Railways become new mode of alternative transport in Safranbolu

KARABÜK

With a train ride that takes just about an hour, visitors to the province of Karabük’s Safranbolu district, one of the important cultural tourism centers in northern Turkey, will also be able to visit the Yenice district, which is home to the country’s largest block forests, called the “forest sea,” as well as nature parks, waterfalls, lakes, plateaus, canyons and camping areas.

The railway transportation is targeted to become the new transportation alternative of Safranbolu, which is home to 1,400 out of the 50,000 cultural assets that need to be preserved in Turkey, hosting hundreds of thousands of tourists every year as it turned into a “museum city.”

Safranbolu is on the UNESCO World Heritage List with its inns, baths, mosques, fountains, bridges and three-story traditional mansions built in the 18th, 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. Now an alternative tourism work has been started during the normalization process.

Within the scope of the efforts carried out under the leadership of the Safranbolu Tourism Operators Association, visitors will be able to go to the canyons and camping areas, as well as the largest block forests, which is shown as one of the 100 hot spots that need urgent protection in the world, natural parks, waterfalls, lakes and plateaus in Yenice by train.

Tourists who come to Safranbolu, which is called the “fingerprint of the Ottoman,” to visit the cobblestone streets and museums, will also be able to travel to Yenice by train operated by the Turkish State Railways (TCDD) from the city center and witness the beauty of plant and tree species unique to the region.

They will also be able to visit the Ihlamur Terrace and Şeker Canyon, which offer the opportunity to taste local dishes, stay in bungalow houses, have fun in the adventure park and indulge in sports activities on the hiking trails.

[HH] Ancient city of Hadrianaupolis

Within the scope of the alternative tourism work supported by Safranbolu Municipality, tourists will also be taken to the Eskipazar district’s ancient city of Hadrianaupolis, which is known as the “Zeugma of the Black Sea” due to the mosaics estimated to have been used by settlements during the Late Chalcolithic, Roman and Early Byzantine periods.

Speaking to the state-run Anadolu Agency, Ercan Güner, the chairman of the Union of Turkish Travel Agencies’ (TÜRSAB) Western Black Sea Region Representation Board, said that they were working to create alternatives to increase the number of overnight stays in Safranbolu.

Güner stated that Yenice, which is right next to the historical area, should be evaluated in this regard. “We made some works for tourists to see the forests and hiking trails in Yenice district. We got to know the region together with the travel agencies, and we will present them to our guests. When they come here, they will be able to experience a train ride. They will come to Karabük center from Yenice with a train journey of 1 hour and 20 minutes. They will be able to go hiking in Şeker Canyon and then visit the ancient city of Hadrianaupolis in Eskipazar to observe the historical texture there.”

Şebnem Urgancıoğlu Ergüder, the president of Safranbolu Tourism Operators Association, stated that they were working to diversify Safranbolu tourism.

Stating that they received support from TÜRSAB and determined alternative spots, Ergüder said: “Travelling by train has become one of the most preferred options in recent years. By increasing the number of overnight stays, we will increase our market share. In the new normal, nature is preferred a little more. Safranbolu is truly unique.”