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Turkey's YHT high-speed train, linking Ankara, Konya, Eskişehir and (since 2014) the outskirts of Istanbul. |
A great way to get around Turkey!
Guidebooks tell you that Turkey has a good bus network, but do you really want to spend 12 hours in a bus, when you can take an inexpensive air-conditioned train with a bed in cosy sleeper or comfy Pullman seat with room to move, through fantastic scenery unspoilt by roadside development? Much of the network was built by the Germans, the joke goes that they were paid by the mile, hence the twisting nature of Turkish rail lines. But the first section of high-speed line opened in 2009 and excellent high-speed trains now link Istanbul with Ankara in 4h15, Istanbul with Konya in 4h40, Ankara with Konya in 1h44. It beats a bus, any day.
Savvy travellers will use a train for long distances, for example, Istanbul to Ankara or Konya, Ankara to Izmir or Kars. Then use a short bus trip to reach places off the rail network, for example the South coast resorts or Cappadocia.
Train schedules & fares
International travel
Istanbul to/from Bucharest, Budapest,
Vienna, Munich, Paris & London
Istanbul to/from Sofia, Belgrade,
Zagreb, Munich, Paris & London
Turkey, to/from:
Greece, Cyprus,
Syria,
Iran,
Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Iraq & Ukraine
Other useful information
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How to buy tickets
Option 1, buy online from Turkish Railways
You can buy tickets at the Turkish Railways (TCDD) booking site, ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr, see the advice on using it below.
It will book most high-speed & long distance trains within Turkey including seats, couchettes & sleepers, but not international trains. You print out your reservation details and pick up the tickets at the station in Turkey. It's quirky, but works and normally accepts non-Turkish credit cards even though many Turkish bus booking websites don't.
Reservations for Turkish trains normally open 60 days before departure for some trains, less than this for some trains, so don't look too far ahead.
Option 2, buy tickets through a reliable agency
If you find buying online difficult, you can buy Turkish train tickets in advance by emailing or calling one of these authorised travel agencies. If you're going to eastern Turkey, sleepers & couchettes on trains east of Ankara sell out almost as soon as booking opens, so I strongly recommend using one of these agencies as they know how it all works and give you the best chance of securing berths.
Amber Travel, see www.ambertravel.com/buy-turkish-train-tickets-in-turkey. They'll take bookings even before reservations open and make the booking as soon as it opens. They take payment via credit card or PayPal and email you the tickets. Amber Travel comes highly recommended by multiple Seat 61 travellers, and will go out of their way to get hold of a sleeper for you if they can.
Backpackers Travel, Yeni Akbiyik Caddesi No. 30, Sultanahmet, Istanbul, telephone +90 (212) 638 63 43, fax +90 212 638 39 22, website www.backpackerstravel.net.
I have yet to receive any reports about Backpackers, but it's a well-known agency. Neither agency can 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.
Option 3, buy tickets at the station
It's easy to buy tickets at the station when you get to Turkey. Major stations have a computerised ticketing & reservation system and can book any journey in Turkey. It's not usually difficult to get seats on the day of travel or a day or two before, but sleepers (and even couchettes) often can get fully-booked weeks ahead, so pre-book those either online or through one of the agencies suggested above. Stations accept Turkish lira cash, and may now accept credit cards.
Tip: If you're over 60, ask for a senior ticket (yaşlı bilet) to get 15% off, or 50% if over 65. If you're under 26 ask for a youth ticket (genç bilet) to get 15% off.
How to check train times & fares
You can check train times & fares at the Turkish Railways (TCDD) booking site, ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr.
This should be easily accessible from outside Turkey, and it comes with an English version, so no worries. Before buying tickets, read the advice here.
However, the main TCDD website is www.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr, it's only in Turkish and at the time I write this you'll need a VPN set to a Turkish IP address to access it.
For written timetables for high-speed trains between Istanbul, Eskişehir, Konya, Ankara click Trenler then YHT.
For written timetables for classic long-distance trains such as Ankara-Izmir, Ankara-Kars, click Trenler then Ana Hat.
For written timetables for regional trains such as Izmir-Selcuk-Denizli or Adana-Mersin-Iskenderun, click Trenler then Bölgesel.
There are no trains to Antalya, Marmaris, Bodrum, Alanya, nor to Göreme in Cappadocia, you'll need a combination of train+bus to reach these places as shown here.
What are Turkish trains like?
High-speed trains: Yuksek Hizli Tren (YHT)
A pleasure to ride on and as good as anything in Western Europe, 250 km/h high-speed trains operate on the Istanbul-Ankara, Istanbul-Konya & Ankara-Konya routes and (since April 2023) Ankara-Sivas. Known as Yüksek Hızlı Treni or YHT, they come in two varieties, the original type designed by Spanish company CAF and the newer type designed by German company Siemens. Both types feature comfortable seats in Economy and Business class. YHT high-speed trains started running from Istanbul (initially from a suburban station called Pendik, 25 km east of Istanbul) to Ankara in July 2014, extended to start in Söğütlüçeşme in central Istanbul in March 2019.
YHT trains built by CAF
YHT trains built by Siemens
Watch the YHT video
Classic long-distance trains
Turkey's conventional trains are also a pleasant surprise. Cheap, spacious, and mostly now composed of modern air-conditioned TVS2000 coaches like the ones shown below, which are as good as any regular train in western Europe. TVS2000 trains run from Ankara to Izmir, Adana, Erzurum, Kars & Eastern Turkey, vastly superior to a cramped bus. They have several types of accommodation to choose from:
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Pullman seats. 1st class reclining seats in a carpeted air-conditioned open-plan saloon.
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Sleeping-cars (yatakli wagon in Turkish). Private 1 & 2-bed air-conditioned compartments with washbasin.
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Couchettes (kuşet in Turkish). Shared 4-bunk air-conditioned compartments.
TVS2000 Pullman seats cars
Turkish Railways' air-conditioned TVS2000 cars are comfortable, clean & carpeted. The reclining Pullman seats (below right) are more spacious & comfortable than any cramped bus seat and the coaches ride on smooth air suspension. These seats are arranged 1+2 across the car width, shown on the TCDD app & website as 2+1 Pulman.
TVS2000 restaurant cars
Restaurant cars are available on a number of long-distance trains, serving hot & cold drinks, snacks and some hot dishes, but not alcohol. Feedback appreciated. Photos courtesy of Michael Bimmler.
TVS2000 sleeping-cars
Turkish overnight trains use modern air-conditioned TVS2000 sleeping-cars. Sleeper compartments have beds and a washbasin, soap and towels provided, and even a small fridge containing complimentary mineral water, soft drinks and snacks. There's even 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 night trains from Ankara to Istanbul, Ankara to Izmir, the Cukurova Express from Ankara to Adana, and the trains from Ankara to Erzurum, Kars, Diyarbakir & Tatvan. Travelling in these sleepers is a great way to travel that saves on hotel bills, too. Compartments are private: If you book 1 person, the price is for a whole single bed compartment. If you book 2 people, the price is shown for each person sharing a 2-berth.
Above left, the corridor. Above centre and right, the same 2-bed sleeper in daytime mode with seats folded out and beds folded away. Interior photos courtesy of Shigeki Murao.
TVS2000 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. TCDD used to offer couchettes without bedding on certain routes, but these days all couchettes are örtülü kuşet (covered couchette), with sheet, blanket and pillow provided. Most overnight trains such as the Eskisehir-Izmir, Ankara-Adana, Arifiye/Eskisehir-Konya-Adana and Ankara-Eastern Turkey trains now have modern air-conditioned TVS2000 couchette cars like the one below.
TVS2000 air-conditioned 4-berth couchettes, shown in daytime position with the berths folded against the wall & in night mode with beds folded out, but not made up, Pillows, sheet and blankets are supplied.
For more information, the train travel section of www.turkeytravelplanner.com is highly recommended.
The first section of the Istanbul-Ankara high-speed line opened in March 2009 and 250 km/h high-speed YHT trains (Yüksek Hızlı Treni) started running between Ankara & Eskişehir, see the photos & video above. In 2014 high-speed YHT trains were extended to Pendik, a suburban station 25km east of Istanbul, and in 2019 trains were further extended to Söğütlüçeşme station in central Istanbul on the Asian side of the Bosphorus, 2 km southeast of the old Haydarpaşa station. Two trains per day are extend through the Marmaray Tunnel under the Bosphorus to/from Bakırköy and Halkali on the suburban network on the western side of Istanbul, although from a visitor's point of view these don't call at Istanbul Sirkeci or anywhere central on the western side of the Bosphorus.
Söğütlüçeşme is a suburban station 2km (1.2 miles) east of the old Haydarpaşa station, see Söğütlüçeşme station guide & how to reach it.
Ankara station (Ankara Gar) is in central Ankara, see location map, unlike the bus terminal which is 2-3 miles outside the city or the airport 15-20 miles outside.
YHT = Yüksek Hızlı Tren = 250 km/h high-speed train. There's a brief X-ray baggage check on the platform, so turn up at least 15 minutes before departure.
Sleeper = ANKARA EXPRESS sleeper train, with TVS2000 sleeping-cars (1 & 2 bed compartments with washbasin) and TVS2000 reclining pullman seats.
Check these times at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr or as explained here.
Istanbul to Ankara on the high-speed line is around 533 km or 331 miles.
How much does it cost?
2025 prices. £1 = TL 45. 1 = 35 TL. $1 = TL 38. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently.
All these fares are one-way per person. Return tickets cost 20% less than two one-way fares.
Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth (genç) fare.
Youths under 26 get 15% off (genç). Seniors 60-64 get 15% off (yaş 60-64), over 65s get 50% off (yaş 65).
How to buy tickets
How to buy tickets. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead.
The new face of Turkish train travel: Above left, Eskişehir station. Above right, a YHT about to leave Eskişehir. See more photos & video above.
Istanbul to Bursa to Ankara
An alternative route between Istanbul and Ankara is to take the regular fast passenger ferry across the Sea of Marmara to Bursa, then the special bus from Bursa to Eskişehir which runs in connection with 250 km/h high-speed train departures to Ankara. This route is also pretty scenic, taking you up the lush green slopes of Mount Uludag (the Olympus of Bithynia).
Step 1, Istanbul to Bursa by fast ferry
Fast passenger ferries sail from Istanbul's Eminönü ferry terminal near Sirkeci station to Bursa's Mudanya ferry terminal, 29km north of Bursa city. On a typical weekday, you'll find ferry departures like the ones shown below, but they vary by day of the week and time of year, so check sailing times for your date of travel at budo.burulas.com.tr.
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Istanbul to Bursa on a typical weekday: 08:00, 11:30, 16:30, 19:30, taking 1h50.
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Bursa to Istanbul on a typical weekday: 07:00, 09:30, 16:00, 19:00, taking 1h50.
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The adult fare is TL 480 (2025 price, remember Turkey has high inflation).
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Buy tickets at budo.burulas.com.tr or at the port.
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Competing operator IDO (www.ido.com.tr) also has ferries, sailing from Yenikapi (just south of central Istanbul) to Bursa.
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In Bursa, the ferry arrives at Budo's Mudanya ferry terminal which is some 29 km (18 miles) from the city of Bursa itself, buses F/1 & F/2 link the ferry terminal with Bursa's Otogar every couple of hours, journey time 60 minutes, fare a few lira. For bus info see www.burulas.com.tr.
A more frequent alternative is to catch the yellow 1/M bus departing every 20 minutes from outside the ferry terminal building for the metro station at Emek Istasyonu, journey time 45 minutes. Frequent underground trains run from Emek Istasyonu to Bursa city centre, journey time 30 minutes. Demirtaspasa is the metro stop for Bursa's historic centre, 10 minutes walk away.
Alternatively, a taxi from Bursa Mudanya ferry terminal to central Bursa takes 30 minutes and costs the equivalent of around £17 or $25. If connecting directly with a bus to Eskişehir for the train to Ankara, allow at least an hour between the ferry arrival and the bus departure from Bursa Otogar.
Alternatively, there are a couple of daily fast ferries to Bursa from Istanbul's Yenikapi ferry terminal in the south of the city, and these also carry vehicles. Departures from Istanbul are at 07:30 (daily except Sundays), 17:30 (daily) and 20:30 (Fri & Sun only). Journey time 1h30. Departures from Bursa are at 07:30 (daily except Sundays), 18:00 (daily), 20:30 (Fri & Sun only). See www.ido.com.tr to check ferry times and fares from Yenikapi to Bursa.
These are IDO fast ferries at Bursa's IDO ferry terminal ferry terminal. Budo's ferries are similar.
Step 2, Bursa-Eskişehir by bus, Eskişehir-Ankara by high-speed train
A bus company called Kamil Koc runs buses from Bursa bus station (otogar) to Eskişehir railway station specifically to connect with YHT high-speed train departures to Ankara. The bus arrives right outside the station entrance at Eskişehir 15 minutes before the train leaves. Just make sure you board the bus to Eskişehir station (Gar TCDD), not a similar bus to Eskişehir Otogar. These are example times, check current times online.
For trains Eskişehir -Ankara, see the Istanbul-Eskişehir -Ankara timetable above. Only a few minutes is needed to connect between bus & train.
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Bursa to Eskişehir by Kamil Koc bus costs the equivalent of about £9 or 11. Check bus times at www.flixbus.com.
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Eskişehir to Ankara by high-speed train costs TL 405 in Economy Class or TL 610 in Business Class (2025 prices).
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You can buy the bus & train tickets together if you go to Bursa bus station or Ankara railway station. There's a Kamil Koc desk inside Ankara railway station's main hall.
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To pre-book tickets in person in Istanbul, go to the TCDD ticket office at Sirkeci station to buy the train ticket, and find a Kamil Koc agency to buy the bus ticket.
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To buy tickets online, first book the train ticket between Eskişehir & Ankara at the TCDD website as shown here, then buy the bus ticket between Bursa & Eskisehir TCDD station at the Kamil Koc website or at www.flixbus.com.
Bursa-Ankara bus-train combo: A Kamil Koc bus takes you from Bursa Otogar to Eskişehir TCDD railway station to connect with the YHT to Ankara. Above left, a YHT gets a wash at Ankara. Above right, the Kamil Koc bus outside Eskisehir station.
Istanbul to Konya & Adana
YHT high-speed trains link Istanbul Söğütlüçeşme station with Konya in just 4h40.
A comfortable express train called the Toros Express normally connects Konya with Adana over the curvaceous and very scenic classic line. However, the Toros Express has been temporarily suspended since May 2024 due to line reconstruction.
YHT = Yüksek Hızlı Tren, 250 km/h high-speed train. There's a brief X-ray baggage check on the platform, so turn up at least 15 minutes before departure.
Toros = Toros Express, runs every day, TVS2000 pullman reclining seats cars & normal compartment cars, runs via the classic line. Booking opens 60 days ahead.
* The Toros Express is temporarily suspended since May 2024 due to line reconstruction.
Söğütlüçeşme is a suburban station 2km (1.2 miles) east of the old Haydarpaşa station, see Söğütlüçeşme station guide & how to reach it.
Konya Selçuklu YHT is the new high-speed station in central Konya opened in 2021, see location map. It's on the other side of the city from the original Konya station, which is about 4 km away.
Halkali & Bakırköy: One train per day now extends through the Marmaray Tunnel under the Bosphorus to/from Bakırköy and Halkali on the suburban network on the western side of Istanbul, although from a visitor's point of view these don't call at Istanbul Sirkeci or anywhere conveniently central on the western side of the Bosphorus.
Check train times at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr. Check bus times at www.ozkaymak.com.tr.
Map of Istanbul showing station location Connections to Tarsus & Mersin Connections to Iskenderun
How much does it cost?
2025 prices. £1 = TL 45. 1 = 35 TL. $1 = TL 38. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently.
All these fares are one-way per person. Return tickets cost 20% less than two one-way fares.
Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth (genç) fare.
Youths under 26 get 15% off (genç). Seniors 60-64 get 15% off (yaş 60-64), over 65s get 50% off (yaş 65).
How to buy tickets
How to buy tickets. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. If going from Istanbul to Adana, you need to book the YHT & Toro Express as separate transactions.
Istanbul to Denizli & Pamukkale
The Pamukkale Express is the smart way to reach UNESCO-listed Pamukkale, the much visited thermal springs, near the regional city of Denizli. The old overnight Pamukkale Express from Istanbul to Denizli disappeared over a decade ago, in its current form you take a high-speed YHT train from Istanbul to Eskişehir and change onto the Pamukkale Express there, a comfortable TVS2000 air-conditioned day train to Denizli, the town next to the Pamukkale springs. It's the safe, comfortable and time-effective way to reach Pamukkale, avoiding flights or nightmarish bus rides. Take a good book and prepare for great scenery!
Pamukkale is 16 km by road from Denizli, the local regional centre.
YHT = Yüksek Hızlı Tren = 250 km/h high-speed train. There's a brief X-ray baggage check on the platform, so turn up at least 15 minutes before departure.
Pam. Exp = Pamukkale Express. TVS2000 reclining pullman seats with refreshment trolley.
Söğütlüçeşme is a suburban station 2km (1.2 miles) east of the old Haydarpaşa station, see Söğütlüçeşme station guide & how to reach it.
Check these times at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr or as explained here.
How much does it cost?
2025 prices. £1 = TL 45. 1 = 35 TL. $1 = TL 38. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently, check online.
All these fares are one-way per person. Return tickets cost 20% less than two one-way fares.
Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth (genç) fare.
Youths under 26 get 15% off (genç). Seniors 60-64 get 15% off (yaş 60-64), over 65s get 50% off (yaş 65).
How to buy tickets
How to buy tickets. You will need to book each train as a separate transaction. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead.
Option 1, Istanbul to Izmir by YHT & sleeper train
You can take an evening train from Istanbul to Eskisehir and pick up the air-conditioned sleeper train to Izmir with private 1 & 2 berth sleepers. It's a very affordable, time-effective and comfortable way to make this journey. Or travel by day to enjoy the scenery, this requires an overnight stop in Eskisehir in the southbound direction, but can be done in one day northbound.
YHT = Yüksek Hızlı Tren = 250 km/h high-speed train. There's a brief X-ray baggage check on the platform, so turn up at least 15 minutes before departure.
Sleeper = Izmir Mavi Tren. TVS2000 sleeping-cars (1 & 2-bed compartments) & TVS2000 reclining pullman seats.
Ege = Ege Express. TVS2000 reclining pullman seats.
* In this direction you'll need to stay overnight in Eskisehir between trains, by all means book an earlier train from Istanbul.
Söğütlüçeşme is a suburban station 2km (1.2 miles) east of the old Haydarpaşa station, see Söğütlüçeşme station guide & how to reach it.
Check these times at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr or as explained here.
How much does it cost?
2025 prices. £1 = TL 45. 1 = 35 TL. $1 = TL 38. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently.
All these fares are one-way per person. Return tickets cost 20% less than two one-way fares.
Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth (genç) fare.
Youths under 26 get 15% off (genç). Seniors 60-64 get 15% off (yaş 60-64), over 65s get 50% off (yaş 65).
How to buy tickets
How to buy tickets: You need to buy Istanbul to Eskisehir and Eskisehir to Izmir as two separate tickets. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead.
Option 2, Istanbul to Izmir by ferry & train
An enjoyable way from Istanbul to Izmir is to sail across the Sea of Marmara to Bandirma by fast ferry, then take the air-conditioned 17 Eylül Express from Bandirma to Izmir. Much nicer than 9 hours in a bus.
* Requires an overnight stop in Bandirma. As you can see, this journey involves an overnight stop in Bandirma. The inexpensive but comfortable Panderma Port Hotel & Sahil Otel are both a stone's throw from the station & ferry terminal and get good reviews.
Ferry connections may vary. Ferry times vary from day to day and season to season so check ferry times for your dates at www.ido.com.tr. Ferry & train are right next to each other at Bandirma. You should check train times less than 60 days before departure at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr.
About the journey: The ferry is a fast seacat run by the IDO ferry company, see www.ido.com.tr to check times & prices. The ferry terminal in Istanbul is called Yenikapi, see map of Istanbul showing Yenikapi ferry terminal. There's a 30 minute minimum check-in for the ferry. At Bandirma, the ferry arrives a stone's throw from the railway station, you can easily walk off the ferry and round onto the train. The 6 Eylül Express & 17 Eylül Express have modern air-conditioned TVS2000 reclining pullman seats, usually with a refreshment trolley, though I recommend bringing your own picnic for the journey.
How much does it cost?
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Istanbul (Yenikapi) to Bandirma by fast ferry costs TL 649 (£14, 19, $17, 2025 prices). A cheaper promo fare may be available.
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Bandirma to Izmir by train in a pullman seat costs TL 350 (£8, 10, $9, 2025 prices).
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Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over must pay the adult fare.
How to buy tickets
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Buy the ferry ticket at www.ido.com.tr up to 30 days in advance, or buy it at the ferry terminal. Remember that Yenikapi is the starting point in Istanbul. They ask for a phone number, enter a Turkish-format number, for example the phone number of your hotel.
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Buy the train ticket online as shown here or at the station in Izmir or Bandirma or at Istanbul's Sirkeci station.
Booking normally opens 60 days ahead.
Traveller's reports
Traveller Ryan White reports: "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.
Traveller Patrick Curtis reports: "I took the 08:30 ferry from Yenikapi arriving Bandirma around 11:00 with the Izmir train scheduled to leave at 14:30. I passed a pleasant few hours relaxing in Bandirma. Just out of the ferry terminal towards the mosque you will find plenty of eateries including the Big Yellow Taxi Beer & Burger Hall. Up past that on the street is a Simit bakery selling nice sandwiches and spicy sausage rolls.
For onward travel from Izmir to Selçuk (Ephesus) and Denizli (Pamukkale) see this section.
The international sleeper train from Istanbul to Sofia & Bucharest takes this route and is shown on the Istanbul to Sofia & Bucharest page. But two domestic trains also run between Halkali (a suburban station 25 km west of Istanbul Sirkeci) & Edirne. They have comfortable air-conditioned TVS2000 cars. You can reach Halkali from Sirkeci by frequent Marmaray suburban trains, see the advice here.
Check these times at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr or as explained here. The trains have one class of seating only, no catering car.
Halkali is a suburban station 25 km west of Istanbul Sirkeci station.
To reach Halkali from central Istanbul, take a Marmaray suburban train from Sirkeci station (the new Marmaray platforms underground). These run every 15 minutes, journey time 49 minutes, fare equivalent of around 0.60.
How much does it cost?
Halkali to Edirne costs TL 335 (£7, 9, $8).
2025 prices, but Turkey has significant inflation so prices may change.
How to buy tickets
How to buy tickets. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead.
Istanbul to Göreme & Cappadocia
Cappadocia is an incredible land of strange rock formations and cave dwellings that should not be missed. It's a nightmare 11 hour bus journey from Istanbul, but you can easily let the train take the strain to Ankara, then take a much shorter bus ride.
Option 1, by high-speed train + bus - the easiest way
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Step 1, travel from Istanbul to Ankara by comfortable high-speed YHT train, as shown above.
These 250 km/h YHT trains have 1st & 2nd class and a cafe car. Book the train as shown here.
Take the metro from Ankara station to the long-distance bus terminal a couple of miles out of the city centre. Allow at least an hour for this.
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Step 2, Buses run from Ankara to Nevsehir & Göreme in Cappadocia every couple of hours throughout the day, taking 2h45 to Nevsehir and as little as 3h10 to Göreme.
The fare is around £14 / 16 / $17.
Buy a bus ticket at www.flixbus.com.
Option 2, by high-speed train, onward train and bus - least time in a bus
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Step 1, travel from Istanbul to Ankara by comfortable high-speed YHT train, as shown above.
These 250 km/h YHT trains have 1st & 2nd class and a cafe car. Book the train as shown here.
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Step 2, take a classic train from Ankara to Kayseri as shown in the timetable below. Book this train as shown here.
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Step 3, take a bus from Kayseri to Göreme, Kayseri is only 70 km from Göreme, so this is the shortest bus journey (maybe 1.5 hours) though a longer overall trip.
It's a nightmare 12-hour bus journey from Istanbul to Turkey's southern coast. You can easily avoid it by taking a high-speed YHT train from Istanbul to Konya in 4h40, then bus from Konya to Alanya or Antalya in around 4h.
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Step 1, travel from Istanbul Söğütlüçeşme to Konya Selçuklu YHT station by YHT train in 4h40, as shown above.
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In Konya, the bus station is a 15-minute taxi ride from the YHT station, see map.
However, Konya is a great place to visit so I recommend a stopover here.
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Step 2, travel from Konya to Antalya or Alanya by bus in around 4h. Check bus times at www.flixbus.com or www.checkmybus.co.uk.
Istanbul to Bodrum & Marmaris
There are direct buses from Istanbul to the Mediterranean coast, but this is a nightmarishly long bus journey, especially overnight slumped in a bus seat. Here's how to travel in comfort with a minimum of time in a bus:
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Step 1, travel from Istanbul to Izmir by ferry & train or by YHT & sleeper train as shown above. It's a relaxing and enjoyable journey.
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Step 2, take a local train from Izmir to Aydin railway station as shown here.
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Step 3, take a bus from Aydin bus station to Bodrum or Marmaris. Aydin to Bodrum takes 2h40. Aydin to Marmaris takes 2h20. There's a range of buses daily, try www.pamukkale.com.tr or www.checkmybus.co.uk.
Istanbul to Fethiye
There are direct buses from Istanbul to the Mediterranean coast, but this is a nightmarishly long bus journey, especially overnight slumped in a bus seat. Here's how to travel in comfort with a minimum of time in a bus:
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Step 2, take a bus from Denizli bus station to Fethiye. There are several buses daily taking around 3h45. Try www.pamukkale.com.tr or www.checkmybus.co.uk.
You can make this journey by day or night. A comfortable direct sleeper train links Ankara with Izmir overnight with 1 & 2 bed sleepers, see the TVS2000 sleeper photos. Or you travel by day, using a high-speed YHT train between Ankara & Eskisehir and the Ege Express between Eskisehir & Izmir.
Sleeper = Izmir Mavi Tren = Ankara-Izmir with TVS2000 sleeping-car (1 & 2-bed compartments) & TVS2000 reclining pullman seats. Runs via Balikesir.
YHT = Yüksek Hızlı Tren = 250 km/h high-speed train Ankara-Eskisehir. There's an X-ray bag check on the platform, turn up at least 15 minutes before departure.
Ege Exp = Ege Express Eskisehir-Izmir with TVS2000 reclining pullman seats.
Check these times at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr or as explained here.
How much does it cost?
2025 prices. £1 = TL 45. 1 = 35 TL. $1 = TL 38. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently.
All these fares are one-way per person. Return tickets cost 20% less than two one-way fares.
Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth (genç) fare.
Youths under 26 get 15% off (genç). Seniors 60-64 get 15% off (yaş 60-64), over 65s get 50% off (yaş 65).
How to buy tickets
How to buy tickets: Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. Sleepers sell out fast, so book early.
The sleeper can be booked as one transaction. The daytime option can be booked as one transaction westbound from Ankara to Izmir. In the eastbound direction from Izmir to Ankara you need to book Izmir to Eskisehir first, then Eskisehir to Ankara, allowing plenty of time for delay in Eskisehir.
Ankara to Denizli & Pamukkale
It's cheap, easy and comfortable to travel between Ankara and Denizli, for the famous springs at Pamukkale. You take a high-speed YHT train from Ankara's main station to Eskisehir then the Pamukkale Express to Denizli.
Pamukkale is 16 km by road from Denizli, the local regional centre.
YHT = Yüksek Hızlı Tren = 250 km/h high-speed train Ankara-Eskisehir. There's an X-ray bag check on the platform, turn up at least 15 minutes before departure.
Pamukkale Express = TVS2000 reclining pullman seats with refreshment trolley Eskisehir-Denizli.
Check these times at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr or as explained here.
How much does it cost?
2025 prices. £1 = TL 45. 1 = 35 TL. $1 = TL 38. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently.
All these fares are one-way per person. Return tickets cost 20% less than two one-way fares.
Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth (genç) fare.
Youths under 26 get 15% off (genç). Seniors 60-64 get 15% off (yaş 60-64), over 65s get 50% off (yaş 65).
How to buy tickets
How to buy tickets: You need to buy Ankara-Eskisehir and Eskisehir-Denizli as two separate tickets. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead.
A high-speed line linking Ankara with Konya opened in August 2011. 250 km/h (156 mph) high-speed trains with economy and business class air-conditioned seating and a cafe-bar car link Ankara & Konya in 1h40. Previously, you could only travel between these cities via a roundabout route that took over 10 hours. The journey from Ankara to Konya is around 309 km (193 miles), including 212 km of new high-speed line.
* Runs Friday, Saturday & Sunday only.
YHT = Yüksek Hızlı Tren = 250 km/h high-speed train. There's an X-ray bag check on the platform, turn up at least 15 minutes before departure.
Konya Selçuklu YHT is the new high-speed station in central Konya opened in 2021, see location map. It's on the other side of the city from the original Konya station, which is about 4 km away.
How much does it cost?
2025 prices. £1 = TL 45. 1 = 35 TL. $1 = TL 38. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently.
All these fares are one-way per person. Return tickets cost 20% less than two one-way fares.
Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth (genç) fare.
Youths under 26 get 15% off (genç). Seniors 60-64 get 15% off (yaş 60-64), over 65s get 50% off (yaş 65).
How to buy tickets
How to buy train tickets. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead.
YHT high-speed trains: Turkish Railways use the same type of train on the new Ankara-Konya route as the Ankara-Eskisehir line. Above left, a YHT train at Ankara. Above right, Second class. See more photos & video above.
There's no better way to travel between Ankara and Adana than by train. Take a high-speed YHT train to Konya and change for a journey over the spectacular Taurus mountains to Adana aboard the Toros Express. Update: The Toros Express has been temporarily suspended since May 2024 due to line reconstruction.
YHT = by excellent YHT high-speed train between Ankara & Konya with business class and economy class seats.
Toros = by Toros Express with pullman seats between Konya & Adana. Superb scenery through the Taurus mountains.
* The Toros Express has been temporarily suspended since May 2024 due to line reconstruction.
Check these times at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr or as explained here.
Connection to Tarsus & Mersin Connection to Iskenderun.
How much does it cost?
2025 prices. £1 = TL 45. 1 = 35 TL. $1 = TL 38. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently.
All these fares are one-way per person. Return tickets cost 20% less than two one-way fares.
Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth (genç) fare.
Youths under 26 get 15% off (genç). Seniors 60-64 get 15% off (yaş 60-64), over 65s get 50% off (yaş 65).
How to buy tickets
How to buy tickets: Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You need to buy Ankara-Konya and Konya-Adana as two separate tickets.
Istanbul & Ankara to Eastern Turkey
It's a long way to eastern Turkey, but the trains have sleeping-cars and couchettes for a comfortable and wonderfully scenic journey, making the train far more comfortable, civilised and enjoyable than any cramped long-distance bus. Most trains now use modern air-conditioned TVS2000 sleeping-cars and reclining seat cars. For the weekly onward train to Iran (if & when running), see the London to Iran page. For onward connections to Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia, see the Caucasus page.
Notes for the timetable
As you can see from the timetable, you take a YHT high-speed train from Istanbul to Ankara, then the classic trains from Ankara eastwards.
Check these times at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr or as explained here.
Istanbul Sog. = Söğütlüçeşme, a suburban station 2km (1.2 miles) east of the old Haydarpaşa station, see Söğütlüçeşme station guide & how to reach it.
YHT = Yüksek Hızlı Tren, 250 km/h high-speed train. There's a brief X-ray baggage check on the platform, turn up at least 15 minutes before departure.
Güney Express. Runs on days of the week shown in the table above. TVS2000 sleeping-car (1 & 2-bed rooms), TVS2000 couchette car (4-berth compartments), TVS2000 reclining pullman seats, TVS2000 restaurant car.
Van Gölü Express. Runs on days of the week shown in the table above. TVS2000 sleeping-car (1 & 2-bed rooms), TVS2000 couchette car (4-berth compartments), TVS2000 reclining pullman seats, ordinary seats.
Turistik Doğu Express. Tourist train run by Turkish Railways, runs eastbound from Ankara on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays late December to late February. Westbound, it runs on Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays late December to late February.
It has 9 TVS2000 sleeping-cars (1 & 2-bed rooms) & TVS2000 restaurant car. This train started in 2019, created by TCDD Turkish Railways in response to the popularity of the original Doğu Express. Stops briefly at several locations for off-train excursions. Special fares apply, with dynamic pricing.
Doğu Express. Runs daily with TVS2000 couchette car (4-berth compartments) & TVS2000 reclining pullman seats. This is the original Doğu Express, which became so popular that it was often fully-booked as soon as booking opened. In response, TCDD created the all-sleeping-car Turistik Doğu Express and from May 2019 replaced the sleeping-cars on this original daily Doğu Express with a couchette car. But the scenery is the same whichever train you choose, and the couchettes are comfortable. Says one traveller: "Overnight on brilliant Doğu Express to Erzurum. A trip highlight."
4 Eylül Mavi Tren. TVS2000 4-berth couchette cars & TVS2000 reclining pullman seats. No sleepers.
YHT high-speed trains Ankara-Sivas: In addition to the classic trains shown above, several high-speed trains in each direction started linking Ankara & Sivas every day from April 2023, taking just 2h33 on a much more direct high-speed line.
How much does it cost?
2025 prices. £1 = TL 45. 1 = 35 TL. $1 = TL 38. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently.
All these fares are one-way per person. Return tickets cost 20% less than two one-way fares.
Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth (genç) fare.
Youths under 26 get 15% off (genç). Seniors 60-64 get 15% off (yaş 60-64), over 65s get 50% off (yaş 65).
Special tourist fares apply for the Doğu Turistik Express with no child, youth, senior or return trip discounts.
How to buy tickets
How to buy tickets: Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You must buy Istanbul-Ankara and Ankara-Eastern Turkey as two separate tickets.
Couchettes and sleepers on these trains usually sell out soon after booking opens, so book early and ideally use my suggested agencies to secure tickets as they know how it all works, as shown above.
To book the Turistik Doğu Express, contact Amber Travel, www.ambertravel.com.
What are the sleeping-cars like?
A sleeper compartment with seats folded out and beds folded away. Courtesy of Shigeki Murao. More sleeper photos.
What's the journey like?
Great scenery on the train to Kars: Two views from the Dogu Express, alongside the Euphrates river between Sivan & Erzurum. Away from road development, you'll see great scenery from the comfort of your train. It's the inexpensive & relaxed alternative to airport stress or a nightmare journey in a cramped bus. Photos courtesy of Conor Meleady.
More scenery from the Doğu Express. Photos courtesy of Maximilian Meyer.
An omelette and tea in the dining car. Photos courtesy of Maximilian Meyer.
Breathtaking - the Doğu Express in eastern Turkey. Courtesy of Matthew Woodward, read his blog about the journey here.
Traveller's report
Traveller Matt Dwyer reports on a trip from Istanbul to Kars on the Dogu Express: "We went directly to the Haydarpaşa 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 TL 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 TL (£19 or $30). 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. 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." This was written before the Dogu Express was equipped with modern air-conditioned TVS2000 sleeping-cars.
It's a nightmare 9-hour bus journey from Ankara to Turkey's southern coast. You can easily avoid it by taking a high-speed YHT train from Ankara to Konya in 1h40, then bus from Konya to Alanya or Antalya in around 4h.
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Step 1, travel from Ankara to Konya Selçuklu YHT station by YHT train in 1h40, as shown above.
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In Konya, the bus station is a 15-minute taxi ride from the YHT station, see map.
However, Konya is a great place to visit so I recommend a stopover here.
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Step 2, travel from Konya to Antalya or Alanya by bus in around 4h. Check bus times at www.checkmybus.co.uk.
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Step 1, travel from Ankara to Izmir by YHT train and overnight sleeper as shown here. It's a comfortable and enjoyable journey.
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Step 2, take a local train from Izmir to Aydin railway station as shown here.
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Step 3, take a bus from Aydin bus station to Bodrum or Marmaris. Aydin to Bodrum takes 2h40. Aydin to Marmaris takes 2h20. There's a range of buses daily, try www.pamukkale.com.tr or www.checkmybus.co.uk.
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Step 1, travel by YHT high-speed train from Ankara to Konya as shown above.
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In Konya, the bus station is a 15-minute taxi ride from the YHT station, see map.
However, Konya is a great place to visit so I recommend a stopover here.
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Step 2, take a bus from Konya bus station to Fethiye. Try www.kontur.com.tr for bus times & fares, or www.checkmybus.co.uk.
Izmir to Konya
Konya Mavi = Konya Mavi Tren, with air-conditioned TVS200 sleeping-car with 1 & 2-bed compartments & TVS2000 reclining pullman seats. These are all comfortable air-conditioned, smooth-riding TVS2000 cars.
Check these times at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr or as explained here.
How much does it cost?
2025 prices. £1 = TL 45. 1 = 35 TL. $1 = TL 38. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently.
All these fares are one-way per person. Return tickets cost 20% less than two one-way fares.
Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth (genç) fare.
Youths under 26 get 15% off (genç). Seniors 60-64 get 15% off (yaş 60-64), over 65s get 50% off (yaş 65).
Special tourist fares apply for the Doğu Turistik Express with no child, youth, senior or return trip discounts.
How to buy tickets
How to buy tickets: The sleepers often sell out, so book as soon as you can.
Regular regional trains link Izmir Basmane station with Selçuk, the station for Ephesus, Çamlık, the station for the resort of Kusadasi, and Denizli for the magnificent natural springs at Pamukkale. Buy online or buy at the station and hop on. Izmir to Selçuk is 78 km by train, the ruins at Ephesus are 3.8 km from the modern town of Selçuk, it can be walked or you can take a dolmus (local minibus). For the Istanbul to Denizli Pamukkale Express overnight train, see above.
The trains have 2nd class seats only, and are now operated by comfortable modern air-conditioned diesel trains.
Change in Aydin for buses to Bodrum, Marmaris, Datca.
Additional IZBAN metro trains Izmir-Selçuk: Electric suburban trains operated by IZBAN (www.izban.com.tr) now operate roughly every 75 minutes between Izmir Alsancak station and Selçuk in addition to the diesel regional trains run by TCDD shown here. Currently a change of train is necessary at Tepeköy when using these suburban trains. Suburban service will increase further when more project work is completed. You can check Alsancak-Tepeköy and Tepeköy-Selçuk train times at www.izban.com.tr. Fare around 16 TL.
Çamlık is the closest station to the resort of Kusadasi, 12 km (17 minutes) away by local minibus or taxi. At Çamlık station there is a large open-air railway museum with many Turkish steam locomotives and one of Ataturk's private carriages complete with marble bath.
To check current times, run an enquiry at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr.
How much does it cost?
Izmir to Selçuk TL 100
Izmir to Denizli TL 300
Denizli to Selçuk TL 220
2025 prices. £1 = TL 45. 1 = 35 TL. $1 = TL 38. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently.
Children under 8 free, children 8-11 half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth fare. Seniors over 60 15% off, over 65 50% off. Youths under 26 15% off.
How to buy tickets
These are regional trains, most people buy a ticket at the ticket office and hop on, there are always tickets available.
Or you can buy tickets online at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr, see the advice on using it.
To reach the ruins at Ephesus
Get off the train at Selçuk, It's a pleasant 47 minute 3.8 km walk from the station to the ruins out of town and to the Kusadasi road, click here for walking route map. Alternatively, turn left outside the station and walk up the road running parallel with the train tracks. The otogar (bus station) is about 500 metres on the left with dolmuses (minibuses) leaving every 20 minutes (on the hour, 20 past & 40 past the hour) bound for Kusadasi. These dolmuses will drop you at the top of the road to Ephesus, an easy 1km walk to the ruins so ignore any taxi drivers touting for business here. Dolmus fare TL 30 from Selçuk to Ephesus road, TL 60 from Selçuk to Kusadasi. Feedback appreciated!
What are the trains like?
Adana to Tarsus & Mersin
Adana ► Yenice, Tarsus, Mersin
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Regional trains leave Adana daily at 05:45 and roughly every 30-60 minutes until 23:00.
Update 2025: All trains on this route are suspended from 2024 for up to 2 years due to track upgrading.
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Journey time Adana to Mersin 45-66 minutes, Adana to Tarsus 28-39 minutes, Adana to Yenice 17-26 minutes.
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Fare Adana-Mersin ?? TL.
Mersin, Tarsus, Yenice ► Adana
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Regional trains leave Mersin daily at 05:45 and roughly every 30-60 minutes until 22:30.
Update 2025: All trains on this route are suspended from 2024 for up to 2 years due to track upgrading.
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All these trains call at Tarsus & Yenice. Journey time from Mersin to Adana 45 to 68 minutes.
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Fare Mersin-Adana ?? TL.
The trains between Adana & Mersin are modern air-conditioned diesel units like the one shown in the Izmir to Selçuk & Denizli section above.
To check current train times, go to the Turkish Railways website www.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr or ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr. The information you need may not be shown in the English version of their site, so you must leave it in Turkish, ideally using Google's Chrome browser with automatic translation. Select Bölgesel (= regional trains) at the top. Click the route you are interested in. Trains appear, click each train to see its schedule.
Connections from Istanbul & Ankara...
For train connections from Ankara to Adana, see the Ankara-Adana section.
For train connections from Istanbul to Adana, see the Istanbul-Adana section.
Adana to Iskenderun
Adana ► Iskenderun
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Regional trains run from Adana to Iskenderun 3 times a day, at 07:56, 14:27, 18:03. Journey time around 2h30.
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The train consists of a diesel locomotive and several modern air-conditioned carriages, 2nd class only.
Iskenderun ► Adana
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Regional trains leave Iskenderun for Adana daily at 07:15, 11:30, 17:15, journey time around 2h45.
Fares & how to buy tickets
Adana to Iskenderun costs around TL ??.
Buy tickets at the station or even on board the train, no reservation necessary.
Connections from Istanbul & Ankara
For train connections between Adana & Ankara, see the Ankara-Adana section above.
For train connections between Adana & Istanbul, see the Istanbul-Adana section above.
Traveller's report
Traveller Magnus Larsson reports: "On the minute the train departed from Iskenderun at 07.15 and made its way slowly through the outskirts of town. The Mediterranean sea became visible through the windows at times during the journey. The train was pretty full of passengers but with 2+1 seats there were generous space for all of us. The air-conditioning kept temperature in the wagons at a pleasant level all the time, even though the sun was shining strong when we arrived Mersin on schedule at 10.40. I bought tickets from the ticket counter at Iskenderun station but it is also possible to buy tickets on board."
Sivas to Samsun
Sivas ► Samsun
The line closed in September 2015 for a complete rebuild, but reopened in April 2023 with a daily train leaving every morning, journey time 8h. The train is an air-conditioned diesel unit with comfortable one-class seating.
Samsun ► Sivas
The line closed in September 2015 for a complete rebuild, but reopened in April 2023 with a daily train leaving every morning, journey time 8h. The train is an air-conditioned diesel unit with comfortable one-class seating.
Connections from Ankara to Sivas
Starting in April 2023, three daily YHT high-speed trains link Ankara with Sivas taking just 2h33. They get fully-booked, so book ahead. You will need to stay overnight in Sivas between trains. You can find these using ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr.
Alternatively, use any of the classic trains using the classic route shown in the Ankara to Eastern Turkey section above.
Traveller's report
Traveller Stefan Smith reports: "We used this service as part of a relaxed way to travel from the delightful little town of Amasya, nestled in the depths of a gorge in the Black Sea mountains, back to Ankara. First, we took the 11:32 train from Amasya to Sivas, a leisurely journey through some very pretty unspoiled mountain scenery and lush valleys, arriving at Sivas bang on time at a few minutes past 17:00. We then spent a nice evening in Sivas (the centre of which is a 20-minute walk from the train station), visiting its remarkable Seljuk remains, and having glasses of apple tea in the beautiful courtyards of former madrasas. Then, around midnight, we boarded the Doğu Ekspresi, en route from Kars, to Ankara, arriving around 10:00 the next morning. Much more relaxing than the 7-hour Ankara-Amasya bus journey we had endured a couple of days earlier!"
Istanbul to Thessaloniki & Athens by train
There are currently no trains from Istanbul to Greece.
Izmir to Thessaloniki & Athens by ferry
In 2022, a direct ferry started linking Izmir & Thessaloniki several times a week from Spring until November run by Levante Ferries, www.levanteferries.com. Howver, this seems to have ceased.
Turkey to Greece via a Greek island
Alternatively, 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:
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Ferries between Marmaris & Rhodes sail several times a week. See www.seadreams.gr for details, although you may find it easier to check and book at www.ferriesingreece.com. Journey time 1 hour by catamaran, 2 hours by car ferry.
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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 (50 open return).
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Ferries between Ayvalik (a few hours north of Izmir by bus) & Lesvos (Mytilini) sail daily Monday-Saturday, crossing 1 hour 10 minutes, fare 30.
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A hydrofoil sails every day between Bodrum & Kos, fare 28, crossing 1 hour, Bodrum depart 09:30, Kos depart 15:30, see www.bodrumexpresslines.com.
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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.
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For Lesvos (Mytilini) to Piraeus, see www.hellenicseaways.gr to check sailing dates, times, fares and to book online or use www.ferriesingreece.com. The voyage takes 9.5 hours.
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For Kos-Piraeus or Rhodes-Piraeus see www.bluestarferries.gr to check sailing dates, times, fares and to book online, or use www.ferriesingreece.com. Ferries normally sail Rhodes-Piraeus overnight, with cabins available.
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For Samos-Piraeus, see www.kallistiferries.gr or www.ferriesingreece.com.
Turkey to/from the rest of Europe
Istanbul ► Bucharest, Budapest, Vienna, Paris, London: See the London to Turkey page
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A daily overnight train service links Istanbul with Bucharest, with connections for all of Europe, see the London to Turkey page (via Bucharest section) for details.
Istanbul ► Sofia, Belgrade, Zagreb, Munich, Paris, London: See the London to Turkey page
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A daily overnight train links Istanbul with Sofia with connections for all of Europe, see the London to Turkey page (via Belgrade section) for details.
Other international services
Istanbul ► Aleppo (Syria), Damascus, Amman (Jordan), Petra, Cairo (Egypt)
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Until the start of the conflict in Syria, there was a daily train & bus option from Istanbul to Syria. You took the daily air-conditioned sleeper train through great scenery from Istanbul to Adana (see above) then a bus to Aleppo in Syria. Then a 100 mph air-conditioned train from Aleppo to Damascus. From Damascus you could catch regular daily buses to Amman in Jordan (a 4-5 hour journey), with onward buses & ferries to Petra, Aqaba & Egypt. See the London to Syria, London to Jordan & Egypt pages for information about each stage of the journey. You might be inspired by a blog about travel from the UK to Egypt this way, www.unplaned.com. Of course, for obvious reasons the Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to Syria.
Istanbul / Ankara ► Tehran (Iran): See the Iran page.
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A weekly express train, the Trans-Asia Express, with modern air-conditioned sleeping-berths, ran from Istanbul & Ankara to Tabriz & Tehran in Iran. See the London to Iran page for full details & current status.
Istanbul / Ankara ► Tbilisi (Georgia): See the Caucasus page.
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You can travel by air-conditioned sleeper train across Turkey through great scenery, then bus to the Georgian border, then train to Tbilisi. See the Caucasus page for details.
Istanbul ► Yerevan (Armenia): See the Caucasus page.
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The Turkish/Armenian border is currently closed, and there is no train service between Turkey and Armenia. However, you can easily travel from Turkey to Armenia by first travelling from Istanbul or Ankara to Tbilisi in Georgia), then travelling from Tbilisi to Yerevan in Armenia by direct overnight train. See the Caucasus page for details.
Istanbul ► Baku (Azerbaijan): See the Caucasus page.
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You can travel by air-conditioned sleeper train across Turkey through great scenery, then by bus to the Georgian border, then train to Tbilisi, then by overnight train from Tbilisi to Baku. See the Caucasus page for details.
Istanbul & Gaziantep ► Mosul & Baghdad (Iraq)
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In February 2010, a new weekly train started between Gaziantep in south eastern Turkey and Mosul in northern Iraq, restoring train service between Turkey and Iraq. But unsurprisingly it's now cancelled.
Istanbul ► Odessa (Ukraine) by ferry
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A weekly passenger ship and twice-weekly truck ferry used to link Istanbul with Odessa in Ukraine across the Black Sea, taking about 36 hours. For details of the current situation see the Ukraine page, ferry section.
Turkey ► Cyprus
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A daily fast ferry and regular conventional ferry link Taşucu in southern Turkey with Girne (Kyrenia) in northern Cyprus, just north of Nicosia. See www.fergun.net for ferry times, fares and booking. For train connections from Istanbul to Taşucu via Karaman, see the Cyprus page.
European Rail Timetable & Map
The
European Rail Timetable
(formerly the Thomas Cook European Timetable)
has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus
currency & climate information. It is essential
for regular European train travellers and an inspiration for armchair
travellers. Published since 1873, it had just celebrated 140 years of
publication when Thomas Cook decided to pull the plug on their entire publishing
department, but the dedicated ex-Thomas Cook team set up a private venture and
resumed publication of the famous European Rail Timetable in March 2014.
You can buy it online at
www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses) or
www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide).
More information
on what the European Rail Timetable contains.
Rail Map Europe is the map I recommend, covering all of Europe from Portugal in the west to Moscow & Istanbul in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily & Athens in the south. Scenic routes & high-speed lines are highlighted. See an extract from the map. Buy online at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide) or at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses).
How to buy train tickets online
The Turkish Railways website has a good online booking facility, revamped in 2014 and available (mostly) in English. The system will book most long distance domestic trains within Turkey, including seats, couchettes and sleepers.
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Go to ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr and change TR to English top right.
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How to buy tickets online
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The main TCDD (Turkish Railways) website is www.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr, but at the time I write this it's only in Turkish and only accessible using a VPN set to a Turkish IP address.
But their sales website at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr is accessible without a VPN and it has an English version, change TR to English top right.
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Remember that reservations for Turkish trains normally opens 60 days before departure, or for some trains less than this. You won't see any trains if you look too far ahead.
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Use the online system to buy Turkish domestic train tickets, it's pretty straightforward. It even allows you to select specific seats or sleeper berths from a plan.
For Istanbul, type Istanbul and select ISTANBUL(SÖĞÜTLÜÇEŞME), ISTANBUL.
For Ankara, type Ank... and select ANKARA GAR, ANKARA.
For Konya, type Kony... and select
Remember it can only book one train at a time, it cannot book journeys involving multiple connecting trains. So book each train you want individually.
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A few useful words & phrases as not every Turkish word is fully translated:
2+2 Pullman and 2+1 Pullman = seating with seats arranged either 2+2 or 2+1 across the width of the car.
YATAKLI = sleeping-car. On the plan, üst = upper berth, alt = lower berth. If you book 1 person, you get a whole 2-berth compartment.
Örtülü kuşetli = 4-berth couchettes. If you book 1 person, you get 1 berth in a shared compartment.
YHT = high speed train.
Tam = adult rate
çocuk = child rate = children under 12. Under 8s go free, 12 & over pay the youth fare.
genç = youth fare for anyone under 26 = 15% discount.
60-64 yaş = senior fare, 15% discount for anyone 60-64.
65 yaş = senior fare, 50% discount for anyone over 65.
Satış Sözleşmesini Okudum ve Kabul Ediyorum = "I have read & agree to the terms & conditions."
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Remember that Google language tools will help with anything not fully translated, see www.google.co.uk/language_tools?hl=en.
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You should get an e-ticket you can print or
To
get the most out of your trip, you'll need a good guidebook
- I'd recommend the Lonely Planets guides as about the best out there. The
Middle East guidebook is less detailed, but covers Egypt,
Syria, Jordan, Iran, Israel and other countries as well as
Turkey.
Click the images to buy online at Amazon.co.uk
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Hotels in Istanbul
Without a doubt, the famous and historic Pera Palas Hotel, where Agatha Christie, Mustafa Kemal Attaturk and even King George V have stayed, is the most interesting place to stay, see below. It wasn't that expensive, by grand hotel standards, although prices have risen after its recent complete refurbishment. The nearby Grand Hotel de Londres offers similar affordable grandeur, www.londrahotel.net, it's apparently a favourite with archaeologists working in Turkey! Alternatively, the Yasmak Sultan is a good choice. If you are on a tight budget and want a backpacker hostel room or dorm bed at a rock-bottom price, see www.hostelworld.com. For independent reviews of Istanbul hotels, see www.tripadvisor.com.
Pera Palas Hotel: Check prices
Easily the most famous and historic hotel in Istanbul is the Pera Palas, built in 1892 by the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits to accommodate the passengers arriving by train on the Orient Express from London and Paris. It was closed for refurbishment for several years, but reopened in 2010 with its delightfully faded grandeur fully restored. If your budget will stretch (prices after refurbishment will start at around 200 a night for a double room, up from around 100 in its previously faded form), it's a wonderful and historic place to stay. One of it's rooms has been kept as a museum to Turkish leader Ataturk, another room (411) was regularly used by Agatha Christie, and can actually be booked by guests. Book the Pera Palace online...
The Man in Seat 61 says: "Istanbul's famous Pera Palas hotel is a classic, one of my favourite hotels anywhere - admittedly much pricier after its refurbishment, but now a true 5 star hotel with helpful & friendly staff. It's a special place for my wife and I, it just happens to be where I told my wife she was pregnant with our first child, after the hotel's duty manager translated a certain Turkish word..."
Backpacker
hostels
If you're on a tight budget, don't forget the hostels. For a dorm bed or an ultra-cheap private room in backpacker hostels in most European cities use www.hostelworld.com.
Travel insurance & other tips
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Always take out travel insurance
Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover. It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself. Here are some suggested insurers. Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.
www.staysure.co.uk
offers enhanced Covid-19 protection & gets 4.7 out of 5 on
Trustpilot.
www.columbusdirect.com
is also a well-know brand.
If you live in the USA try
Travel Guard USA.
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Get an eSIM with mobile data package
Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a mobile data package for the country you're visiting and stay connected. Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM card so you don't need to buy a physical SIM, including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list. Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data.
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Get a Curve card for foreign travel
Most banks give you a poor exchange rate, then add a foreign transaction fee on top. A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month at time of writing. The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.
How it works: 1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android. 2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses. 3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card. 4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app. You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.
I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader. The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than digging a card out). I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great. See details, download the app and get a Curve card, they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.
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Get a VPN for safe browsing. Why you need a VPN
When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure. A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi. It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply. See VPNs & why you need one explained. ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription. I get a small commission to help support this site.
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Carry an Anker powerbank
Tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes are often held digitally on your mobile phone, so it's vital to keep it charged. I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over if I can't get to a power outlet. Buy from Amazon.co.uk or from buy from Amazon.com.