The train is travelling via Romania and Bulgaria and will pass through the new Bosphorus tunnel in Istanbul in order to gain access to the high-speed rail network in Turkey. The train was originally intended for operation in Germany but has now been switched to the Turkish contract to act as a test train ahead of delivery of the rest of the fleet.
TCDD ordered the seven 300km/h eight-car Velaro trains, which are based on the German Velaro-D model, from Siemens in July in a contract worth €285 million including maintenance. TCDD will use the trains between Ankara and Istanbul when the line has been extended from Eskisehir to Istanbul next year. These will be TCDD's first 300km/h trains.
Siemens has also sent a Vectron MS demonstrator locomotive along with the Velaro train to Turkey.
