Touristic Eastern Express services are starting! Details announced

Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu made a written statement regarding the new season services of the Touristic Eastern Express.

WHEN WILL THE EASTERN EXPRESS SERVICES START?

Reminding that the first trip was made on May 29, 2019, Uraloğlu stated that 71 thousand passengers have traveled by the train to date, and that approximately 10 thousand 500 travel enthusiasts will be served in the new season starting on December 23.

Pointing out that 60 trips will be made in the 2024-2025 period, consisting of 30 departures and 30 returns, Uraloğlu assessed, "The journey will begin in the Ankara-Kars direction and will conclude with the train service taking place in the Kars-Ankara direction on March 2, 2025."

Stating that the services in the Ankara-Kars direction will take place on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and the Kars-Ankara services on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, Uraloğlu said, "Services in the Ankara-Kars direction will depart from the Historic Ankara Station at 13:45, with a 2-hour and 30-minute break in Erzincan and a 4-hour break in Erzurum. Services in the Kars-Ankara direction will depart at 21:05, offering passengers the opportunity to explore these cities with a 3-hour and 30-minute stop in İliç, a 2-hour and 30-minute stop in Divriği, and a 3-hour stop in Sivas."

Drawing attention to the fact that they aim to mobilize the tourism potential of the region with the Touristic Eastern Express, Uraloğlu made the following assessments:

"This experience, which we offer as an alternative holiday option, promises our passengers an unforgettable winter journey accompanied by the unique landscapes of Anatolia. This route, which is practically an open-air studio for photography enthusiasts, provides the opportunity to see our country's historical and natural beauties from a different perspective and to immortalize these beauties. The memories collected at every stop become not just a trip, but also part of a cultural journey that brings the past and the present together."

Announcing that the Regional Touristic Kars–Erzurum Express will also begin services, Uraloğlu noted the following:

"Due to the intense demand for the Touristic Eastern Express, the Regional Touristic Kars–Erzurum Express, which we will put into service, will make 24 trips. The train in question will have a capacity of 291 passengers and will operate on Saturdays and Sundays between January 18 and February 23, 2025."