Ankara, December 22 – The Touristic Eastern Express, a popular rail service connecting Ankara and Kars, officially commenced its new winter season today with a ceremony at Ankara Gar, attended by Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu. The minister highlighted the train’s significance in promoting Turkey’s cultural, natural, and historical heritage.
A Journey Through Anatolia’s Heart
Minister Uraloğlu recalled the launch of the Touristic Eastern Express on May 29, 2019, emphasizing its role as a unique and impactful means of showcasing Turkey’s rich tapestry to the world. “Since then, it has continued its journey as one of the most special and impressive tools to introduce Turkey’s unique culture, breathtaking natural beauties, and deep-rooted historical heritage to the world,” he stated. The minister added that the express offers a high-quality, extraordinary, and unforgettable travel experience for young people, nature and photography enthusiasts, and travelers of all ages seeking a different kind of holiday. “Since its first journey in 2019, over 81,000 passengers have experienced this unique journey and discovered the soul of Anatolia,” Uraloğlu said.
New Season: More Journeys, More Passengers
For the new season, which began today, the Touristic Eastern Express will operate on a comprehensive schedule. “In the new season starting today, we will organize 30 round trips from Ankara-Kars until February 27, 2026, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and from Kars-Ankara until March 1, 2026, on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, making a total of 60 journeys,” Uraloğlu announced. Each train, comprising 8 comfortable sleeping cars and 1 dining car, will have a capacity of 160 passengers. “Thus, in the new season, we will offer the magic of Anatolia to 10,800 travel enthusiasts,” he added. The express will make stops in Erzincan (2 hours 30 minutes) and Erzurum (4 hours) on the Ankara-Kars route, and in İliç (3 hours), Divriği (2 hours 30 minutes), and Sivas (3 hours) on the Kars-Ankara route, allowing passengers to explore the history, culture, and local flavors of these cities. “It will continue to introduce Turkey’s natural and historical heritage to the whole world,” Uraloğlu affirmed.
U-FEST: Empowering Youth Through Travel
Minister Uraloğlu also elaborated on the U-FEST organizations, designed to introduce young people to innovations and advancements in the transportation sector. “To enable our youth to experience the Touristic Eastern Express, we organize raffles within the scope of U-FEST and offer this unique journey free of charge to students studying at universities across Turkey,” he explained. In the initial phase, 40 students will be hosted on today’s inaugural journey, followed by another 40 on the December 26 journey, totaling 80 students. “With an additional 80 students on the last two trains in February, we will have brought a total of 160 students together with this unforgettable journey during the season,” Uraloğlu stated. These students will participate in workshops under the theme ‘Meeting in Touristic East with U-FEST Youth,’ where they will learn about the Ministry, touristic trains, and railways. Their travel experiences will also be noted to inform future planning. “For them, this is not just a trip, but an opportunity to discover Anatolia’s deep history and the rich heritage of railways on tracks,” the minister concluded.
Expanding Touristic Rail Routes
Uraloğlu further revealed plans to evaluate and implement new touristic train routes in other areas. “This year, we also launched the Touristic Diyarbakır Express and the Kars-Erzurum Regional Touristic Train,” he said. In addition to these, TCDD Taşımacılık has operated special trains like the Touristic Tuz and Karaelmas Expresses based on requests from various organizations. “In fact, if you remember, our Touristic Diyarbakır Express was listed among the ‘World’s 100 Most Beautiful Routes’ by Time magazine, one of the world’s most respected publications, last year,” Uraloğlu highlighted. This year, the Diyarbakır Express successfully completed 6 journeys (3 outbound and 3 inbound), transporting a total of 476 passengers. If there is demand, it will continue its services in 2026. The Kars-Erzurum Regional Touristic Train completed 24 journeys (12 outbound and 12 inbound), serving 2,781 passengers. For 2026, 20 journeys (10 outbound and 10 inbound) are planned between January 17 and February 15, operating twice a week on Saturdays and Sundays. “If there is demand, we will also plan services for our Touristic Tatvan, Tuz, and Karaelmas Expresses,” Uraloğlu concluded.
Source: https://www.dha.com.tr/yerel-haberler/ankara/ankara-turistik-dogu-ekspresi-yola-cikti-2782473
