TCDD's debt is growing exponentially!

The debt of the Republic of Türkiye State Railways (TCDD) to the Treasury has reached the highest level in the institution's history as of 2025. The financial statement of TCDD, which was divided into two separate structures with a law enacted in 2016, has revealed a debt burden that has rapidly worsened over the years.

According to a report by Birgün, the Treasury debt, which was at the level of 1.6 billion TL in 2016 when the division took place, reached the 6 billion TL threshold for the first time as of December 31, 2025. Thus, the institution's debt has nearly quadrupled over a period of approximately nine years.

Within the scope of the “Law No. 6461 on the Liberalization of Turkish Railway Transportation,” which was adopted on May 1, 2013, TCDD Transportation Inc. began operations on June 14, 2016. While the opposition argued that this step was taken to pave the way for privatization, the institution's financial structure has come to the agenda with its increasing debt burden over the years.

BORROWING SPEED DREW ATTENTION

According to the data of the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, TCDD closed the year 2024 with a Treasury debt of 4 billion 733 million TL. By the end of 2025, this figure rose to 5 billion 943 million 693 thousand TL. The increase of approximately 1.2 billion TL in just one year has made the institution's borrowing speed a subject of debate once again.

DEBT TABLE BY YEARS

The increase in TCDD's Treasury debt also reveals a steady rise spread over the years. According to official records, the debt distribution in some years is as follows:

• 2016: 1 billion 600 million TL
• 2018: 2 billion 386 million TL
• 2020: 3 billion 369 million TL
• 2024: 4 billion 733 million TL
• 2025: 5 billion 943 million TL

News Source: 12punto