Turkey by Train
Trains - Tickets - RoutesA Travel Guide For Train Travel In Turkey.
Here you will find information for Turkey about trains, routes, tours, connections, where to buy train tickets, and more.

Useful Information
Population: 80.82 million
Currency: Turkish Lira
Language: Turkish
Capital: Istanbul
Country Code: +90
Time Zone: Eastern European Time (EET)
Train Companies
The trains are operated by Turkish Republic State Railways (TCDD).
Train Tickets

Buy your train tickets for Turkey online on the Turkish Republic State Railways (TCDD) official homepage.

Buy your train tickets online at OMIO and compare trains, buses & flights.
Rail Passes
Interrail / Eurail Pass
Do you want to travel throughout Europe flexibly and comfortably? Then the Interrail Pass is perfect for you. With the Interrail Pass, you can visit 40,000 destinations in 33 countries in Europe. You can travel for up to 3 months by train.
Balkan Flexi Pass
With the Balkan Flexi Pass, you can travel by train through 8 countries in Eastern Europe. This pass allows you to travel by train in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Romania.
TrAIN tYPES
The major rail network in Turkey is composed of the following trains:
Regional Trains
Commuter / Banliyö are commuter trains between Istanbul and Ankara.
- 1st and 2nd Class offered
Regional / Bölgesel are trains operating within their individual regions in the west
- 1st and 2nd Class offered
- On some services, power sockets are located at your seat and a bistro car is available
Mainline / Anahat are Intercity trains offering quick connections between main Turkish cities
- 1st Class: Rows of three seats (2+1)
- 2nd Class: Rows of four seats (2+2)
- Trains are equipped with air conditioning and most trains are equipped with a dining car offering a range of food and drinks.
Yuksek Hizli Tren (YHT) quickly connects Ankara, Istanbul, and Konya
- 1st Class (Business): Rows of three seats (2+1)
- 2nd Class (Economy): Rows of four seats (2+2)
- Trains are equipped with air conditioning and most trains are equipped with a dining car offering a range of food and drinks.
- Discounts available for those 26 and under, as well as 60 and over.
Ankara Express
- Routes:
- Ankara – Istanbul
- Ankara – Izmir
- Ankara – Adana
- Reservations required
- Sleeping Carriage (yatakli wagon)
- Private 1 & 2 bed compartments
- Air-conditioned and inclusive of a washbasin and bed linens.
- Bathrooms are located in the coach carriage
- Couchette Carriage (kuşet)
- Shared 4 bed compartment
- Air-conditioned and inclusive of bed linens.
- Toilets are located in the coach carriage
- Sitting Carriage:
- 1st Class reclining seats
- Toilets are located in the coach carriage
- Bistro car available with snacks, cold meals, and beverages
Izmir Mavi Tren
Routes: Eskisehir – Izmir (or pair with day train Istanbul to Eskisehir, to reach Izmir from Istanbul overnight)
- Reservations required
- Sleeping Carriage (yatakli wagon)
- Private 1 & 2 bed compartments
- Air-conditioned and inclusive of a washbasin and bed linens.
- Toilets are located in the coach carriage
- Sitting Carriage:
- 1st Class reclining seats
- Toilets are located in the coach carriage
- Most services have a bistro car available with snacks, cold meals, and beverages
Bosphorus Express
Routes: stanbul* – Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria** – Russe, Bulgaria – Bucharest, Romania
- Reservations required
- Sleeping Accommodations: May vary by carriage as the train is made up of a mismatch of Bulgarian, Romanian, and Turkish trains.
- Shared 4 or 6-bed couchette (kuşet) or
- 1 and 2-bed private sleeper compartment
- Air-conditioned and inclusive of bed linens.
- Bathrooms are located in the coach carriage
- Tickets can only be bought at the train station or through a travel agency
* Departs from Halkali, which is on the outskirts of the city; however shuttles run frequently between Halkali and Sirkeci, the main station in Istanbul.
** Switch to Balkan Express to continue to Sofia, Bulgaria: Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria – Plovdiv, Bulgaria – Sofia, Bulgaria
Optima Express
Routes: Edirne, Turkey – Serbia – Croatia – Slovenia – Villach, Austria
- 2nd Class only, compartments of 6 seats which can be converted to 6 beds at night
- Toilets and a washbasin are located at the end of the car
- Most services have a dining car
- Vehicle transport is possible
- The train runs from April to November and offers 2 – 6 trips per month, depending on the month.
Trans Anatolia Express
Trans Asia Express
Eastern Express
Van Lake Express
Taurus Express
Karabuk-Zonguldak Train
Danube Express Golden Eagle
Venice Simplon-Orient Express
Routes
Frequently Travelled Routes In Turkey
National
From > To |
Duration | Changes | Transport |
Istanbul to Ankara | 5:29 | Direct | Train |
Istanbul to Denizli | 10:36 | 1 | Train |
Istanbul to Göreme | 16:00 | 2 | Train & Bus |
Istanbul to Izmir | 12:58 | 1 | Train |
Izmir to Antalya | 6:19 | Direct | Bus |
International
From > To |
Duration (h) |
Changes | Transport |
Istanbul to Sofia, Bulgaria | 8:51 | 1 | Night Train |
Istanbul to Thessaloniki, Greece | 9:30 | Direct | Bus |
Istanbul to Bucharest, Romania | 18:20 | Direct | Night Train |
Edirne to Villach, Austria | 32:00 | Direct | Car Train |
Istanbul to Tehran, Iran | 61:00 | 1 | Train, Trans-Asia Express |
Izmir to Athens, Greece | 13:49 | 1 | Train & Ferry |
Main Train Stations
- Istanbul Sirkeci
- Istanbul Pendik
- Eskişehir Alpu Railway Station
- Adana Railway Station
- Ankara Railway Station
- Izmir Çatal Railway Station
- Gaziantep İslahiye Railway Station
Good to know
Best Time To Travel To Turkey
Turkey is a year-round destination so we recommend traveling here any time of year. The country is quite large and has different climates throughout due to its location on the Aegean and the Black Sea, proximity to the Mediterranean, and plenty of mountains.
Summers can be mild and dry to hot and humid depending on where you’re headed and winters can be mild and cool to cold and snowy. Check out Istanbul any time of year but if you want to see the hot air balloons in Cappadocia than its best to visit in shoulder seasons or the beginning or end of high season. The crowds are thinner and it’s not too hot.
- High Season: May to September
- Low Season: November to March
Accommodation In Turkey
Booking
The best place to find cheap hotels for is to book by www.booking.com. There you will find a large selection of cheap hotels, hostels, and apartments. > BOOK HERE
Hostelworld
If you are looking for a low budget accommodation, then go on www.hostelworld.com. They have the best choice of cheap hostels for backpackers and low budget travelers. > BOOK HERE
Guidebooks For Turkey
Travel with a guidebook ease your journey to find best sights and things to do. Buy it on Amazon.