Train travel within Turkey . . .

An excellent way to travel in Turkey!

Guidebooks often say that Turkey has a good bus network and that 'buses are faster than trains'.  But do you really want to spend 12 hours in a bus?  When you can travel on a comfortable air-conditioned train, with a bed to sleep in in your own room, a restaurant for your meals and space to move around, through fantastic scenery, unspoilt by roadside development?

Train travel in Turkey can be a wonderful experience, with the best trains now modern and air-conditioned.  Sensible travellers will use a train for long distances (for example, Istanbul to Konya, Ankara, Kars or Pamukkale) then a short bus trip where necessary to reach places off the rail network, for example Antalya or Gorëme.

The rail network was mostly built by the Germans, and the joke goes that the Turks paid them by the mile, hence the twisting and curvaceous nature of Turkish railways!  However, the best air-conditioned Istanbul-Ankara trains now travel at up to 95mph and take just 5 hours after major improvements.  The first section of a brand-new high-speed line from Istanbul to Ankara opened in March 2009, and journey time will be reduced to just 3 hours by 2010, beating both buses & flights.  Overnight trains with sleeping-cars, some now air-conditioned, provide a comfortable, romantic and time-effective way to travel between major cities.

Train routes, times & fares within Turkey...

There is an excellent train route map at Turkeytravelplanner.com, or see the map above.  There are no trains to Antalya, Marmaris, Bodrum, Alanya, nor to Gorëme in Cappadocia, so use a combination of train+bus to reach these places.  Here are train times and fares for key routes:

Istanbul - Ankara  New high-speed service		Ankara - Istanbul
Istanbul - Konya - Adana		Ankara - Izmir
Istanbul - Denizli (Pamukkale)		Ankara - Adana
Istanbul - Gorëme (Cappadocia)		Ankara - Konya (line under construction, opening 2007/8)
Istanbul - Antalya, Marmaris, Fethiye, Bodrum		Ankara - Erzurum, Kars, Eastern Turkey
Istanbul - Izmir		Izmir - Selçuk (Ephesus) - Denizli (Pamukkale)
Istanbul - Edirne
Istanbul - Bursa
Istanbul - Erzurum, Kars, Eastern Turkey

You can check train times & fares at the Turkish Railways (TCDD) website, www.tcdd.gov.tr.

International train travel from Turkey...

Istanbul - Bucharest, Budapest, Vienna, Paris & London

Istanbul - Sofia & Belgrade

Istanbul - Thessaloniki & Athens by train

Turkey to Greece by ferry

Istanbul - Aleppo & Damascus  (Syria page)

Istanbul - Tabriz & Tehran  (Iran page)

Istanbul - Ukraine, Cyprus, Iraq, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan

Istanbul - Cyprus

How to buy tickets at the station...

It's easy to buy tickets at the station when you get to Turkey.  Most major stations have a computerised ticketing & reservation system, so can book any journey in Turkey.  It's not usually difficult to get seats or berths on the day of travel or a day or two before, although occasionally sleepers can get full.  Alternatively, you can buy tickets in advance either online or via a TCDD-authorised agency as shown below.

Above:  Tur-ISTA Travel in Istanbul can arrange your train tickets by email.

How to buy tickets online  (How to use the TCDD website):

The Turkish Railways (TCDD) website has an online booking facility, now available in English.  If the English version plays up, it really isn't difficult to book using the Turkish version with minimal knowledge of Turkish using the step-by-step instructions below.  The system will book most long distance trains within Turkey (but not international trains), including seats, couchettes & sleepers.  You print out your reservation details and pick up the tickets at the station in Turkey.  Online reservations for Turkish trains open 14 days before departure, you cannot book online further in advance than this.

How to buy tickets from outside Turkey, via an agency...

If buying tickets online proves difficult, you can book your Turkish train tickets in advance by emailing (or calling) one of these authorised travel agencies in Istanbul:

Tur-ISTA Tourism Travel Agency, Divan Yolu Caddesi No. 16/B, 34410 Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey. Telephone +90 (212) 527 7085 or 513 7119.  Fax +90 (212) 519 3792.  E-mail erdemir@tur-ista.com.  I can personally recommend their service.  They are near the Sultanahmet tram stop, a short way from the Blue Mosque.

Viking Turizm, Mete Caddesi No. 24, Taksim, Istanbul, Turkey.  Telephone +90 (212) 334 2600.  Fax +90 (212) 334 2660.  E-mail info@vikingturizm.com.tr.

If you book with one of these agencies, you will need to pick up your tickets at their offices in Istanbul.  They can't book International trains from Turkey in their capacity as official TCDD agents, but they may be willing to buy tickets for international trains on your behalf as a private transaction, for a booking fee.

	Above:  Haydarpasa station, seen from the deck of an approaching Bosphorus ferry... Photo courtesy of Stuart Baker

Haydarpaşa station...

Trains for Asian destinations leave from Haydarpaşa Station (pictured right), a ferry ride across the Bosphorus from Sirkeci Station where the European trains arrive.  Ferries sail to Haydarpaşa station every 10-30 minutes from the Karaköy ferry terminal next to the Galata Bridge on the European side of Istanbul.  The fare is 1 YTL.  The Haydarpaşa ferry terminal is right in front of the station.  Haydarpaşa station was built in 1908, a gift from the German Kaiser to the Ottoman Sultan, and named after one of the Sultan's generals.  It may be closed in 2009 or 2010, when a new rail tunnel under the Bosphorus is supposed to open, allowing both suburban and long-distance trains to run through from Asian Turkey to the European side of Istanbul.  Map of Istanbul.

What are Turkish trains like?

Trains in Turkey have several types of accommodation to choose from:

• Pullman seats.  1st class reclining seat in a carpeted open-plan saloon.

• 1st class ordinary seats, usually in 6-seat compartments.

• 2nd class seats, usually in 8-seat compartments.

• Sleeping-cars ('yatakli wagon' in Turkish).  Private 1- and 2-bed rooms with washbasin.

• Couchettes ('kuşet' in Turkish).  Shared 4-bunk compartments (6-berth on some routes).

Modern Turkish trains...

The best Turkish trains now use modern air-conditioned 'TVS2000' coaches like these, which are excellent and as good as anything in western Europe.  TVS2000 trains run from Istanbul to Ankara, Istanbul to Denizli/Pamukkale, Ankara to Izmir, Ankara to Adana, and Ankara to Erzurum & Kars.  Restaurant cars serve very cheap full meals.  A 3-course meal and a half-bottle of wine cost only about TL11 (£5 or $8).  Treat yourself!  Brand-new 250 km/h high-speed trains are also now operating on the Istanbul-Ankara route, see photos here.

Above:  Air-conditioned TVS2000 pullman cars on an Istanbul - Ankara express...		...Treat yourself to a meal and some wine in the elegant TVS2000 restaurant car.  ...		Above:  Comfortable 1st class reclining Pullman seats in a TVS2000 car.

Modern Turkish sleeping-cars...

The best overnight trains in Turkey use modern air-conditioned TVS2000 sleeping-cars and there's usually a TVS2000 restaurant car too.  Sleeper compartments have beds and a washbasin, soap and towels provided.  There is a shower at the end of the corridor.  Compartments convert from a bedroom at night to a private sitting room with armchairs and small table for the daytime part of a journey.  Trains with TVS2000 sleeping-cars include the Ankara Express from Istanbul to Ankara, the Pamukkale Express from Istanbul to Denizli, the Meram Express from Istanbul to Konya, the night trains from Ankara to Izmir, the Curacova Express from Ankara to Adana, and the Erzurum Express from Ankara to Erzurum & Kars.  Travelling in these sleepers is like staying in a good hotel, a great way to travel that saves on hotel bills, too.

Light and airy - a TVS2000 sleeping-car corridor, just like a hotel corridor...		2-berth sleeper in daytime mode, beds folded away. More sleeper photos		2-berth sleeper compartment in night-time mode, with upper and lower berths folded out.  There is a washbasin in the corner.
Left and far right sleeper photos courtesy of Shigeki Murao, Japan

Older sleeping-cars... Older sleeping-cars are still used on a few long-distance trains to Eastern Turkey.  The older sleepers are still very comfortable, with 1- and 2-bed compartments with washbasin.  They convert from bedrooms at night to private sitting rooms for the daytime parts of a journey.
Above:  An older sleeping-car.  The right-hand photo shows a comfortable, carpeted 2-berth sleeper in daytime mode, with beds folded away, seats folded out to form a private sitting room.

Turkish couchette cars...

Couchettes are basic padded bunks, with 4 bunks per compartment.  Couchettes convert to ordinary seating compartments for the daytime part of a journey.  On some trains, couchettes are provided without bedding, but on other trains there are 'covered couchettes' (örtülü kuşet), with sheet, blanket and pillow supplied.  The best overnight trains such as the Istanbul-Ankara, Istanbul-Konya and Ankara-Izmir trains now have modern air-conditioned TVS2000 couchette cars like the one below.  Older trains may have the old type, shown further below.

Above:  TVS2000 air-conditioned 4-berth couchettes.  This compartment is shown in daytime position, with berths folded against the wall.

Above:  An older Turkish couchette compartment, as used on some trains to Eastern Turkey.  It is shown in daytime mode (above left) and night-time mode, with bunks folded out (above right)....

For more information, the train travel section of www.turkeytravelplanner.com is highly recommended.

Sponsored links:

The first section of Istanbul-Ankara high-speed line is now open...

The first section of the Istanbul-Ankara high-speed line opened in March 2009, and conventional trains from Istanbul to Eskişehir (with modern air-conditioned TVS2000 pullman seats) now connect with brand-new 250 km/h high-speed trains (YHT or Yüksek Hızlı Treni in Turkish) for the remainder of the journey from Eskişehir to Ankara (see the services marked 'A' in the timetable below - One remaining conventional train with TVS2000 pullman seats runs direct and is marked 'B').  The rest of the high-speed line is due to be completed by 2010 (or on current performance, maybe a bit later!), with direct 250 km/h Istanbul-Ankara trains taking just 3 hours.  Photos showing what the the new Turkish high-speed trains are like.

Or take the overnight sleeper...

 The best overnight train is the Ankara Express (marked 'sleeper' in the timetable below), a rolling hotel with modern air-conditioned TVS2000 sleeping-cars and a TVS2000 restaurant car for breakfast, see the sleeper photos above.  Other night trains have seats and couchettes.

Istanbul ► Ankara
Notes:	A	A	A	A	cc	sleeper	cc
Istanbul (Haydarpaşa) depart:	07:10	11:00	14:00	17:50	22:00	22:30	23:30
Eskişehir arrive:	10:56	14:54	17:56	21:38	|	|	|
Eskişehir depart:	11:10	15:10	18:10	21:52	|	|	|
Ankara arrive:	12:38	16:39	19:39	23:20	07:12	08:04	07:20

Ankara ► Istanbul
Notes:	A	A	A	A	cc	sleeper	cc
Ankara depart:	07:00	11:10	15:00	18:00	22:00	22:30	23:30
Eskişehir arrive:	08:27	12:39	16:29	19:27	|	|	|
Eskişehir depart:	08:42	12:55	16:45	19:44	|	|	|
Istanbul (Haydarpaşa) arrive:	12:32	16:50	20:42	23:38	07:15	08:00	07:30

A more frequent timetable is due to be introduced in September 2009 after more high-speed trains are delivered.  The timetable above is the current (pre-September) one.

A = Brand-new 250 km/h high-speed train (Yüksek Hızlı Treni or 'YHT') between Eskişehir and Ankara, connecting conventional train with TVS2000 Pullman seats between Istanbul & Eskişehir.

cc = overnight train with modern TVS2000 air-conditioned 4-berth couchettes & TVS2000 reclining pullman seats.

sleeper = Ankara Express.  Excellent modern TVS2000 sleeping-cars (1- & 2-bed rooms) & TVS2000 restaurant car.

Trains leave from Haydarpaşa station in Istanbul, on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. 

Ankara station is in central Ankara, unlike the long-distance bus terminal or airport, which are 2-3 miles outside the city.

How to buy tickets

Fares
By daytime high-speed train...		By overnight train...
Economy class	Business class	Air-con couchette (4-berth)	Air-con sleeper - sharing 2-bed room	Air-con sleeper - single-bed room
TL 40 (£17, $27)	TL 50 (£21, $33)	TL 35 (£15, $23)	TL 60 (£25, $40)	TL 85 (£35, $57)

These fares are one-way per person.  Return tickets cost 20% less than two one-way fares.  You can check train times and fares at www.tcdd.gov.tr, which now has some English pages.  Also see www.turkeytravelplanner.com.  Buy your ticket at the ticket office in Istanbul or use one of the travel agencies in Istanbul recommended above.

Easily the best way to travel between Istanbul and the historic city of Konya is the daily overnight 'Meram Express', with sleeping-car and restaurant car, a wonderful way to travel.  There's also the Içanadolou Mavi Train (shown as 'Mavi' below) also with an air-conditioned sleeping-car & restaurant.  Westbound, the Içanadolou Mavi Tren can arrive in Konya from Adana running late, so the Meram Express is the better choice.  TVS2000 cars are modern, sound-proofed and smooth-riding, see the photos above.

Istanbul ► Konya ► Adana				Adana ► Konya ► Istanbul
	Daily	Daily			Daily	Daily
	Meram	Mavi			Meram	Mavi
Istanbul (Haydarpaşa) depart:	19:20	23:50		Adana depart:	-	14:10
Konya arrive:	08:21	12:30		Karaman depart:	-	19:35
Karaman arrive:	-	13:57		Konya depart:	17:50	21:15
Adana arrive:	-	18:35		Istanbul (Haydarpaşa) arrive:	06:30	09:09

Meram = Meram Express, air-conditioned TVS2000 sleeping-car (1- & 2-bed rooms with washbasin), TVS2000 couchette car (4-berth compartments), TVS2000 pullman reclining seats cars.

Mavi = Içanadolou Mavi Tren:  TVS2000 sleeping-car (1 & 2 bed rooms with washbasin), TVS2000 pullman reclining seats & a TVS2000 restaurant car, although no couchettes.  Note this train may be temporarily cancelled (or at least re-timed) in summer/autumn 2008, due to construction of the new Istanbul-Ankara high speed line, so please double-check locally.

These trains are now running normally again from 13 February 2009 after engineering work affected them in late 2008 & early 2009... 

An alternative:  You could also take the 10:00 morning train from Istanbul to Ankara then the overnight Cukurova Mavi train Ankara-Adana.

How to buy tickets

Fares
	Reclining pullman seat	Couchette in 4-berth	Sleeper - sharing 2-bed room	Sleeper - single-bed room
Istanbul-Konya	TL 28 (£12 or $19)	TL 38 (£16 or $25)	TL 61 (£25 or $41)	TL 78 (£32 or $52)
Istanbul-Adana	TL 40 (£17 or $27)	-	TL 73 (£30 or $49)	TL 90 (£38 or $60)

All fares one-way per person.  Return tickets cost 20% less than the cost of two one-way fares.  You can check times and fares at www.tcdd.gov.tr.

Above:  A private 1 or 2 bed sleeper, in daytime mode with beds folded away.  Photo courtesy of Heather Williams.		Above:  The same compartment, looking towards the door to the corridor.  Photo courtesy of Heather Williams.

It's easy to travel by train from Istanbul to Denizli for the magnificent natural spa at Pamukkale.  The 'Pamukkale Express' links Istanbul and Denizli overnight, with an air-conditioned TVS2000 sleeping-car with comfortable 1- & 2-bed rooms with washbasin, a modern TVS2000 couchette car with 4-berth compartments, TVS2000 pullman reclining seats cars, and an elegant TVS2000 restaurant car.  This train was re-equipped with ultra-modern, fully-air-conditioned, soundproofed and smooth-riding TVS2000 cars in 2005, see the photos above.

Istanbul ► Denizli (Pamukkale)			Denizli ►Istanbul
	Daily *			Daily *
Istanbul (Haydarpaşa station) depart	17:35		Denizli (for Pamukkale) depart	17:00
Denizli (for Pamukkale) arrive	08:20		Istanbul (Haydarpaşa station) arrive	08:34

* Train cancelled, probably until the end of 2009:  Engineering work that affected this train in late 2008 & early 2009 is reported as finished, but unfortunately this train is still not running.  Please check locally, but it may not run until the end of the year (2009).

How to buy tickets

Fares
Air-con reclining pullman seat	Air-con couchette in 4-berth	Air-con sleeper - sharing 2-bed room	Air-con sleeper - single-bed room
TL 28 (£12 or $19)	TL 38 (£16 or $25)	TL 61 (£25 or $41)	TL 78 (£33 or $52)

All fares one-way per person.  Return tickets cost 20% less than the cost of two one-way fares.

There are direct buses from Istanbul to Antalya, Marmaris and the Mediterranean coast, but this is a nightmarishly long bus journey, especially if done overnight slumped in a cramped bus seat.  A much better, more civilised way is to take the comfortable air-conditioned 'Pamukkale Express' overnight from Istanbul to Denizli with reclining seats, couchettes (6-bunk), a modern sleeping-car (1- and 2-bed rooms) and a restaurant car for your dinner and breakfast.  Then take a bus from Denizli the last bit to Antalya, Marmaris, Bodrum or Fethiye.  See above for train times & fares for the Pamukkale Express.  Buses run every few hours from Denizli to Antalya, taking a few hours, and buses also run from Denizli to Marmaris, Fethiye and Bodrum.

Cappadocia is an incredible land of strange rock formations and cave dwellings that should not be missed.  Taking the sleeper train from Istanbul to Ankara or Konya then a relatively short bus ride to Gorëme in Cappadocia is a great way to get there, avoiding a nightmare 12+ hour bus journey all the way from Istanbul.  It lets you sleep in a comfortable sleeper on the train, with breakfast in the restaurant car, before taking a bus ride for the last bit.  Alternatively, for a really short bus section, take the train to Kayseri just 70 km from Gorëme and take a bus from there.

Option 1:  Take a train from Istanbul (Haydarpasa station) to Ankara as shown above.  Take the metro from the station to Ankara's long-distance bus terminal, located a couple of miles out of the city centre.  Buses run from Ankara to Gorëme or Nevsehir in Cappadocia every hour or two throughout the day, taking about 4.5 hours.

Option 2:  Take the overnight 'Meram Express' from Istanbul to Konya as as shown above.  Konya, home of the whirling dervishes, is well worth a stop in itself.  Buses run several times a day from Konya to Gorëme, taking about 5 hours.

Option 3:  Take a sleeper train from Istanbul to Kayseri as as shown below.  Kayseri is only 70 km from Gorëme, so this is the shortest bus journey (maybe 1.5 hours) though a longer overall trip.

By ferry+train via the Sea of Marmara...

An enjoyable year-round way from Istanbul to Izmir is across the Sea of Marmara to Bandirma by fast ferry, then on the connecting air-conditioned '6 Eylül Express' to Izmir.  Much nicer than 9 hours stuck in a bus!  The service runs daily.

Istanbul ► Izmir			Izmir ► Istanbul
By SeaCat fast ferry:			By '6 Eylül Express' train:
Istanbul (Yenikapi ferry terminal) depart:	07:00		Izmir (Basmane station) depart *	09:30
Bandirma arrive:	09:00		Balikesir depart:	13:14
By connecting '6 Eylül Express' train:			Bandirma arrive:	14:51
Bandirma depart:	09:45		By connecting SeaCat fast ferry:
Balikesir arrive:	11:23		Bandirma depart:	15:30
Izmir (Basmane station) arrive *	15:50		Istanbul (Yenikapi ferry terminal) arrive:	17:30

The ferry is a fast SeaCat run by the IDO ferry company.  See www.ido.com.tr to check ferry times and fares (the ferry terminal in Istanbul is called 'Yenikapi').  The Marmara Express has modern air-conditioned TVS2000 reclining pullman seats & restaurant car.

Fares:  Izmir to Bandirma in a pullman seat is YTL 15.  A combined ferry & train fare from Istanbul to Izmir is YTL 32 (about £13 or $22)

* Important:  Due to the final stages of upgrading this rail route, the Marmara Express may be replaced by a bus between Çiğli (30 minutes north of Izmir) and Izmir.

Traveller's report:  Ryan White travelled in 2008. "I went Istanbul to Izmir & back with the ferry+train and it was great.  The train and ferry were both very comfortable and on time.  Because of engineering works on the line, the train does not go all the way to Izmir Basmane Station at the moment, but to Çiğli where you need to switch to a bus to Basmane.  They make it really easy for you, at Çiğli the bus is waiting for all the train passengers outside the station.  In Izmir, note that the bus arrives at (and northbound, departs from) Basmane railway station and not the bus station.  The bus ride is probably about 30 minutes but I think its duration is included on the departure-arrival time printed on the ticket.  So a traveller can count on leaving Izmir and arriving in Istanbul at the time printed on his train ticket.  The bus ride is included in the train fare.  One way Izmir to Istanbul or visa versa was about 30 YTL ($20 dollars).

By train all the way via Eskişehir...

Southbound, take the 13:30 'Bogazici Express' (reclining pullman seats and restaurant car) from Istanbul Haydarpasa station to Eskişehir, arriving 18:45.  Depart Eskişehir at 21:20 on the 'Mavi Tren' (seats and sleeping-cars with restaurant car) overnight to Izmir (Basmane station), arriving at 07:52.  Both trains can be reserved in Istanbul at Haydarpaşa station.

Northbound, the 18:55 from Izmir has seats and couchettes arriving Eskişehir at 06:44, or the 18:15 Mavi Tren has seats and sleeping-cars arriving Eskişehir at 05:04.  The 11:40 from Eskişehir (1st class only with restaurant car) arrives back in Istanbul at 16:45.

Istanbul to Izmir by direct ferry...

There used to be a cruise ferry from Istanbul to Izmir, run by Deniz Lines.  As of April 2008 this now sails from Istanbul to Bodrum, no longer serving Izmir.

Two trains a day links Istanbul's Sirkeci station with the historic city of Edirne.

Istanbul ► Edirne				Edirne ►Istanbul
Note:	A	B		Note:	A	B
Istanbul (Sirkeci station) depart	15:50	22:00		Edirne depart	07:43	04:00
Edirne arrive	21:16	02:34		Istanbul (Sirkeci station) arrive	12:53	08:24

Note A:  Daily train with 1st and 2nd class.  Quite a comfortable train with modernised coaches, seats in compartments.

Note B:  International train 'Bosphor' (to/from Bucharest) and 'Balkan Express' (to/from Sofia & Belgrade).  Only 2nd class seats for local passengers.

There are direct fast ferries to Bursa from Istanbul's Yenikapi ferry terminal.  Departures from both Istanbul and Bursa are at 07:30, 10:30, 14:30, 17:30, 20:30 (also 23:30 on Fridays & Sundays).  Journey time 1 hour 20 minutes.  See www.ido.com.tr to check ferry times and fares (the ferry terminal in Istanbul is called 'Yenikapi').

Modern trains link Ankara with Izmir overnight, with comfortable sleepers - see the TVS2000 sleeper photos.

Ankara ►Izmir					Izmir ►Ankara
Note:	A	B	C		Note:	A	B	C
Ankara depart	18:10	19:10	20:00		Izmir (Basmane station) depart	18:15	18:55	20:00
Izmir (Basmane station) arrive	07:52	10:12	09:06		Ankara arrive	08:20	10:33	09:25

A = Izmir Mavi Tren.  Sleeping-car (1- & 2-bed compartments), reclining pullman seats, restaurant car.  This train uses modern air-conditioned TVS2000 cars - see the TVS2000 sleeper photos & TVS2000 restaurant car  & pullman seat photos.

B = 1st & 2nd class seats, couchettes (4-bunk), restaurant car.

C = 9 Eylül Express.  Sleeping-cars (1- & 2-bed compartments), reclining pullman seats & restaurant car.  This train uses modern air-conditioned TVS2000 cars, see the TVS2000 sleeper photos & TVS2000 restaurant car  & pullman seat photos.

You can check times and fares at www.tcdd.gov.tr - some pages are now in English, but www.turkeytravelplanner.com will help you understand the Turkish parts.

How to buy tickets

Fares
Air-con reclining pullman seat	Air-con couchette in 4-berth	Air-con sleeper - sharing 2-bed sleeper	Air-con sleeper - single-bed sleeper
TL 27 (£11 or $18)	TL 35 (£15 or $23)	TL 60 (£25 or $40)	TL 80 (£33 or $53)

All fares one-way per person.  Return tickets cost 20% less than the cost of two one-way fares.

The daily 'Cukurova Mavi Tren' has a modern air-conditioned sleeping-car with 1 & 2-bed compartments, reclining pullman seats and a restaurant car.  These are all ultra-modern, fully-air-conditioned, soundproofed and smooth-riding TVS2000 cars, see the TVS2000 sleeper photos & TVS2000 restaurant car  & pullman seat photos.  How to buy tickets.

Ankara ►Adana			Adana ►Ankara
	Daily			Daily
Ankara depart:	20:15		Adana   depart:	19:30
Adana  arrive:	08:05		Ankara  arrive	08:05

Fares
Air-con reclining pullman seat	Air-con sleeper - sharing 2-bed sleeper	Air-con sleeper - single-bed sleeper
TL 22 (£9 or $15)	TL 55 (£23 or $37)	TL 72 (£30 or $48)

All fares one-way per person.  Return tickets cost 20% less than the cost of two one-way fares.

It's a long way to eastern Turkey - but the trains have sleeping-cars, couchettes, and a restaurant car for a comfortable and wonderfully scenic journey, making the train far more comfortable, civilised and enjoyable than a long-distance bus.

Istanbul ► Eastern Turkey
	Note:	A	B	C	D	E	F	F
Istanbul (Haydarpaşa)	depart	08:35	17:50	17:50	22:55	*	*	*
Ankara	depart	18:08	03:50	03:50	07:40	15:25	19:55	19:55
Kayseri	arr/dep	01:30	11:50	11:50	14:57	22:17	02:47	02:47
Sivas	arr/dep	05:45	16:15	16:15	18:50	02:30	07:00	07:00
Erzurum	arr/dep	17:20	|	|	|	12:44	|	|
Kars	arrive	22:00	|	|	|	17:50	|	|
Diyarbakir	arr/dep		04:10	|	|		|	17:20
Kurtalan	arrive		07:51	|	|		|
Elazig	arr/dep			02:30	03:55		14:29
Tatvan	arrive			11:56	11:32

* = for connection to/from Istanbul by high-speed train, see the Istanbul-Ankara section.

A = Dogu Express.  Daily.  Sleeping-car (1 & 2-bed rooms, now a modern air-conditioned TVS2000  type), couchettes (4-berth TVS2000), TVS2000 pullman seats + restaurant car.   See the TVS2000 sleeper photos, TVS2000 couchette photos & TVS2000 restaurant car  & pullman seat photos.  Also see the traveller's report below.  U-Tube video of a ride from Istanbul to Kars on the Dogu Express.

B = Güney Express.  Runs from Istanbul to Diyarbakir on Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sun, leaving Ankara the following morning.  Runs Istanbul to Kurtalan on Tue, Fri & Sun.  Westbound, runs from Kurtalan on Mon, Wed & Fri, from Diyarbakir on Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun.  Sleeping-car (1 & 2-bed rooms, older type), pullman reclining seats, ordinary seats, restaurant.  See the older sleeper photos above.

C = Van Gölü Express.  Runs from Istanbul to Tatvan on Monday & Saturday (departing Ankara the following morning).  Westbound, runs from Tatvan on Tues and Thurs.  Sleeping-car (1 & 2-bed rooms), reclining pullman seats, ordinary seats.  See the older sleeper photos above.

D = Trans-Asia Express.  Carries International passengers only.  Runs from Istanbul on Wednesdays, departing Ankara on Thursdays.  Westbound, runs from Tatvan on Saturdays.  Air-conditioned TVS2000 4-berth couchette cars & restaurant car Istanbul-Ankara-Tatvan-Tehran.  See the London to Iran page.

E = Erzurum Express.  Daily.  Recommended train with modern fully-air-conditioned TVS2000 cars:  Sleeping-car (1 & 2-bed rooms), couchettes (4-berth), pullman seats, restaurant car.  See the TVS2000 sleeper photos, TVS2000 couchette photos & TVS2000 restaurant car  & pullman seat photos.

F = 4 Eylül Mavi Tren.  Runs from Ankara to Diyarbakir on Tues, Thurs & Sun and from Ankara to Elazig on Mon, Wed, Fri & Sat.  Westbound, runs from Diyarbakir to Ankara on Tues, Thurs, Sats, and from Elazig to Ankara on Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun.  Air-conditioned TVS2000 4-berth couchette car, older reclining pullman seats, restaurant car.

Eastern Turkey ► Istanbul
	Note:	D	F	F	A	B	C	E
Tatvan	depart	02:20					04:05
Elazig	arr/dep	09:44		12:05			13:51
Kurtalan	depart	|		|		07:00	|
Diyarbakir	arr/dep	|	09:05	|		11:00	|
Kars	depart	|	|	|	07:10	|	|	09:00
Erzurum	arr/dep	|	|	|	12:00	|	|	13:30
Sivas	arr/dep	19:05	20:05	20:05	23:45	22:25	22:25	00:35
Kayseri	arr/dep	23:13	00:09	00:09	04:00	04:40	04:40	04:19
Ankara	arrive	06:40	06:58	06:58	11:38	11:00	11:00	11:05
Istanbul (Haydarpaşa)	arrive	15:45	*	*	21:45	20:20	20:30	*

You can check times and fares at www.tcdd.gov.tr.

How to buy tickets

Fares
One-way per person	Reclining pullman seat	Couchette in 4-berth	Sleeping-car - sharing 2-bed sleeper	Sleeping-car - single-bed sleeper
Istanbul-Kars (Dogu Express)	TL 45 (£19 or $30)	TL 55 (£23 or $37)	TL 75 (£31 or $50)	TL 87 (£36 or $58)
Istanbul-Kayseri (Güney Express)	TL 25 (£10 or $17)	n/a	TL 50 (£21 or $33)	TL 62 (£26 or $41)
Istanbul-Tatvan (Van Gölü Express)	TL 41 (£17 or $27)	n/a	TL 66 (£28 or $44)	TL 78 (£33 or $52)
Ankara-Kars (Erzurum Exp)	TL 39 (£16 or $26)	TL 49 (£20 or $33)	TL 72 (£30 or $48)	TL 89 (£37 or $59)

Fares for other journeys will be broadly similar.  Return tickets cost 20% less than the cost of two one-way fares.

Traveller's report:

Traveller Matt Dwyer reports on a trip from Istanbul to Kars on the Dogu Express:  "We went directly to the Haydarpasa train station to buy tickets. It was quite simple to tell the ticket guy the date, train, and "Yatakli Vagon" ('sleeper') and he handed us our tickets.  We paid 53 YTL one way, but that was with our teacher discount (I think any teacher or student can get that discount, he wasn't very strict about proof), but I expect a regular ticket would be about 70 YTL (£29 or $50).  Our Yatakli Wagon was the last car on the train, behind the cafe car, had 10 cabins with two beds each. They were not full, but we did pick up several groups along the way, especially in Ankara. The porters were very helpful and nice, announcing meals, making beds, etc. Our cabin was not luxurious, but certainly comfortable with a working sink, soap and hand towels, lock on the door from the inside (all my female friends asked me about that!), clean linens, etc.  We felt no worries about leaving stuff in our cabin when we went to the cafe car.  There was a restaurant car, serving decent grub.  Beer on the train is expensive, I suggest people bring some along!  The toilet at the end of the car was clean for the first day, then started to get pretty grubby.  The scenery is spectacular, especially the second day as you go along the Euphrates and the mountains and gorges are striking."  The Dogu Express has since been equipped with modern air-conditioned TVS2000 cars.  Right:  A 2-bed sleeper on the Dogu Express, in daytime mode as a private sitting room.  Photo courtesy of Matt Dwyer.

The station for Ephesus is Selçuk, 78km by train from Izmir.  The ruins at Ephesus are walking distance from the modern town of Selçuk.  Denizli is the station for the magnificent natural springs at Pamukkale.

Izmir  ► Selçuk (Ephesus) ► Denizli
	Note:	Daily	Daily	Daily	Daily	Daily	Daily
Izmir (Basmane station)	depart	07:35a	09:00	15:15	18:35	19:08	21:30
Selçuk for Ephesus	arr/dep	09:39	10:37	17:04	20:12	20:37	23:05
Denizli for Pamukkale	arrive	-	14:14	20:45	23:33	-	-

a = arrives/departs Izmir Alsançak, not Izmir Basmane.

All trains have 1st and 2nd class seats.

Denizli ► Selçuk (Ephesus) ► Izmir
	Note:	Daily	Daily	Daily	Daily	Daily	Daily
Denizli for Pamukkale	depart	-	05:00	06:13	08:55	-	15:30
Selçuk for Ephesus	arr/dep	06:42	08:33	09:40	12:12	17:41	19:06
Izmir (Basmane)	arrive	08:06	10:17	11:16	13:43	19:23a	20:57

You can check times and fares at www.tcdd.gov.tr.

Istanbul to Thessaloniki & Athens by train...

There is now a good and cheap train service from Istanbul to Thessaloniki & Athens:  A new air-conditioned Istanbul-Thessaloniki sleeper train was introduced in July 2005, with connections by modern Greek InterCity train to/from Athens.

Istanbul ► Thessaloniki ► Athens				Athens ► Thessaloniki ► Istanbul
		Filia Express				InterCity
Istanbul (Sirkeci)	depart	21:00 day 1		Athens	depart	13:23 day 1
Uzunköprü (T frontier)	arrive	00:00 day2		Larissa	depart	16:59 day 1
Uzunköprü (T frontier)	depart	00:30 day 2		Thessaloniki	arrive	18:17 day 1
Pithion  (Gr. frontier)	arrive	02:08 day 2		Change trains...		Filia Express
Pithion  (Gr. frontier)	depart	02:50 day 2		Thessaloniki	depart	19:38 day 1
Alexandroupolis (Dialogi station)	arrive	04:15 day 2		Alexandroupolis (Dialogi station)	depart	00:39 day 2
Thessaloniki	arrive	09:20 day 2		Pithion   (Gr. frontier)	arrive	01:56 day 2
Change trains...		InterCity		Pithion   (Gr. frontier)	depart	02:51 day 2
Thessaloniki	depart	10:21 day 2		Uzunköprü (T frontier)	arrive	02:59 day 2
Larissa	arrive	11:40 day 2		Uzunköprü (T frontier)	depart	03:55 day 2
Athens	arrive	15:16 day 2		Istanbul (Sirkeci)	arrive	08:07 day 2

Filia Express =  FILIA-DOSTLUK ('FRIENDSHIP') EXPRESS.  Daily sleeper train, introduced in 2005, highly recommended.  This train has modern air-conditioned sleeping-cars with 1- & 2-bed rooms (no seats or couchettes, only sleepers).  One set of coaches is Greek, with second-hand French 'T2' sleeping-cars, the other Turkish with modern Turkish TVS2000 sleeping-cars.  You will need to get off the train briefly at the Turkish frontier (Uzunköprü) to have your passport stamped (and, eastbound, buy a Turkish visa), but this does not take long and you are soon back in bed...  Expect to arrive an hour or two late, just build this into your schedule and don't plan any tight connections.

InterCity = Fast modern air-conditioned InterCity train with cafe car.  Highly recommended.  The scenery on the Thessaloniki-Athens route is excellent, especially on the section through the mountains south of Larissa, over the viaducts famously blown up by the British SOE (Special Operations Executive) in world war 2.  Just south of Thessaloniki, the train passes right by Mt Olympus, mythical home of the Greek gods.

You can confirm times and fares at www.ose.gr (English button top right) or www.tcdd.gov.tr.  A useful link is www.letsgoistanbul.com/tren.htm.  There are lots more trains between Athens, Larissa &Thessaloniki, in case you want to stop off and see something of Thessaloniki.

There was a daytime Istanbul-Thessaloniki service, with several changes, but this was withdrawn in late 2009.

Fares
Istanbul - Thessaloniki by 'Filia-Dostluk Express' sleeper train:	48 euro per person sharing a 2-bed sleeper (= 24 euro fare + 25 euro sleeper supplement). 85 euro for a private single-bed sleeper (= 35 euro fare + 50 euro sleeper supplement).
Istanbul - Athens via 'Filia-Dostluk Express' sleeper train:	48 euros one-way 2nd class, 72 euros one-way 1st class. If using the Filia-Dostluk Express, add a sleeper supplement of 25 euro to the 2nd class fare for a bed in a 2-bed sleeper, add 50 euro to the 1st class fare for a single-bed room.  Add an InterCity supplement for Thessaloniki-Athens, approximately 20 euro.

You can easily buy tickets at Istanbul, Athens or Thessaloniki stations.  You cannot book online. 

Istanbul to Thessaloniki on the Filia-Dostluk Express...
The Filia-Dostluk ('Friendship') Express.  Above left:  The Greek train uses four second-hand French 'T2' sleeping-cars.  Above right:  The Turkish train uses seven modern Turkish sleeping-cars.  You have a 50:50 chance of getting either train.

Thessaloniki to Athens by InterCity train...

Journey's end:  Just arrived in Athens by InterCity train...		Comfortable 2nd class seats on the air-conditioned Greek InterCity train...		Great scenery through the mountains on the InterCity train from Thessaloniki to Athens...

Southern or western Turkey to Athens by ferry...

There are no direct ferries between mainland Greece & Turkey, but you can take a ferry between southern/western Turkey  & several Greek islands, then a domestic Greek ferry between those islands & Piraeus (the port of Athens).

Step 1, take a ferry from southern Turkey to either Kos, Lesvos, Samos or Rhodes:

• Ferries between Marmaris & Rhodes sail several times a week.   See www.marmarisferry.com or rhodes.marmarisinfo.com for details.  Journey time 1 hour by catamaran, 2 hours by car ferry.

• Ferries between Kusadasi & Samos sail once or twice daily (08:30 & 17:00) between early April & late October.  See www.meandertravel.com/ferrytosamos/ for details.  Journey time 1 hour 15 minutes minutes, fare around 30 euro (50 euro open return).

• Ferries between Ayvalik (a few hours north of Izmir by bus) & Lesvos (Mytilini) sail daily Monday-Saturday, crossing 1 hour 10 minutes, fare 30 euro. 

• A hydrofoil sails every day between Bodrum & Kos, fare 35 euro, crossing 1 hour, see www.olymposyachting.com. 

• You may or may not need to overnight on the island, depending on schedules, but always allow several hours for connections at least.

Step 2: Take a ferry from Kos, Lesvos, Samos or Rhodes to Piraeus.  Piraeus is the port of Athens, 25 minutes from central Athens by metro.  The port on Lesvos is called Mytilini.

•  For Lesvos (Mytilini) to Piraeus, see www.hellenicseaways.gr to check sailing dates, times, fares and to book online.  The voyage takes 9.5 hours. 

• For Kos-Piraeus or Rhodes-Piraeus see www.bluestarferries.gr to check sailing dates, times, fares and to book online.  Ferries normally sail Rhodes-Piraeus overnight, with cabins available.

• For Samos-Piraeus, see www.kallistiferries.gr.

Istanbul to Sofia & Belgrade by train...

In the sleeping-car, the 'Balkan Express' is a safe, comfortable & cheap way to travel between Istanbul, Sofia & Belgrade.  It's a very enjoyable & scenic trip, too - see video of the Belgrade-Sofia-Istanbul train journey.

Istanbul ► Sofia ► Belgrade				Belgrade ► Sofia ► Istanbul
Istanbul (Sirkeci station)	depart	22:00 day 1		Belgrade	depart	08:40 day 1
Edirne	depart	02:34 day 2		Niš	depart	13:11 day 1
Kapikule (Turk.frontier)	arrive	02:54 day 2		Sofia	depart	19:30 day 1
Svilengrad	arrive	05:05 day 2		Plovdiv	depart	21:57 day 2
Plovdiv	arrive	09:11 day 2		Svilengrad	arrive	00:35 day 2
Sofia	arrive	11:40 day 2		Kapikule (Turk Frontier)	arrive	01:35 day 2
Niš	arrive	16:24 day 2		Edirne	arrive	03:52 day 2
Belgrade	arrive	20:30 day 2		Istanbul (Sirkeci station)	arrive	08:00 day 2

This train has one Istanbul-Belgrade sleeping-car, which is a comfortable older Turkish sleeper with 1- & 2-bed compartments with carpet and washbasin, see the Turkish sleeper photos above.  It also has one Istanbul-Sofia sleeping-car which is Bulgarian, with 1, 2 & 3-bed compartments with washbasin, see the pictures below.  All sleeper compartments lock securely with locks that cannot be undone from the outside, and the sleeping-car is looked after by a sleeper attendant.  Travel on this train in the sleeper is safe and comfortable and can be recommended even for women travelling alone.  The train also has several very basic 2nd class seats cars, but travel in the seats is neither comfortable nor secure, so is not recommended.  There are no couchettes on this train, just seats and sleepers.  You can double-check train times at http://bahn.hafas.de. 

Note:  After some problems during 2009 when the through Istanbul-Belgrade sleeping-car didn't run, requiring a change of train (and transfer between sleeping-car and seats cars) at Sofia, it's reported in November 2009 that the Istanbul-Belgrade through sleeping-car is running normally once again.  If you have any more information, please email me.

How to buy tickets...

• You can easily buy tickets at Istanbul Sirkeci station (ticket window 4), Sofia station or Belgrade station, but you cannot book this train online. 

• You can also arrange reservations for journeys starting in Belgrade through the Wasteels travel agency located at Belgrade station,

  Putovanja Wasteels
  E-mail: wasteels@eunet.yu

  Phone: +381 11 265 8868

• Note that you will need to get off the train briefly at the Kapikule on the Turkish frontier to have your passport stamped (and, on arrival eastbound, buy a Turkish visa in pounds sterling or euros at the visa office first).  This is no real problem, and you are soon back in bed.  Take your valuables with you, of course, but you can leave you main bags in your compartment on the train.

The Istanbul-Sofia sleeping-car, provided by Bulgarian Railways...		The sleeper corridor... Photo courtesy of Helmut Uttenthaler.		3-bed compartment. Photo courtesy of Helmut Uttenthaler

Fares
Istanbul - Sofia:	45 YTL (£19) one-way 2nd class, 69 YTL (£29) one-way 1st class. Add a sleeper supplement to this, about 23 YTL (£10 or 11 euro) for a bed in 3-bed compartment (with 2nd class fare) or 35 YTL (£15 or 17  euro) for a bed in 2-bed compartment (with 2nd class fare) or 81 YTL (£35 or 39 euro) for sole occupancy of a single bed compartment (with 1st class fare).
Istanbul - Belgrade:	112 YTL (£48 or 53 euro) one-way 2nd class, 169 YTL (£72 or 80 euro) one-way 1st class.  Add a sleeper supplement to this, about 42 YTL (£18 or 20 euro) for a bed in 3-bed compartment (with 2nd class fare) or 70 YTL (£30 or 33 euro) for a bed in 2-bed compartment (with 2nd class fare) or 140 YTL (£60 or 66 euro) for sole occupancy of a single bed compartment (with 1st class fare).

For more information on this train, useful links are www.turkeytravelplanner.com/Transportation/Train/sofia_istanbul.html & www.letsgoistanbul.com/tren.htm.  Youncan also find fares from Istanbul to most cities in eastern Europe at www.tcdd.gov.tr, click 'English' and look for 'passenger transportation' then 'train to Europe'.

Istanbul ► Bucharest, Budapest, Vienna, Paris, London

Daily train service, see the London to Turkey page.  Other useful links are www.turkeytravelplanner.com/Transportation/Train/sofia_istanbul.html & www.letsgoistanbul.com/tren.htm

Istanbul ► Aleppo (Syria), Damascus, Amman (Jordan), Petra, Cairo (Egypt)

The weekly 'Toros Express' runs from Istanbul to Aleppo in Syria, with a direct air-conditioned sleeping-car, with connections for Damascus.  From Damascus you can catch a bus to Amman in Jordan, with onward buses & ferries to Petra, Aqaba & Egypt.  |See the London to Syria, London to Jordan & Egypt pages.

Istanbul / Ankara ► Tehran (Iran)

A weekly express train, the 'Trans-Asia Express', with modern air-conditioned sleeping-berths and restaurant car, runs from Istanbul & Ankara to Tabriz & Tehran in Iran.  See the London to Iran page for full details.

Istanbul / Ankara ► Tbilisi (Georgia)

Take a train from Istanbul or Ankara to Erzurum or Kars, then a bus or dolmus (local minibus taxi) to the Georgian border at Sarp, followed by another dolmus the 16km to Batumi, just the other side of the frontier.  There is a comfortable daily overnight train from Batumi to Tbilisi, with Russian-style 2-berth and 4-berth sleepers, leaving around 22:30 and arriving in Tbilisi at 06:45.  If you have feedback on travel via this route, please e-mail me.

Traveller Gregory Heilers travelled to Tbilisi in 2009:  "1) From Erzurum, take the Artvin Express mini bus, which runs twice daily at 07:30 & 18:00 taking 5.5 hours from Gurcu Kapi district of Erzurum to Hopa (via Artvin, hence the name).  Fare 30 TL.  2) Travel from Hopa to Sarp by dolmus - you can get dropped off there which the driver did for me after the mini-bus attendant understood I was headed to Georgia (Gurcistan in Turkish).  Cost 3.5 TL.  3) In Sarp, walk across the border- there was a line 2km long of vehicles waiting to cross that included the buses from Turkish cities to Batumi/Tblisi and beyond... I was glad to have not taken a direct bus.  4) Take a Georgian dolmus (marshutka) from the frontier to Batumi, cost 1 lari.  Pretty much the only direction you can go as I saw, so even if you can't understand the writing or language- may as well try.  5) Travel from Batumi to Tbilisi train, fare 40 lari.  It departs 22:30 and arrives Tblisi 06:45."

Istanbul ► Yerevan (Armenia)

The border with Armenia is currently closed, and there is no train service between Turkey and Armenia.  However, it's possible to travel from Turkey to Tbilisi in Georgia (see above), then travel from Tbilisi to Yerevan in Armenia by overnight train.  The Tblisi-Yerevan train runs every second day, departing Tblisi at 16:40 on even dates arriving Yerevan at 07:35 next day.  Returning, it leaves Yerevan at 19:00 on odd dates arriving Tblisi at 09:15 next morning.  It has 2-berth & 4-berth sleepers.

Traveller Fergus Reoch reports from a trip in 2006: "After getting to Erzurum, we caught the bus to Sarp, and a dolmus (local minibus taxi) from there to Batumi.  From Batumi we took the overnight train to Tbilisi (comfortable berths, although not air-conditioned) with three of us sharing a 4 berth compartment.  From Tblisi there is a train that I have used five times now to Yerevan in Armenia.  First class 2-bed sleeping compartments cost about £13, with a 1000 Armenian Dram (£1.20) charge for bedding.  We had to get visas at the Armenian border.  For UK passports these cost $30, and require little more than filling in a form.  We arrived in Yerevan 15 hours after leaving Tbilisi.  The same journey in a marshrutka (minibus) takes about 7 hours, though I much prefer the train."

If you have any more feedback on this or any other route, please e-mail me.

Above:  The sleeper train from Tblisi to Yerevan in Armenia, with 4-berth & 2-berth compartments. Exterior & 4-berth photos courtesy of Paul Carey.  2-berth photo courtesy of Eugene Maguire.

Istanbul ► Baku (Azerbaijan)

First, travel from Istanbul to Tbilisi as above.  There's then an overnight train from Tbilisi to Baku in Azerbaijan on Tuesdays, Fridays & Sundays at 18:15 arriving 09:05 next morning.  Westbound, it leaves Baku at 20:35 on Wednesdays, Fridays & Sundays arriving Tbilisi at 10:55.  Kupe 4-berth sleepers & hard seats available, distance 551km.  It may also have 2-berth sleepers.

Above:  The sleeper train from Tblisi to Baku in Azerbaijan. Photo courtesy of Paul Carey

Istanbul ► Baghdad (Iraq)

After a break of many years, there is now a weekly train from Gaziantep to Baghdad every Friday, although getting a visa for Iraq might prove challenging!

Istanbul ► Odessa (Ukraine)

Weekly passenger ships link Istanbul with Odessa in Ukraine across the Black Sea, taking about 36 hours.  For sailing times, days and fares, see www.ukrferry.com.  Fares start at about $115 with cabin berth.  You can book through Ukrainian agency http://travel-2-ukraine.com/transportation/ferry-tickets.htm.   For onwards train times to Kiev and Moscow, see www.poezda.net.

Turkey ► Cyprus

A daily fast ferry and regular conventional ferry link Taşucu in southern Turkey with Girne