New touristic eastern trains set for departure in April

ANKARA

As the beloved Touristic Eastern Express continues to captivate travelers and culture enthusiasts, anticipation builds for two exciting alternative routes to Türkiye’s southeast set to debut in April, offering immersive experiences to explore more of the country’s rich landscapes.

New tourist trains consisting of dining and sleeper wagons are preparing to start operating bilaterally from the capital Ankara to Diyarbakır and Ankara to Tatvan, a district in Bitlis province. The routes will offer an alternative to the Eastern Express, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced.

"The Ankara-Kars line, which was put into service in the winter season, was in great demand and travel enthusiasts were demanding that touristic trains be put into service on different routes in the same way. We responded to these demands with these two trains," Uraloğlu said.

Covering an expansive network of tracks, the alternative route will traverse through the rugged terrain of the Anatolian plateau during spring and summer, making stops at picturesque destinations along the route.

According to Uraloğlu, the Ankara-Diyarbakır touristic train, which will be operated on a 1,051-kilometer track will depart from the capital Ankara on April 19.

While the Ankara-Diyarbakır service will stop in Malatya for three hours, the Diyarbakır-Ankara service will stop in Yolçatı, Elazığ for four hours and Kayseri for three hours, allowing travellers to discover the historical and natural beauties of Anatolia.

The touristic train which will be operated on the 1,262-kilometer Ankara-Tatvan route, will start its services from Ankara on April 17, making a four-hour stop in Elazığ.

Furthermore, the train heading back to the capital will make a seven-hour stop in different parts of Elazığ, and a three-hour stop in Kayseri.

Uraloğlu also shared the ticket prices for a place in the 180-people capacity trains that each consist of nine sleepers and one dining car.

A sleeper cabin room for two people on the Ankara-Diyarbakır route is 9,000 Turkish Liras ($286), and 8,000 liras on the Diyarbakır-Ankara route. Meanwhile, the price of the sleeper cabin, where two people can travel on the Ankara-Tatvan track, is 9,900 liras, and 9,000 liras on the Tatvan-Ankara track.

The new touristic trains which will operate until mid-June are expected to match the popularity of the Ankara-Kars Touristic Eastern Express. Among the top 10 routes in Europe, the Ankara-Kars route is one of the most sought-after cultural tourism routes.

Due to the high demand, people often buy their tickets months in advance through tour operators to enjoy the experience the passenger train offers.