Turkish Railways
Turkish railways connect major settlements. In remote areas, cars and buses are used for transportation. The country's railway sector is not popular either among locals or among tourists. Foreigners in Turkey come mainly to Alanya, Marmaris, Trabzon and Antalya, where there are no railways. Trains run only between big cities. From the stations, passengers take buses to the desired villages.
Turkish railways have a length of no more than 8 thousand km, which is very small for a large territory. Passengers are offered such directions as Istanbul - Ankara, Istanbul - Edirne, Ankara - Iskenderum, etc. Not all Turkish trains carry passengers. On many routes, only cargo is transported. More information on Turkish Railways can be found at www.seat61.com.
What carriages are on the trains
Turkish trains are comfortable. Good service is provided to passengers in any carriage. Trains are equipped with air conditioning and sanitary facilities. Different wagons are used on the railways of Turkey:
- sitting compartment for 4 seats;
- seated carriage "Pulman";
- an ordinary compartment with berths;
- luxury compartment for 2 seats.
If we are talking about a short trip, then it is recommended to purchase a ticket for a carriage with seating places. The cost of such a ticket is low. For a long trip, it is better to use a seat in a compartment. Turkish trains are slow-moving and sound-proofed. Therefore, it is very convenient for travelers there..
The high-speed train Fatih Ekspresi runs on Turkish roads between Ankara and Istanbul. It consists of class 1 wagons. Lunch is served to passengers directly at their seats. This express travels faster than a bus. Tickets for this must be booked a few days before departure.
Routes and tickets
The country's railways are owned by TCDD, whose official website is located at www.tcdd.gov.tr. It is a national Turkish company offering tickets for any railway route in Turkey. Passengers can purchase tickets online. But in practice, making such a purchase is quite difficult. The best option is to buy a ticket at the ticket office at the station. Railway tickets cost from 20 to 120 liras. The price depends on the type of carriage and the duration of the trip.
From Turkey by rail you can get to one of the neighboring countries. Due to the mountainous terrain, train travel takes longer than bus travel.
