We’d like to help you for your questions about train travel.
Please keep in mind that we are not a call center working for TCDD Tasimacilik or any other operator, and we cannot help you for ticketing or reservation problems.
You can write your question at the bottom of this page, in “questions/comments” box.
Rail Turkey En 
Where can or reserve the ticket for the transasia-express? I live in Germany. Is it possible to reserve the ticket with a e-mail?
Transasia Express is suspended. In general, it’s not possible to reverve nor buy international train tickets via internet or email in Turkey. Online tickets are only available for high speed and main line trains.
I just bought tickets from Sivas to Kars for two people, but with I did a mistake about the names, I put twice my name for both tickets… How can I change that ?
Probably, officer at train will understand and help when your tickets are checked, but to guarantee, I’d suggest you to get in contact with TCDD: call center: +904448233 (english is available) whatsapp: +905073218233
From Istanbul, Turkey need to get to Pamukkale, Turkey Hotel ‘Richmond Pamukkale Thermal Hotel’ on 8 Oktober, 2018 and back on 20 October, 2018 to Istanbul Ataturk Aeroport to fly to Washington, DC USA
Is the Sofia to Istanbul train running or is there a replacement bus ?
Yes, train is running. Departing from Halkali and Sofia every day. No replacement bus. There’s free shuttle service between Halkali and Istanbul city center (Sirkeci).
my friend and I would like to take a train from Istanbul to Bukarest. Is it possible to take our bicycles with us on the train? I found out that there is this train named Bosphorus express (Bosfor Ekspresi)) but is it possible to take bicycles on this train? Or are there any other possibilitys to get to Bukarest with our bicycles, like a bus or something like this?
TCDD does not accept non-folbadble bicycles to trains, unless there a luggage car. There’s no in Bosphor Express. Furthermore, couchettes do not have enough space for 4 passengers and 2 bicycles at the same time. On the other hand, train is generally empty, there are many space. Maybe you can visit Sirkeci with bicycles, and ask if they can make an exception.
I’m travelling on the Yht train from Istanbul to Konya we 3 adults and 2 children wanted to know about baggage, what is the allowance
In high speed trains, 1 standard or 2 small size baggages are allowed per person.
My uncle wants to know is there any rout (train ) he can take from van to antalia . he wants to come from Tabriz in iran to van in turkey by train and from there countinuie travelling to antalia in turkey .please let me know where and how he can get tickets.he wil travel with his wife and one child.
Yes, he can cross to Tatvan by ferry, travel to Ankara, and then to Konya by train. There’s connected bus service from Konya to Antalya. Please check arrival depurture times, where he may face long waiting time.
You have said in the past that Sirkeci station Istanbul will be open ‘at the end of the year’. Are they still on that timeline? Or how much into 2019 will they need to go into to complete the track rebuild into the station?
Still the target is Jan 2019.You can see the counter on left side of home page of Rail Turkey.
We are used to travelling in South-East Europe with Balkan Flexipass. Turkey is the last country that we have not visited.
We have the following question.
Could we buy Balkan Flexi Pass 2nd class in Turkey at international ticket counters?
The second option for us is to come to Turkey from Bulgaria. We are aware of the train to Istanbul. But how to continue… Is Balkan Flexi Pass valid for the high-speed rail in Turkey? Do we need a seat reservation or supplementary ticket for a high-speed train?
I was not able to find any information about Ankara-Tbilisi train. Is there a night train from Ankara to Tbilisi?
Many thanks and greetings from the Czech Republic!
Hi.. Sirkeci in Istanbul is the right place to buy the pass. You can find more details about Sirkeci station at Rail Turkey. There’s no info in TCDD websites if they are valid or not in HSTs (here there’s mainly info for Turkish citizens travelling to other Balkan countries). Reservation is mandotary for main line trains, so if it’s valid in HSTs, reservation should be mandotary If it’s not valid, Eskisehir (by high speed train) or Bandirma (by ferry) are the closest stations to start travelling by pass. Ankara-Tblisi train will start in 2019 summer. Good luck, and pls let us know about your experience.
Hello…We would like to visit Istanbul and then travel to Bucharest by sleeper train, in September 2019. When will Turkish railways have online bookings available ? As we cannot ttravel to Istanbul without tickets in case train is full.
I notice people say train is empty, but it is empty, because online booking not available !!
Unfortunately, online booking has never been possible for international trains. And I don’t think it will soon.. Be careful about dates, because Bucharest train is running only during summer (generally till end of September). Yes it is easy to find ticket for that train..
For the couchette, you need a reservation. I do not know how it is in case of IST-BUCH train, but most of the European trains reservations could be booked in national agencies/railway undertakings.
I had this problem for one international train to Romania, we bought the bed reservation in advance and the tickets in the day of travel. If you are no Balkan citizen, you can do the same and buy Balkan Flexi Pass on the day of departure.
Hello!
I’m coming to turkey because I’ve planned to travel from Ankara to Kars by Dogu train on December 28th. Like advised on your website, I went to TCDD webpage 30 days earlier in order to buy 2 tickets for a sleeping cabin. Unfortunately, they were already sold out. Is there any other possibility to buy these tickets for a sleeping cabin? I’m a bit frustrated because I cannot find any other operator or travel agency where to get these tickets. Therefore, any of your precious advices would be helpful.
Thanks in advance.
Regards, Lucie
Hi Lucie. The tickets are sold out in seconds every night. Many people in Turkey complain about that. Travel agencies can be an option, but all sell packages, not the train ticket itself.
Hello,
In a few months I plan to travel on the Dogu Express from Erzurum to Ankara. I’ve heard that sleeper tickets are very difficult to secure. Do you know at what time exactly each day the tickets are released on Eybis? Secondly, can you suggest any travel agents who will be able to get these tickets?
Thanks.
https://railturkey.org/2018/12/12/how-to-find-ticket-for-dogu-express/
i’m coming to istanbul and i want to spend 5 days in bodrum , can i go by train and how to make booking
Not easy. Maybe via Soke, if you don’t mind many interchange. Check below post, usibg Soke train from Izmir. https://tr.railturkey.org/seyahat/rotalar/efes/
thanks for this great website! I’m looking to travel from Tabriz to Ankara in april. I found information elsewhere, that there now is a connection from tabriz to Van again, as well es a connection from Tatvan to Ankara.
Can you confirm this?
Furthermore, I am looking to buy a Balkan Flexi-Pass, as it is a great deal. What would you recommend where I can buy it? According to your website, Tatvan station does not offer rail passes.
Hi Floris. Yes, there’s train connection from Tatvan to Ankara. Only 2 times a week, so be careful. Check this: https://railturkey.org/travel/trains/mainline/vangolu/ Not Tatvan, but Van has an international ticket office. I guess all offices other than Sirkeci at Istanbul may not be very familiar with Balkan pass. So try.. Other choice is to buy a flexipass from another country at the beginning. This article may help: https://travel.railturkey.org/2015/12/01/balkan-flexipass/
Hello,
I am riding a motorbike from London, England to Kyrgyzstan next summer, via Turkey. I would like to travel from Istanbul to Konya on the train and to take my motorbike with me. Does anyone know if it is possible to take a motorbike on the high speed trains?
Thanks
Unfortunately, that is not possible, neither in HSTs, nor in most of other trains.
Hola viajo a turquia en abril queriamos tomar tren desde aeropuerto denizli a efeso sabes si es posible y cuando se pueden comprar los pasajes
There’s direct train from Denizli to Ephesus. Check Izmir Denizli train at Rail Turkey. Have a nice trip.
Is there a start date for Ankara-Baku trains?
Late 2019 summer is announced by Azerbaijan railways
Thank you. It keeps being delayed. Such a shame.
Hi, how do I get from Soke or Aydin to Istanbul by train please.
Check touristic routes, how to go to ephesus, at rail turkey. Do vicd versa. Also pamukkale would explain you the other alternative.
we are 5 from tourists from Pakistan visiting Turkey and want to explore Sofia by train. Can we get visa for Bulgaria on arrival. any body can guide please ?
You need to get before passing Bulgarian border. Check visa office in Istanbul (vfs global).
Is there any train from Izmir airport to Selcuk?
Yes. Check “How to get to Ephesus by train?” at Rail Turkey.
Dear Sirs, is there a train connection between Tatvan / Van and Kars? If yes, what are the timetables, frequencies and routes?
There’s not a direct connection. You can use Vangolu and Dogu trains together, if you don’t mind the long travel time. See timetables under travel menu.
Hi. is there a train from:
Ankara to Cappadacio
Antalya to Fethiye
Fethiye to Pammukale
Please check touristic routes at Rail Turkey for travel by rail to Cappadocia and Pamukkale. Unfortunately, there’s no rail connection to Antalya and Fethiye.
Do you know, when train from Sofia will finish at Sikreci station and when train to Ankara will depart from Haydarpasa or Söğütlüçeşme?
Not clear yet. Haydarpasa is expected to be ready within a couple of months. Sirkeci will be technically possible in March, however it’ll be an admnistrative decision to depart Sofia train from Sirkeci.
Do you think, that in 3rd may Sofia train will finish in Sikerci? If not, i will have to go by Marmaray or it shuttle bus will still ride?
Cheers from Poland
In worst case, you can take Marmaray
Hi, do you know why i can’t buy ticket for Pendik-Ankara (Eryaman) train for date after 9th March. Normally, today i could buy ticket for 12th March, but last date when i can buy ticket is 9th March.
Hst tickets are sold 15 days prior to departure.
But 15 days from today is 12th March…
You have right. There may be a change. Or a mistake. Let’s check tomorrow again.
It seems there’ll be a change.. Tickets are still for 9th of March. Most probably, signalization will soon be completed and Ankara trains will restart departing from Ankara Central Station. They may be waiting for final confirmation.
Maybe, but Marmaray starts at 10th March and maybe according to this, YHT will start from Halkalı or Sö….. (i don’t know how to write it xD). I heard that they have already set map of stops in Marmaray EMUs and the map says, that it will be possible to change to YHT at Halkalı, Bakirköy, Sö…. and Bostanci
Ah, you have right. Cong. Yes that seems the reason.
Where can i buy a ticket online for a train ticket from Tabriz, Iran to Van, Turkey??
No online tickets for international trains.. You need to go to train station with international sales office.
I am planning on coming from Britain to make a tour of as many railways in Turkey as I can, helped by your excellent website. I notice that on mainline trains, double seats are assigned on a gender-specific basis. However, on regional trains there is no reservation, so we must choose the most suitable seat available on boarding. Can you tell me if it is alright for a man to take a seat next to a woman? If it is alright, would it be more courteous even so to find another seat?
Hi Peter. You are very kind and thoughtful. If there’s a chance, it would be nice to take anıther seat. But do not hesitate much. I wouldn’t. You, as a tourist, will have more credit than me. 🙂
Hi. Do you know if it’ s any fee for seat reservation YHT Istanbul-Ankara. I’m travelling with Balkan Flexipass.
I called Tcdd call center. They told that there’s no fee. Let me know if you face stg different.
Can I take free seat reservation for YHT from eybis website?
Call center could not be sure. Try and see if there’s any field where you can enter pass num. Let me know the result.
So I have to enter my ticket number when I’m taking only a seat reservation? I haven’t bought my flexipass yet.
Hello
Can you tell me how well the seats in TVS2000 Pullman coaches line up with the windows? The photographs on this website look encouraging, but it would be worth knowing if there are any that don’t have such a good view.
Thank you
Peter
Windows are quite wide. However, there are bad and very bad seats as well. Check this video and try to understand which seats are bad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h1HPMC3RAI
Hello Onur! Question about Halkali: do the Marmary trains use the same station as the train to Sofia? Or does TCDD still depend on the bus transfer? Will the ‘old’ route Halkali-Sirkeci ever be put back into use? (I understand that the bids for rebuilding the old route came in way too high.)
Same station, no need for bus. Old route will take some time.
Hello, 2 questions:
1. Where can I buy a ticket from Istanbul to Sofia, is there any international ticket office in central Istanbul? Or I have to buy it at Halkali?
2. What’s your recommendation to go from central Istanbul to Halkali station?
Thanks very much.
You can buy at Sirkeci station. And travel by Marmaray suburban train from Sirkeci to Halkali easily.
Hello,
You have a very useful and informative website.
I just have one question – does Nazilli train station have a left luggage facility? I want to take the train from Selcuk to Nazilli and than go to Aphrodisias. When I’m done, I want to take the train to Denizli. The only problem is that I need to leave my luggage in Nazilli, hence the question.
Regards,
Keith.
Hi Keith. Many thanks. I tried to get in contact, but as usual, noone answered phone. Luggage storage not very common in train stations, especially in small ones. If you cannot find in station, I’d suggest going to main bus station (otogar in Turkish), which is 850 mt away, and ask there. It’s called “emanet” in Turkish. It’s mainly a room with a staff, Try to keep your valuable things with you. And do not forget to give feedback about your experience. Enjoy your trip.
Hi Onur,
Thank you for the reply. The Otogar sounds perfect.
HI i would like to ask in possible to send my motorcycle from mersine or tasucu or konya to istanbul or izmir or Edrine. as i dont want to drive in turkey? possible? if i need to send my motorcycle to europe possible? is it possible also to travel with the motorcycle?
One friend recently did it from Mersin to Trieste, Italy by RoRo.
Is it possible to take bicycles in the train between Tehran/Tabriz and Van, then further on to Ankara and Istanbul? If yes, how is it possible to get tickets?
Except foldable ones, bicycles are only allowed if train has separete luggage wagon. And luggage wagon is not common. Van-Tabriz train tickets are on sale at departure/arrival stations. Tatvan-Ankara train tickets are on sale both on internet and stations. See more details at related train pages at Rail Turkey.
Hello dear . I whant to travel to Hamburg from istanbul by train. Please can you tell me which way is better to me…
Best Regards
Abbas..
Check international trains page at Rail Turkey. Easiest would be Optima from Edirne, I guess.
We are traveling from Bursa to Kusadasi to Denizli, Eskehir, Ankara and Nevsehir in June. Should we book tickets in advance to secure seats or will it be fine to purchase tickets when we arrive at the train station as our travel times may not be accurate.
Do we need any special Cards like Istanbulcard or Bursacard, etc.
Unfortunately no train connection to Bursa yet.. You may use bus connection to Eskisehir, then to Ankara, Denizli by train. For Nevsehir, check “how to get to Cappadocia by rail” under “touristic routes” at Rail Turkey. For Kusadasi, closest station is at Soke.
Hello,
Can you take a dog on the high speed train from Ankara to Eskisehir?
Yes, with some limitations/exceptions. Check this page for details: https://railturkey.org/travel/train-and-travel-details/2/
Thank you for your quick response.
H ello,
How do I get from Bodrum to Isparta, from Isparta to Pamukkale, and from Pamukkale to Cappadocia?
Bodrum is not rail connected. No train service to Isparta. Check touristic routes at Rail Turkey for Cappadocia and Pamukkale
Thanks for your quick reply.
I would like to see a lavender field in kuyucak village in Isparta, but is there no way to go?
I don’t know Kuyucak. Maybe by bus.
thanks!
is it possible to bring a cat with us on the train from istanbul to plovdiv? she has an international pet passport
Yes, pls check the rules at https://railturkey.org/travel/train-and-travel-details/2/
Thank you
Hello – Great website, thanks. Has a timetable been published for Baku-Tsbilisi-Kars yet? Do you know how tickets can be booked? Thanks again.
Not yet. You’ll see at Rail Turkey whenever announced.
Hi – I would like to travel from Cappodocia (or near by) to Pamukkale and then on to Izmir. Can you advise on the train routes I would need to take?,
Pls check touristic routes at Rail Turkey. You’ll see the best solutions.
Hello,
I would like to know operating days of local train Elazig – Tatvan at 07:05 in July. On TCDD site it is showed only on 07.06. and like it’s not operating any other day.
TCDDT insists on not publishing it, I guess for keeping right to do exceptions.
Hello, I wanted to ask of there are luggage lockers in the Train Station of Konya?
Thank you!
I’m planning to go to Izmir next week. I’m not sure whther Basmane Station has luggage storage service or not. If not, are there luggage storage services which tourist can use near Basmane Station? Thank you for your informaiton in advance.
Unfortunately it’s not very common. TCDD starts putting safe boxes, but it’s mainly at HST stations. Safe rooms are generally common at main bus stations in Turkey.
are there any rumours yet for what day the new train will run from Ankara to Baku ?
Not yet..
Hello,
Is the Dogu Express still running, without sleeper? Or is the Turistik Dogu Exp. the only option to travel between Kayseri to Erzürum?
Yes Dogu has no more sleeper. And note that touristic charges full for any strech.
Thanks for your short reply. Is it possible to book just a seat in the Dogu Express? If so, can I get a ticket online?
Yes you can book or buy a seat online. 🙂
Good day Which train would i take from Denizli to Konya?
No direct train. You may go to Eskisehir (by Pamukkale Express) and then Konya by HST. Another option may be to Afyon by Pamukkale Express and take the Konya Mavi. The map here may help: https://railturkey.org/travel/routes/pamukkale/
I noticed that the Ankara to Baku line is not running yet. Do you think we can expect trains in September?
Yes you can, plan is August.
Have Selcuk’s train station luggage storage service in summer? Thanks
Hi. TCDD has a plan to extend stations with luggage storage. There was not at Selcuk, but there can be. If not, walk to main bus terminal which is very close and ask “EMANET”. It’s a safe room with staff.
In August I’m going from Germany to Istanbul by bike. Is there a possibility to take my bike on the train Halikali – Sofia on September 6th 21:00 (12502/1492)?
We are two men with two bikes.
Thank you very much!
Unfoldable Bikes are allowed only if there’s special luggage wagon. I guess there’s no in Sofia.