No man’s land

The Iran-Turkey borderlands are flush with mountainous landscapes, tiny rural villages, endless contours and the occasional shepherd tending a flock. Through one tunnel to the next, we climbed higher. In this no man’s land, it was impossible to tell exactly where we were.

Daniel and Audrey, Uncornered Market, 2012
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German engineers

The original routes were planned and built by German engineers and the story goes that since they were paid by the mile. they made sure there were plenty of curves.

Ray Perry, Ray’s Retirement, 2015
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Share food, play music, exchange stories

Passengers look after each other, share food, play music and exchange stories, before parting ways and starting their new lives in a land that many of them have never visited before.

Gaia Squarci, Prospekt Photo, 2014
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The scenery was breath-taking

As we approached Tatvan, where we will change to a ferry on Lake Van, we were travelling through snow and the scenery was breath-taking.

Moira Dunworth, Moira Dunworth, 2013
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I was puzzled

I was puzzled why the train climbed up into the hills rather than travel on the flat plain below.

Ray Perry, Ray’s Retirement, 2015
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Do you have some salt?

“Salam. Do you have some salt?” When a shy man in his 30s poked his head around the glass door of our small four-seat compartment, we had been on the train for no more than 15 minutes and were still stunned by the vintage features of the corridor coach that would take us from Tehran, Iran, to Ankara, Turkey.

Laurance Cornet, MSNBC, 2015
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Great meals for reasonable price

The Turkish restaurant has some great meals for reasonable prices under 10 Turkish Lira. But do practice your Turkish with the restaurant car attendant and you will get what you want. I asked for Chips and Cola but i got sausage and milk.

Martin Anthony, Overland Metalhead, 2012
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Warm welcome

We shared our compartment with a middle-aged Iranian man, Majid. Despite his limited English and our nonexistent Farsi, he extended a warm welcome, sharing sweets, teaching us Farsi phrases, and offering us hospitality in his home in Tehran.

Laura and Paul, Design Think Travel, 2015
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Surprisingly convenient

The train itself was surprisingly convenient, and if I recall correctly I was the only one in the compartment.

Koen Nijbroek, rail.cc, 2016
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Songs and dances from all parts

The Iranians have the situation under control. Songs and dances from all parts of the country are presented.

Johannes Heger, Bahnforum, 2014

Brave the train to Sofia

Last night, I decided to brave the train from Istanbul to Sofia in Bulgaria. It was supposed to be an overnight sleeper, but I learnt online that the engineering works in Bulgaria are causing disruption and resulting in rail replacement buses.

Amy, Globetrotter Guru, 2015
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The incredible bouncing

The incredible bouncing, causing me to doubt my incredible ability to sleep anywhere, anytime; the incessant staccato of metal on metal, ten muddled minutes spent searching for its source, solved with a simple jam of my shoe into a tight spot; forty-five minutes standing in line in the wee hours of the new day waiting for an exit stamp from Turkey; followed shortly by the knocks of “passport control” on the train’s sleeping compartment doors, re-awakening the half-asleep inhabitants;

Taylor Davidson, Taylor Davidson, 2009
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Excellent service at business class

For very good price you can get ticket for business class and have excellent service on board that includes free drink and lunch.

Dusko, 2015

Asylum seekers

With very few exceptions, almost all of the passengers were either asylum seekers or families of those who had previously escaped the country.

Kiana Hayeri, Polka Magazine, 2013
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Smooth ride

The train was full and after a while, the train got up to 250 kph. It was a smooth ride and was just like most other high speed trains in Europe.

Ray Perry, Ray’s Retirement, 2015
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Sleepers are excellent

The sleepers are excellent. I personally think that this is a total bargain, especially if you are doing the long runs to the east of the country.

Jools, 2014

Comfortable and clean

On the route from Ankara to Izmir there is only night train. This train just like other Turkish trains is beautiful, modern, comfortable and clean.

Dusko, 2015

Till late hours

There’s no sink, refrigirator, hanger nor table (come on, that’s not a table). But you’ll have an excellent travel by talking with old or new friends till late hours.

Onur ve Senem, 2017

One of the best in the world

The journey to Kars is one of the best in the world and it also has the attraction of Ani as icing on the cake.

Ray Perry, Ray’s Retirement, 2015
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Fantastic way to travel

The sleepers were used on long day runs as well as the overnights, and are a fantastic way to travel in the day, with your own compo and even more so with coffee and tea to ones liking at your seat.

Jools, 2015