Two new touristic train services will start in April.

Two new touristic train services will start in April based on the positive results of Touristic Dogu Express.

This idea was arroused from popularity of sleeper trains on some routes. On Ankara-Kars route, sleeper wagons were cancelled in classic Dogu Express and touristic Dogu Express started service only with sleepers and dining car. Unlike classic ones, touristic trains do not call in all stations on way and prices are much higher compared to classic ones since they are not subsidized.

Touristic trains differ from classic ones with long stops at 1-3 stations for 3-4 hours which allow travellers having city excursions on that area.

Touristic train on Ankara-Tatvan route will depart every Wednesday from Ankara and will stop at Elazig for 4 hours. Museum of Archeology and Etnography and ancient city Harput are most important places to visit at Elazig.

On Tatvan-Ankara route, train will depart every Friday from Tatvan and will stop at Palu for 3 hours, at Elazig for 4 hours and at Kayseri for 3 hours. Palu has many attraction points such as Old Bridge, Castle, Epitaph of Urartu, Byzantine Church. Kayseri is quite rich with historical places. Seljukian Museum, Armenian Church of Surp Krikor Lusaroic, Soganli Valley, Hunat Hatun Kulliye, House of Mimar Sinan are some of them.

Touristic train on Ankara-Diyarbakır route will depart every Friday from Ankara. Train will stop at Malatya for 3 hours. The most important attraction point on this region is Nemrut, which is in UNESCO’s World Heritage List, however it seems not possible to visit there within 3 hours.

On Diyarbakır-Ankara route, train will depart every Sunday from Diyarbakır and will stop at Yolçatı for 4 hours and at Kayseri for 3 hours.

Both trains will give service until mid June.

These two trains will run on route of current train services Vangolu and Kurtalan. Similar to classic Dogu Express, sleeper wagons may be cancelled as these touristic trains start.

Cover photo: TCDD Taşımacılık ©