Eastern Express serves over 12,000 travelers since December

ANKARA

Turkey’s Eastern Express has served more than 12,000 travelers since the service resumed in late December last year.

The Eastern Express runs 1,310 kilometers between Ankara and the eastern province of Kars, a journey that takes more than 30 hours.

The service is offered by Turkish Railways (TCDD). Each of the couchette cabins accommodates four people and the train’s dining car serves up to 52 people.

On its way, the Eastern Express travels through and makes stops at the Central Anatolian provinces of Kırıkkale, Kayseri and Sivas, as well as the eastern provinces of Erzincan and Erzurum.

It departs from the capital at around 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. from Kars each day.

The extremely popular service, which the TCDD said is among the top 10 best train routes, was forced to halt operations in March 2020 due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Eastern Express resumed operations in mid-December last year after a 21-month hiatus. Since then, the train has served 12,022 travelers.

It carried 111,400 passengers in 2021.