ANKARA

The Turkish Transportation and Infrastructure Ministry said Saturday that the "Touristic Eastern Express" on the Ankara-Kars route, which is among the top four most beautiful train routes in the world, will operate three times a week starting in December.

"This season, there will be a total of 84 trips with the express,” Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu told Anadolu.

Uraloglu said Türkiye’s geographical location provides advantages for domestic and international train tours, and regular train tours were organized from the 1990s to the mid-2000s.

He said the Touristic Eastern Express, operating on the Ankara-Kars route, offers a high-quality and different holiday option to passengers of all ages, especially young people, nature enthusiasts and groups who want to take pictures.

The minister pointed out that the Touristic Eastern Express has gained popularity in recent years and has become a center of interest for travel enthusiasts of all ages and nationalities.

“It will depart from Ankara on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and from Kars on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The Touristic Eastern Express will make a total of 84 trips this season, 42 in the direction of Ankara-Kars and 42 in the direction of Kars-Ankara," he said.

Train to stop at tourist destinations

Uraloglu said the train will consist of eight sleeping cars and a dining car, with a capacity for 160 people.

He said that tickets for six of the eight sleeping cars will be sold through travel agencies, and two cars will be sold individually by Turkish State Railways.

In addition to the Touristic Eastern Express, support will be provided according to demand and possibilities for tourism-oriented trains that can be operated on new routes within the country, through efforts of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Turkish Travel Agencies Association, non-governmental organizations, travel agencies, or relevant institutions, he added.

*Writing by Alperen Aktas from Istanbul