Adapazarı-Serdivan tramway set to break ground this year

Adapazarı is moving closer to launching its first modern tramway, as tenders for the Adapazarı–Serdivan line are completed and municipal statements indicate that construction work is due to begin before the end of the year.

From long-term vision to concrete timelines

Plans for a rail-based urban transport link between Adapazarı and the neighboring district of Serdivan have been under discussion for several years, framed as a backbone corridor for Sakarya’s growing metropolitan area. Earlier steps focused on feasibility, route options and integration with existing rail services, including the Ada commuter services and intercity trains that connect the city to Istanbul.

According to publicly available information, Turkey’s infrastructure authorities advanced the project through an engineering and design tender that covered survey, project and consultancy services for the tramway alignment. That process has now been followed by a construction and systems tender, marking a shift from planning to implementation for the line.

Municipal announcements in 2025 and 2026 have repeatedly highlighted that the Adapazarı–Serdivan tramway is expected to start within this calendar year, positioning it among the most visible elements of Sakarya’s current transport investment program.

Key features of the Adapazarı–Serdivan route

Published coverage of the scheme describes an approximately 18 to 18.5 kilometer double-track alignment designed to run through some of the busiest corridors of the city. The line is planned to connect central Adapazarı with Serdivan, passing major residential districts, educational institutions and commercial areas that generate high daily travel demand.

The tramway is being promoted as an urban spine that will link with existing bus and metrobüs-style services, offering passengers more predictable journey times than road-based options that are affected by congestion. The route is expected to include a series of at-grade stops with level boarding, as well as priority signaling at intersections to support reliable operations.

Design documents point to an emphasis on accessibility, with low-floor vehicles and platforms intended to improve access for people with reduced mobility, parents with strollers and older residents, reflecting broader national trends in urban rail modernisation.

Tender progress and expected construction start

Rail industry reports indicate that the Adapazarı tramway reached a significant milestone when the General Directorate of Infrastructure Investments launched an open tender for the “Adapazarı–Serdivan Tramway Line Construction and Electromechanical Systems Supply, Installation and Commissioning” package in 2026. Details published through official channels show that bids were received and evaluated under Turkey’s public procurement framework.

Documentation from the country’s procurement oversight bodies confirms that the tender has been under review, including assessment of technical and financial criteria. This procedural phase is standard for large-scale infrastructure contracts and typically precedes the signing of a construction agreement and a formal groundbreaking event.

In parallel, Sakarya Metropolitan Municipality communications have described the tramway as a project that will begin “this year,” aligning with expectations that, once contractual procedures are concluded, preparatory works such as utility relocation, detailed site surveys and traffic management measures will be among the first visible activities on the ground.

Part of a wider reshaping of Sakarya’s rail network

The tramway initiative is emerging at a time when Adapazarı’s broader rail landscape is undergoing significant change. In mid 2026, local coverage highlighted the start of works to place existing heavy-rail tracks underground through central Adapazarı, a move expected to remove several level crossings and open up surface land for new public spaces and urban connections.

These heavy-rail modifications are intended to improve safety and reduce bottlenecks, while also creating a more coherent interface between intercity and regional rail services and future urban lines such as the tramway. Combined with ongoing investments in new national rolling stock produced in the region, Sakarya is positioning itself as both a rail manufacturing hub and a beneficiary of upgraded passenger infrastructure.

The city has additionally piloted a dedicated bus rapid transit or metrobüs corridor, which entered service in stages over the past few years. The tramway is expected to complement rather than replace these services, offering higher-capacity fixed rail along the most constrained segments and supporting a layered public transport network.

Implications for mobility and urban development

Once construction begins, the Adapazarı–Serdivan tramway is expected to have short-term impacts on traffic and access along its alignment, as sections of roadway are temporarily restricted to accommodate utility works, track laying and station construction. Municipal planning documents emphasize the need for phased works and alternative routing for buses and private vehicles during the build-out period.

In the medium and long term, urban planners anticipate that the tramway will change travel patterns by offering a more reliable option for cross-city trips, potentially reducing dependence on private cars and informal minibus services. Experience from other Turkish cities that have introduced modern tram systems suggests that such lines can encourage higher-density, mixed-use development around stops and corridors.

For residents of Adapazarı and Serdivan, the project’s promise is a more integrated, rail-focused transport network that ties together neighborhoods, commercial centers and educational campuses. With tenders in place and preliminary rail works already reshaping central Adapazarı, the planned start of tramway construction this year marks a pivotal moment in the city’s transition toward a more transit-oriented urban model.