Here are some suggested travel itineraries to get you started on your Turkish adventure, from short city breaks and coastal drives to scenic train routes and epic trips across the outback. Come and discover your perfect way to see Turkey.
GREAT SCENIC EXPERIENCE
Train is a culture, and the Eastern Express (Dogu Express) is a great alternative for people who want to discover Anatolia. The route, which is passing through the heart of nature, is one of the world's most amazing scenic train journeys.
Eastern Express
A visual feast from the middle to the east of Anatolia for 1310 km. The Eastern Express (Dogu Express) is the name of an overnight passenger train which travels on one of the oldest railways in Turkey. Operated by the Turkish State Railways, The Eastern Express starts its journey in Ankara and ends it in Kars. It takes more than 24 hours to complete this journey.
The route, which is among the 10 most beautiful railway journeys in the world, fascinates passengers with its scenery. Due to the natural beauties that the train passes through, it is highly preferred by travel lovers, photographers and social media fans.
No matter the season, the view from the window is always stunning and highly recommended for an alternative experience of Turkey.
Enjoy Nostalgic Journey
Kars is the new route for travelers with the Eastern Express. It is true that getting there by plane is much shorter, but travelers prefer the Eastern Express to enjoy a nostalgic journey adorned by breathtaking views. The Eastern Express completes its fairytale journey between Ankara and Kars in approximately 24 hours. After the train departments from Ankara, passes the cities of Kirikkale, Kayseri, Sivas, Erzincan, Erzurum and arrives at the station in Kars. You can see stunning views along the way legendary on the train, but the most sights are between Ilic district of Erzincan and Erzurum. Before you go to sleep at night, set your alarm. You will be enchanted when you wake up.
Accommodation and Comfort
The Eastern Express operates between Ankara and Kars every day and consists of pulman, couchette and dining cars. It is also completely disabled friendly.
Couchette Car: There are 10 compartments in couchette cars, and 4 people can travel in each compartment. As you know, the journey is long, over 24 hours. You can choose the couchette wagon for maximum enjoyment.
Dining Car: In the dining car, there are 14 tables and 56 seats in total. It serves breakfast, soup, wide selection of dishes, cold sandwiches and hot/cold drinks. The dining car is open to passengers 24/7.
Touristic Eastern Express
The Touristic Eastern Express is a scenic passenger train operated by the Turkish State Railways. It is an alternative to the regular Eastern Express. The train with nine cars, including six sleeping cars, one dining car, and two service cars, and has a capacity of 120 passengers. Service frequency is three times a week. Train departs from Ankara on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, it also departs from Kars on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Best Time to Travel
Summer is the busiest season and during this season travelers usually prefer pulman cars. The best time to travel with the Eastern Express is winter or late autumn, as the snow covered landscape makes everything seem more magical. In the winter months, travelers from different professions such as hiking groups, photographers, mountaineering groups, students and teachers prefer couchette cars.
Make It Happen
We recommend that you buy tickets of the Eastern Express as early as possible for an unforgettable scenic experience. The tickets can easily be bought online, or from train stations and tourism agencies.