Hacıkırı railway station

Hacıkırı railway station (Turkish: Hacıkırı istasyonu) is a railway station in the village of Kiralan, Adana in Turkey. The station is the southern entrance to the Çakıt Valley pass, where the railway traverses through 12 tunnels, the longest of them being 3.7 km (2.3 mi) long.[1] South of the station lies the well-known Varda Viaduct.

Varda Bridge next to Hacıkırı railway station

HACIKIRI
TCDD Taşımacılık intercity rail station
A southbound freight train passing a work train at Hacıkırı.
Location	Kiralan Köyü 01770 Karaisali, Adana Turkey
Coordinates	37.2522°N 34.9810°E / 37.2522; 34.9810
Owned by	Turkish State Railways
Operated by	TCDD Taşımacılık
Line(s)	Erciyes Express   Taurus Express
Platforms	1 island platform
Tracks	2
Construction
Structure type	At-grade
Parking	Yes
History
Opened	11 October 1918
Services
Preceding station   TCDD Taşımacılık   Following station Belemedik toward Kayseri Erciyes Express Karaisali Bucağı toward Adana Belemedik toward Konya Taurus Express

Hacıkırı station was originally constructed in 1912 by the Baghdad Railway and remained the northern terminus of the southern half of the railway (the northern half being across the Çakıt Valley). The station played an important role during World War I, where troops and material coming from the north would board trains at Hacıkırı, after traversing a 17 km (11 mi) gap in the railway. The tunnels between Hacıkırı and Belemedik were finally completed in September 1918 and the station officially opened on 9 October, 11 days before the Ottoman Empire capitulated.[2]

Hacıkırı station consists of an island platform serving two tracks, with three more tracks used as sidings.

TCDD Taşımacılık operates two daily intercity trains from Konya[3] and Kayseri[4] to Adana.