As touristic version of Dogu Express will start on 29th of May, more touristic routes are on the table.
As the overnight trains have become popular, TCDDT and Ministry of Tourism is now working on new trains on similar routes, only with sleepers, only for tourism, non-subsidized, calling at much less stations for longer times.
As Burak Erdem Celik from Sabah reported, 5 more trains other than Dogu Express will start one after the other.
With touristic trains, tourism is expected to grow faster in departure/arrival/calling stations. With excursions on way, many attractions all around Anatolia will be accessed easily.
In the following pages, you’ll read route, details and attractions on way of these 6 trains.
What would be your favorite route?
However, the tourism train routes have to be designed all over again considering travelers’ interests, needs and habits.
Thus, after examining the 6 routes, we expect to get your own route, best of which to be presented at Rail Turkey for followers and officers.
Best suggestions will be determined according to following criterias:
- Popularity of the departure point
- Popularity of the arrival point, accommodation and alternative transport back from there
- Stops and attractions on way
- Total travel time and route of train during day
Categories: Passenger
Rail Turkey En 
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT ALL OVERNIGHT SLEEPERS LEAVE FROM HYDARPASA STATION.
ISTANBUL TO IZMIR
ISTANBUL TO KONYA AND ANTALYA IF POSSIBLE
ISTANBUL TO ADANA SLEEPER VIA ANKARA
i have travelled on the Adana to Ankara overnight – Ankara to Kars – istanbul to Denizli and all were fantastic. This was a couple of years ago. The route in to Istanbul – Hydarpasa through the mountains
early morning in summer was spectacular, with water gushing down the streams and men on tall ladders picking cherries in the orchards. Very special and has me hooked on all sleeper train trips.
But we should not forget that the old, traditional Dogu will loose its sleeper cars, which is not a good evolution.
Haydarpaşa station site is lost to Kalkhedon historic site during restoration works. Closest possibilities are Harem, Kadıköy and Söğütlüçeşme.
Yes Petra is absolutely correct. Essential that trains depart from the magnificent, historic, Hydarpasa station. Also information available in English as well as Turkish would be incredibly helpful to many travellers.
I shall go by Dogu express for tourist from Ankara to Kars. What about food. Do we get food free or do we have to buy.
You have to buy at dining car or bring. Or you can eat at stops.
I realise that diesel power must be provided to provide electricity to power the dining cars etc but it would be wonderful if a steam locomotive could be added at some stage between Ankara and Kars.
How about some connection to northern turkey. Would love to travel to Trabzon, Rize and Artvin to stay in highlands. Seems to that there is not much options to reach them rather than bus and minibuses.
No rail connection to that region unfortunately.