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There are two alternatives for this trip. First one is the Touristic
Eastern Express, the other one is the standard Eastern Express
we all know about. Touristic Eastern Express takes about one
and a half day to complete, giving longer breaks at different
locations. Standard Eastern Express trip takes about one day,
and does not give that many breaks. Both are round trips from
Ankara to Kars. Those trips are among the longest railroad lines
across Turkey. Some popular locations include Ankara Railroad
Station – Elmadağ – Kırıkkale – Kayseri Railroad Station –
Şarkışla – Sivas Railroad Station – Yenikangal – Divriği – Ke-
mah – Erzincan Railroad Station – Karasu – Ilıca – Palandöken
– Erzurum Railroad Station – Hasankale – Horasan – Sarıkamış
– Kars Railroad Station.

There are different options and prices depending on the trav-
el comfort. The train hauls Pullman cars, couchette cars, and
sleeping cars. Pullman cars resemble busses with individual
seats of 2+1, lined on each side of a central aisle. They are reach this destination, but if it is a clear sky and there is a full
not popular for long trips as there are no beds and requires to moon, it might just offer you the best view of the winter.
sit during the entire trip; however, they have the lowest pric-
es. Couchette cars come complete with pillow and blanket and You will open your eyes to the first rays of sun in Sivas. It will
include shelf-like beds in a European-style four-person seating welcome you with the combination of brown lands and white
compartment: 2 sets of two-story beds opposite each other, with snow. Therefore we recommend you to sleep early in the evening
a table in the middle. If you are a group of four friends, your to witness the unique sunrise of those lands.
best option is to buy tickets to a couchette car. The last alter-
native is sleeping cars. It is the most comfortable one, therefore The next stop will be Erzincan, where the lake and mountain
the most expensive in terms of ticket prices. Each car includes views start. You can get the most beautiful photos while pass-
beds for two people, a luggage rack, a table, a small sink, and ing though İliç province. The train will pass along the shores of
small mini-bar refrigerators. There are toilets at each end of Bağıştaş Dam Lake and Kemah, and the view will be accompa-
each sleeping car, but a small sink can be found in all other cars. nied by the Munzur Mountain. It will be daytime, so you can
The route of the train is Ankara-Kırıkkale-Kayseri-Sivas-Erz- take nice travel photographs.
incan-Erzurum-Kars. The scenery is best enjoyed in Kars, Er-
zurum and Erzincan. Since the train takes off from Ankara You can understand that it is time to enjoy historical artifacts
during evening hours, you will you’re your eyes in the morning and cağ kebap in Erzurum, which is one of the most pleasant
with the most beautiful scenery of the route. The return route locations of the entire trip.
starts from Kars in the morning hours, during when you will
enjoy the best scenery through Kars, Erzurum and Erzincan. Finally, Kars will be the last stop of your trip; a city hosting the
This goes for the standard Eastern Express, not for the Touristic unparalleled views on the easternmost part of Turkey. It is the
Eastern Express. A classical flavor to taste during your Eastern location of Ani Ruins. Moreover, you can visit Kars Archeolo-
Express trip is Erzurum Cağ Kebap. When you place your order gy Museum. The Church of the Holy Apostles, which has stood
by phone while approaching Erzurum, the order will be delivered since 10th century, is also located here. It is also a known as
to the train station. Kümbet Mosque. And you must definitely visit Kars Castle to see
the city from a bird’s eye view.
The first stop is Kırıkkale. This city will welcome travelers right
after leaving Ankara, and will instill warm feelings with its These are the reasons why Eastern Express is popular, and they
small and pretty villages. rightly deserve that popularity.

The next stop is Kayseri. The night will have fallen when you Reference: blog.biletall.com