Rail Turkey En

How is it that tickets are immediately sold out as soon as they are released for sale? Do travel agencies buy all the places? What is TCDD doing to make it possible for ordinary passengers to reserve sleeping-car places?

What has been achieved with the IZBAN system is impressive, but the system is plagued by a problem common to many urban systems: long journeys (Aliağı to Alsancak, for example) are tedious with the many stops. This reminds me of what it is like travelling from Heathrow Airport to central London on the Piccadilly Line. There needs to be consideration for the provision of express/limited stop services and this will certainly be necessary to encourage tourists to use the IZBAN for places such as Selçuk and Bergama. The IZBAN is also a way to access Foca (combined with ESHOT bus services) but would be more attractive with an express service.

Hello Onur have just found your terrific website. I live in Melbourne, love trains and travel to work on electric Metro and then DMU. Like many Australians I have been to Turkey (three times in my case), but have never travelled on Turkish trains – other than from Sirkeci out to the end of the line on the Metro – plus had a look at wonderful, wonderful Haydarpasa station on last visit (2012). Hoping to get back to your beautiful country next year – your information on train travel within Turkey is really excellent. Best wishes.