The first Europe-bound ex-China freight train traveling via Turkey’s Middle Corridor continued its historic journey after a stop at the Turkish capital of Ankara in the first week of November. Traveling over two continents and ten countries, the train crossed into Europe using Istanbul’s undersea tunnel, the Marmaray. Turkey, in line with its strategic location between continents and regions, supports the development of regional transportation projects. It is integrating its Middle Corridor initiative with China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

The Trans-Caspian East-West-Middle Corridor Initiative, known simply as the “Middle Corridor”, is the revival of the ancient Silk Road. It begins in Turkey and passes through the Caucasus nations of Georgia and Azerbaijan before crossing the Caspian Sea and traversing Central Asia and terminating in China. Creating a natural synergy with the Belt and Road Initiative, it aims to develop connectivity between the East and the West.

The Middle Corridor is Turkey’s vision of connecting with its civilizational roots in Central Asia. In that sense, pioneering a new trading route through the middle of Eurasia, integrating the Middle Corridor with the Belt and Road initiative is seen as a “win-win” for Turkey. 

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