğlu, informed all requirements for the railway triad have been fulfilled, The train is expected to resume operations in 2021.[3][4][5]
References
- Pakistan-Turkey rail trial starts, Published in BBC NEWS. Retrieved on 11 July 2012
- Passenger train between Islamabad-Istanbul via Tehran on cards, Published in Pakistan Times. Retrieved on 11 July 2012
- "The Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad Railway Project to be Launched Next Year". propakistani. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
- "Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad Railway to Resume Operations in 2021". Business Recorder. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
- "Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad (ITI) train to resume operations soon". Global Village Space. Retrieved 19 December 2020.