![Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Adil Karaismailoglu attends a farewell ceremony of the first export train carrying export products to China which will travel 8,693 kilometers, at Kazlicesme Station in Istanbul, Turkey on 4 December 2020. [Muhammed Enes Yıldırım - Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/20201204_2_45692073_60323105.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
Turkey continues to cooperate with German manufacturer Siemens on high-speed train production, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoglu said, Anadolu Agency reported.
Turkey signed an agreement with Siemens in 2018 for the production of 12 high speed trains.
Karaismailoglu was quoted as saying: “When we start operating the 12 high-speed trains, we will increase the number of trains on our current lines.”
He also said that Turkey will organise express services with an increase in the number of trains.
Turkey aims to reduce the travel time for the Ankara-Istanbul and Konya-Istanbul services by 30 minutes and increase passenger numbers to 40,000, the minister said.
During the coronavirus pandemic, he explained, around 20 high-speed train journeys were made on weekdays and 12 on weekends in an effort to maintain social distancing.
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