Overnight service with sleepers will start between Istanbul and Ankara after 7 years.

After meeting with HSTs as Marmaray project commissioned, Istanbul is now getting prepared for the overnight train service with sleepers.

Ankara Express, the overnight service between Istanbul and Ankara, which was suspended in 2012, will restart service on 5th of July, 2019.

Different than old route between Haydarpasa and Ankara, Ankara Express will now cross Bosphorus via Marmaray Tunnel. Halkali is the last station in European side of Istanbul.

Train has 4 startand coaches with seats and 4 sleepers, with a total capacity of 230 seats and 80 berths. Train also has dining car.

The train departs at 22:00 both from Ankara and Halkali. The travel time is 8:45-9:00 hrs.

Route, timetable and fares of Ankara Express

The standard coach fare is slightly less than HSTs, 70 TL (€ 11). Sleeper costs 390 TL (€ 60) for two.

This will be the first overnight/sleeper train arriving at Istanbul after many years. If succeeded, more may start departing from Istanbul, as in the old years.

Trains have started a hard competition with buses and planes with HSTs on Istanbul-Ankara route. With this service, trains will start offering “early arrival at city” for these two business destinations.

Cover photo: Onur Uysal ©