Travelers are becoming receptive to riding the rails on visits to international destinations. Train travel on Türkiye’s Touristic Eastern Express sees increasing demand for the 24-hour journey between Ankara, the Turkish capital, and Kars in eastern Anatolia.

Travelers enjoy the scenery in every season. In winter, the train offers views of snow-covered plains and mountains, while summer brings wildflowers and fields of fruit trees. Blending nostalgia, scenery and sustainability, Touristic Eastern Express is getting more and more international recognition as one of the world’s most impressive train journeys.

© GoTürkiye

The rhythm of the rails, cozy cabins, snow-capped landscapes and enchanting station stops transform Touristic Eastern Express into a fairy-tale journey through Anatolia. The route is spectacular in either direction, although traveling east from Ankara through Anatolia’s dramatic scenery to Kars seems the preferred choice among international passengers.

Touristic Eastern Express departs three times a week from both cities. The journey offers comfortable compartments with beds, striking scenery and planned stops for excursions. Travelers can bring their own food, with each compartment containing a fridge and sink, or dine in the restaurant car before settling in for a cozy night onboard.

© GoTürkiye

The train passes through Kırıkkale, Kayseri, Sivas, Erzincan, Erzurum, Ankara and Kars, offering passengers access to natural and historic attractions and UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Beginning in Ankara, the scenic rail journey ends in the ancient city of Kars, known for its layered history and regional cuisine. One of Anatolia’s oldest cities, Kars offers a rich yet accessible historical experience, from the city’s distinctive architecture to nearby centuries-old landmarks.

Ani UNESCO World Heritage site, once a major medieval metropolis known as the “city of 1,001 churches,” features a collection of churches, baths, an early mosque and massive fortifications. Lake Çıldır, on the Kars-Ardahan border, is a natural wonder, glorious in summer and with a frozen surface in winter.

Some of Kars’ most standout experiences are its dinner events, featuring aşık atışması (watching traditional verbal and choral duets); folk dances from the Caucasus mountains; and a carefully curated menu featuring goose, local cheese, rakı and Eastern Anatolian wines. At Kars’ Cheese Museum in the village of Boğatepe, travelers learn about and taste the region’s cheese-making heritage.

Kars’ Cheese Museum © GoTürkiye

The original Eastern Express train ran from 1936 from Istanbul’s Haydarpaşa Terminal to Çetinkaya. Until the Ankara–Istanbul high-speed railway project, the train ran between Istanbul and Kars. The original Eastern Express was, and still is, mostly for local residents taking the same route as the tourist train, but less expensive and not as comfortable .

Touristic Eastern Express was inaugurated in 2019. The train consists of eight sleeper cars, each with 10 compartments, and one dining car, with a total capacity of 160 passengers. Each sleeper compartment can accommodate two people. Tickets on the Touristic Eastern Express sell out fast.