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A Turkish YHT high-speed train, linking Istanbul, Ankara & Konya. Photographed at Ankara. |
A great way to get around Turkey!
Guidebooks tell you that Turkey has a good bus network, but do you really want to spend 12 hours in a bus, when you can take an inexpensive air-conditioned train with a bed in cosy sleeper or comfy pullman seat with room to move, through fantastic scenery? Much of the network was built by the Germans, the joke goes that they were paid by the mile, hence the twisting nature of Turkish rail lines. But the first section of high-speed line opened in 2009 and excellent high-speed trains now link Istanbul with Ankara in 4h15, Istanbul with Konya in 4h40, Ankara with Konya in 1h44. It beats a bus, any day.
Savvy travellers will use a train for long distances, for example Istanbul to Ankara or Konya, Ankara to Izmir or Kars. Then use a short bus trip to reach places off the rail network, for example the south coast resorts or Cappadocia.
What are Turkish
high-speed trains like?
What are Turkey's classic long-distance trains like?
Train schedules & fares
International travel
Istanbul to/from
Sofia & Bucharest
Istanbul
to/from Budapest, Vienna & other European cities
Istanbul to/from Paris & London
Turkey to/from:
Greece, Cyprus,
Syria,
Iran,
Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Iraq & Ukraine
Other useful information
Hotels in Istanbul &
famous Pera
Palace Hotel
Travel insurance, mobile data, VPN
Interactive map: Click a route for train times & fares...
Useful country information
How to buy tickets
Option 1, buy online from Turkish Railways
You can buy tickets at the Turkish Railways (TCDD) booking site, ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr, see the advice on using it below.
It will book most high-speed & long distance trains within Turkey including seats, couchettes & sleepers, but not the international train to/from Bucharest & Sofia. You print your own ticket. It has its quirks, but works and normally accepts non-Turkish credit cards even though many Turkish bus booking websites don't.
Reservations for Turkish trains normally open 60 days before departure for some trains, less than this for some trains, so don't look too far ahead.
Option 2, buy tickets through a reliable agency
If you find buying online difficult, you can buy Turkish train tickets in advance by emailing or calling one of these authorised travel agencies. If you're going to eastern Turkey, sleepers & couchettes on trains east of Ankara sell out almost as soon as booking opens, so I strongly recommend using one of these agencies as they know how it all works and give you the best chance of securing berths.
Amber Travel, www.ambertravel.com/buy-turkish-train-tickets-in-turkey. I can personally recommend Amber Travel and they've been highly recommended by multiple Seat 61 travellers over the years I've known them. They'll take bookings before reservations open and make your reservation as soon as booking opens, giving you the best chance of a sleeper or couchette on the popular high-demand long-distance trains. They take payment via credit card or PayPal and email your tickets.
Backpackers Travel, www.backpackerstravel.net, Yeni Akbiyik Caddesi No. 30, Sultanahmet, Istanbul, telephone +90 (212) 638 63 43, fax +90 212 638 39 22. I have yet to receive any reports about Backpackers, but it's a well-known agency. Neither agency can book International trains from Turkey in their capacity as official TCDD agents, but they may be willing to buy tickets for international trains on your behalf as a private transaction, for a booking fee.
Option 3, buy tickets at the station
It's easy to buy tickets at the station when you get to Turkey. Major stations have a computerised ticketing & reservation system and can book any journey in Turkey. It's not usually difficult to get seats on the day of travel or a day or two before, but sleepers (and even couchettes) often can get fully-booked weeks ahead, so pre-book those either online or through one of the agencies suggested above. Stations accept Turkish lira cash, and may now accept credit cards.
Tip: If you're over 60, ask for a senior ticket (yaşlı bilet) to get 15% off, although only Turkish citizens now get the 50% discount for being over 65. If you're under 26 ask for a youth ticket (genç bilet) to get 15% off.
How to check train times & fares
You can check train times & fares at the Turkish Railways (TCDD) booking site, ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr.
This should be easily accessible from outside Turkey, and it comes with an English version, so no worries. Before buying tickets, read the advice here.
However, the main TCDD website is www.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr, it's only in Turkish and at the time I write this you'll need a VPN set to a Turkish IP address to access it.
For written timetables for high-speed trains between Istanbul, Eskişehir, Konya, Ankara click Trenler then YHT.
For written timetables for classic long-distance trains such as Ankara-Izmir, Ankara-Kars, click Trenler then Ana Hat.
For written timetables for regional trains such as Izmir-Selcuk-Denizli or Adana-Mersin-Iskenderun, click Trenler then Bölgesel.
There are no trains to Antalya, Marmaris, Bodrum, Alanya, nor to Göreme in Cappadocia, you'll need a combination of train+bus to reach these places as shown here.
What are Turkish high-speed trains like?
Branded Yüksek Hızlı Treni or YHT, Turkey's high-speed trains are as good as anything in western Europe. A pleasure to ride on, they run at up to 250 km/h (155 mph) on the Istanbul-Ankara, Istanbul-Konya & Ankara-Konya routes and (since 2023) Ankara-Sivas. YHT trains come in two varieties, the original 6-car type designed by Spanish firm CAF and the newer 8-car Velaro type designed by German firm Siemens. Both types feature comfortable seats in Economy and Business class. YHT high-speed trains started running from Istanbul to Ankara in 2014, initially from Pendik, 25 km east of Istanbul), extended to start in Söğütlüçeşme in central Istanbul in 2019.
Luggage: YHT trains have a reasonably strict baggage policy, applied at the boarding gate. You can bring one large bag up to 65x50x35 cm, or you can bring two bags up to 55x40x23 cm. If your bags are bigger than this or if you have a second larger bag, there's a modest extra-luggage fee (the equivalent of about 3/$3/£3) which you can pay at the boarding gate with cash or card.
YHT trains, Velaro type
A YHT train of the 8-car Siemens Velaro type at Istanbul Sögütlüçesme.
Business class (above left) with leather seats. The fare includes tea or coffee and a sandwich box.
Business class compartment (above right) with 4 power-operated reclining/rotating seats. There are just 3 of these 4-seat compartments on the train in car 2, and only on Velaro-type YHTs, you pay a little bit more to sit in one of these. The fare includes tea or coffee and a sandwich box.
Economy class (above right). Above left: In both classes, luggage goes on the racks in each car.
Above left, cafe counter with stools. Above right, restaurant tables. The cafe car serves sandwiches and soft drinks, it doesn't serve meals or (since Erdogan came to power) alcohol.
YHT trains, CAF type
A YHT train of the original 6-car type built by CAF, at Istanbul Sögütlüçesme.
Watch the YHT video
What are Turkey's classic long-distance trains like?
Turkey's conventional trains are also a pleasant surprise. Cheap, spacious, and mostly now composed of modern air-conditioned TVS2000 coaches like the ones shown below, which are as good as any regular train in western Europe. TVS2000 trains run from Ankara to Izmir, Adana, Erzurum, Kars & Eastern Turkey, vastly superior to a cramped bus. They have several types of accommodation to choose from:
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Pullman seats. 1st class reclining seats in a carpeted air-conditioned open-plan saloon.
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Sleeping-cars (yatakli wagon in Turkish). Private 1 & 2-bed air-conditioned compartments with washbasin.
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Couchettes (kuşet in Turkish). Shared 4-bunk air-conditioned compartments.
Luggage: Bags are not weighed or measured when boarding Turkey's regular trains, you are unlikely to have any problem unless you try to move house by train!
TVS2000 pullman seats
Turkish Railways' air-conditioned TVS2000 cars have comfortable reclining Pullman seats (below right), more spacious than any cramped bus seat. The coaches ride on smooth air suspension. These seats are arranged 1+2 across the car width, shown on the TCDD app & website as 2+1 Pulman.
TVS2000 restaurant car
Restaurant cars (yemekli vagon in Turkish) are included in a number of long-distance trains, serving hot & cold drinks, sandwiches and snacks, but not alcohol. If you ask at the counter they may be able to rustle up a proper hot meal such as the one shown below, even if it's not shown on the menu posted on the wall. Feedback appreciated.
TVS2000 sleeping-cars
A TVS2000 sleeping-car (yatalki vagon in Turkish) has a side corridor and 10 compartments. Each compartment has two comfortable beds which can be folded away to reveal two seats for evening and morning use. There's a washbasin with soap and towels provided, and a small fridge containing complimentary mineral water, a soft drink and a few snacks. There's a power socket near the sink which can be used for shavers or recharging phones. These cars were built 1993-2005, they are fully air-conditioned, and I have to say I really like them - they're pretty spacious by European sleeping-car standards.
Compartments are private: If you book 1 person, the price is for a single-bed compartment. If you book 2 people, you'll also get a whole compartment.
Trains with TVS2000 sleeping-cars include the Ankara Express between Istanbul & Ankara, the Izmir Mavi Tren between Ankara & Izmir, the Cukurova Express between Ankara & Adana, and the trains between Ankara and eastern Turkey.
TVS2000 sleeping-cars on the Izmir to Ankara overnight train, boarding at Izmir Basmane station.
Above left, a 2-bed sleeper with seats folded out and beds folded away. Above right, the same sleeper with beds folded out. There's a ladder, not shown here.
Above left, the sleeper corridor. Above centre, looking towards the sink and door to the corridor. Above right, the fridge!
TVS2000 couchette cars
A TVS2000 couchette car has a side corridor and 10 compartments. Each compartment has 4 padded bunks provided with two sheets, blanket, pillow and pillow case. The bunks can be folded away to reveal 4 seats for evening/morning use. In sleeping-cars, beds come ready made up, but in couchettes you have to make up your own bunk. There's a western-style toilet at one end of the corridor, a Turkish one at the other. There's a power outlet for shavers and recharging phones above the door in each compartment (have a long lead with you!). Luggage goes under the lower berths, a luggage rack above the window takes smaller bags such as daypacks. Couchettes are shared, one person buys one ticket and gets one bunk in a 4-berth compartment. These cars were built in 1996-2002.
Most overnight trains such as the Eskisehir-Izmir, Ankara-Adana, Arifiye/Eskisehir-Konya-Adana and Ankara-Eastern Turkey trains now have a modern air-conditioned TVS2000 couchette car like the one below. However, there's no couchette car on the Istanbul-Ankara or Izmir-Ankara night trains, only sleeping-cars.
TVS2000 couchette car. Below left, in day mode with bunks folded away. Below right, 'the morning after', bunks folded out.
Istanbul station
For a guide to Halkali, Sirkeci and Sögütlüçesme stations in Istanbul, see the Istanbul stations guide.
Ankara station
Ankara has one main central station, referred to as Ankara or Ankara Gar. It consists of two halves, linked by a large footbridge: On the northern side of the tracks sits the original 1937 station building with platforms 1, 2 & 3, used by suburban and classic long-distance trains. On the southern side is the modern YHT station with platforms 4, 5 & 6 beneath it, used by YHT high-speed trains. In Turkey, platform (in Turkish, peron) refers to the platform, tracks are numbered separately and a platform can have a track either side of it.
The original 1937 station
On the northern side of the tracks is the classic Ankara station, built in 1937.
Ankara station exterior.
Above left, the main hall. There's an X-ray & metal detector check just inside the entrance doors, just visible on the right of the photo.
Above right, you walk out onto platform 1. Turn left for the escalator up to the overbridge to platforms 2-3 and the YHT station on the other side of the tracks.
Above, platforms 1, 2 & 3 (counting right to left in the photo above). Platforms 1 & 2 are used by classic long-distance trains. Platform 3 is used by Başkentray suburban trains. In Turkey, as in Bulgaria, Poland and some other countries, platforms (peron) and tracks are both numbered, platform 1 has track 1 next to it, platform 2 has tracks 2 & 3 either side of it, platform 3 has tracks 6 & 7 either side of it. The photo is taken from the overbridge linking the original station with the YHT station. Even though you go through a security check to enter the 1937 building, there's another X-ray & metal detector check inside the entrance doors to the YHT station.
Ankara YHT station
The modern YHT station for high-speed trains is on the other side of the tracks from the original station. A vast steel-and-glass structure, there's an X-ray and metal detector check just inside the entrance doors, whether you walk in the front door or come over the overbridge from the 1937 station.
Main entrance, south side of the tracks.
Inside the vast YHT station there's a Burger King, shops & cafes. The ticket windows are on the right of the photo.
Above, the CIP lounge for business class passengers. It has free drinking water and WiFi, although no toilets.
Above left, boarding gates open 30 minutes before each departure, this is platform 4 (peron 4) gate B. Tickets & passport are checked. If you have extra large bags over the free size limit (see the YHT section above), you pay the extra-baggage fee here, with cash or card. Above right, you then descend the escalator or lift to the platform.
A YHT at Ankara Gar on platform 4.
The best way to travel from Istanbul to Ankara is by YHT high-speed train, see the photos & video above. The first section of the Istanbul-Ankara high-speed line opened in 2009 when 250 km/h high-speed YHT trains (Yüksek Hızlı Treni) started running between Ankara & Eskişehir. In 2014, high-speed YHT trains were extended to Pendik, a suburban station 25 km east of Istanbul, and in 2019 trains were finally extended to Söğütlüçeşme station in central Istanbul on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. Several trains per day extend through the Marmaray Tunnel under the Bosphorus to/from Bakırköy and Halkali in the western suburbs, although unfortunately these don't call at Istanbul Sirkeci or anywhere central on the western side of the Bosphorus.
Söğütlüçeşme is a suburban station 2km (1.2 miles) east of the old Haydarpaşa station, see Söğütlüçeşme station guide & how to reach it.
Ankara station (Ankara Gar) is in central Ankara, see location map, unlike the bus terminal which is 2-3 miles outside the city or the airport 15-20 miles outside.
YHT = Yüksek Hızlı Tren = 250 km/h high-speed train. There's a brief X-ray & metal detector check when entering the station, allow a few minutes for this.
Sleeper = ANKARA EXPRESS sleeper train, with TVS2000 sleeping-cars (1 & 2 bed compartments with washbasin) and TVS2000 reclining pullman seats.
Check these times at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr or as explained here.
Istanbul to Ankara on the high-speed line is around 533 km or 331 miles.
How much does it cost?
2025 prices. £1 = TL 54. 1 = 47 TL. $1 = TL 41. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently.
All these fares are one-way per person. Return tickets cost 20% less than two one-way fares.
Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth (genç) fare.
Youths under 26 get 15% off (genç). All seniors over 60 get 15% off (yaş 60-64), but only Turkish citizens over 65 qualify for 50% off (yaş 65).
How to buy tickets
How to buy tickets. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead.
What's the journey like?
When starting from Istanbul, you go through one of the YHT entrances at Istanbul Sögütlüçesme station and immediately pass through a token X-ray baggage check and metal detector. There's then a ticket check. Boarding usually starts 30 minutes before departure.
It's a similar process when boarding at Ankara. Ankara station is effectively two stations in one, the original distinctive 1937 station is on one side of the tracks with the vast modern glass-and-steel YHT station on the other. The two are linked by an overbridge. Needless to say, YHT trains leave from the modern YHT station with a ticket & passport check at the boarding gate above the relevant platform. If you're travelling in business class, you can use the TCDD CIP lounge before boarding starts.
A YHT at Istanbul Sögütlüçesme. More photos & video.
Soon after leaving Istanbul, the train runs along the shores of the Sea of Marmara.
Scenery between Istanbul and Ankara.
More scenery, getting more arid towards Ankara.
Istanbul to Bursa to Ankara
An alternative route between Istanbul and Ankara is to take the regular fast passenger ferry across the Sea of Marmara to Bursa, then the special bus from Bursa to Eskişehir which runs in connection with 250 km/h high-speed train departures to Ankara. This route is also pretty scenic, taking you up the lush green slopes of Mount Uludag (the Olympus of Bithynia).
Step 1, Istanbul to Bursa by fast ferry
Fast passenger ferries sail from Istanbul's Eminönü ferry terminal near Sirkeci station to Bursa's Mudanya ferry terminal, 29km north of Bursa city. On a typical weekday, you'll find ferry departures like the ones shown below, but they vary by day of the week and time of year, so check sailing times for your date of travel at budo.burulas.com.tr.
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Istanbul to Bursa on a typical weekday: 08:00, 11:30, 16:30, 19:30, taking 1h50.
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Bursa to Istanbul on a typical weekday: 07:00, 09:30, 16:00, 19:00, taking 1h50.
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The adult fare is TL 480 (2025 price, remember Turkey has high inflation).
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Buy tickets at budo.burulas.com.tr or at the port.
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Competing operator IDO (www.ido.com.tr) also has ferries, sailing from Yenikapi (just south of central Istanbul) to Bursa.
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In Bursa, the ferry arrives at Budo's Mudanya ferry terminal which is some 29 km (18 miles) from the city of Bursa itself, buses F/1 & F/2 link the ferry terminal with Bursa's Otogar every couple of hours, journey time 60 minutes, fare a few lira. For bus info see www.burulas.com.tr.
A more frequent alternative is to catch the yellow 1/M bus departing every 20 minutes from outside the ferry terminal building for the metro station at Emek Istasyonu, journey time 45 minutes. Frequent underground trains run from Emek Istasyonu to Bursa city centre, journey time 30 minutes. Demirtaspasa is the metro stop for Bursa's historic centre, 10 minutes walk away.
Alternatively, a taxi from Bursa Mudanya ferry terminal to central Bursa takes 30 minutes and costs the equivalent of around £17 or $25. If connecting directly with a bus to Eskişehir for the train to Ankara, allow at least an hour between the ferry arrival and the bus departure from Bursa Otogar.
Alternatively, there are a couple of daily fast ferries to Bursa from Istanbul's Yenikapi ferry terminal in the south of the city, and these also carry vehicles. Departures from Istanbul are at 07:30 (daily except Sundays), 17:30 (daily) and 20:30 (Fri & Sun only). Journey time 1h30. Departures from Bursa are at 07:30 (daily except Sundays), 18:00 (daily), 20:30 (Fri & Sun only). See www.ido.com.tr to check ferry times and fares from Yenikapi to Bursa.
These are IDO fast ferries at Bursa's IDO ferry terminal ferry terminal. Budo's ferries are similar.
Step 2, Bursa-Eskişehir by bus, Eskişehir-Ankara by high-speed train
A bus company called Kamil Koc runs buses from Bursa bus station (otogar) to Eskişehir railway station specifically to connect with YHT high-speed train departures to Ankara. The bus arrives right outside the station entrance at Eskişehir 15 minutes before the train leaves. Just make sure you board the bus to Eskişehir station (Gar TCDD), not a similar bus to Eskişehir Otogar. These are example times, check current times online.
For trains Eskişehir -Ankara, see the Istanbul-Eskişehir -Ankara timetable above. Only a few minutes is needed to connect between bus & train.
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Bursa to Eskişehir by Kamil Koc bus costs the equivalent of about £9 or 11. Check bus times at www.flixbus.com.
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Eskişehir to Ankara by high-speed train costs TL 405 in Economy Class or TL 610 in Business Class (2025 prices).
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You can buy the bus & train tickets together if you go to Bursa bus station or Ankara railway station. There's a Kamil Koc desk inside Ankara railway station's main hall.
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To pre-book tickets in person in Istanbul, go to the TCDD ticket office at Sirkeci station to buy the train ticket, and find a Kamil Koc agency to buy the bus ticket.
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To buy tickets online, first book the train ticket between Eskişehir & Ankara at the TCDD website as shown here, then buy the bus ticket between Bursa & Eskisehir TCDD station at the Kamil Koc website or at www.flixbus.com.
Bursa-Ankara bus-train combo: A Kamil Koc bus takes you from Bursa Otogar to Eskişehir TCDD railway station to connect with the YHT to Ankara. Above left, a YHT gets a wash at Ankara. Above right, the Kamil Koc bus outside Eskisehir station.
Istanbul to Konya & Adana
YHT high-speed trains link Istanbul Söğütlüçeşme station with Konya in just 4h40.
A comfortable express train called the Toros Express normally connects Konya with Adana over the curvaceous and very scenic classic line. However, the Toros Express has been temporarily suspended since May 2024 due to line reconstruction.
YHT = Yüksek Hızlı Tren, 250 km/h high-speed train. There's a brief X-ray & metal detector check when entering the station, allow a few minutes for this.
Toros = Toros Express, runs every day, TVS2000 pullman reclining seats cars & normal compartment cars, runs via the classic line. Booking opens 60 days ahead.
* The Toros Express is temporarily suspended since May 2024 due to line reconstruction.
Söğütlüçeşme is a suburban station 2km (1.2 miles) east of the old Haydarpaşa station, see Söğütlüçeşme station guide & how to reach it.
Konya Selçuklu YHT is the new high-speed station in central Konya opened in 2021, see location map. It's on the other side of the city from the original Konya station, which is about 4 km away.
Halkali & Bakırköy: One train per day now extends through the Marmaray Tunnel under the Bosphorus to/from Bakırköy and Halkali on the suburban network on the western side of Istanbul, although from a visitor's point of view these don't call at Istanbul Sirkeci or anywhere conveniently central on the western side of the Bosphorus.
Check train times at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr. Check bus times at www.ozkaymak.com.tr.
Map of Istanbul showing station location Connections to Tarsus & Mersin Connections to Iskenderun
How much does it cost?
2025 prices. £1 = TL 54. 1 = 47 TL. $1 = TL 41. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently.
All these fares are one-way per person. Return tickets cost 20% less than two one-way fares.
Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth (genç) fare.
Youths under 26 get 15% off (genç). All seniors over 60 get 15% off (yaş 60-64), but only Turkish citizens over 65 get 50% off (yaş 65).
How to buy tickets
How to buy tickets. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. If going from Istanbul to Adana, you need to book the YHT & Toro Express as separate transactions.
Istanbul to Denizli & Pamukkale
The Pamukkale Express is the smart way to reach UNESCO-listed Pamukkale, the much visited thermal springs, near the regional city of Denizli. The old overnight Pamukkale Express from Istanbul to Denizli disappeared over a decade ago, in its current form you take a high-speed YHT train from Istanbul to Eskişehir and change onto the Pamukkale Express there, a comfortable TVS2000 air-conditioned day train to Denizli, the town next to the Pamukkale springs. It's the safe, comfortable and time-effective way to reach Pamukkale, avoiding flights or nightmarish bus rides. Take a good book and prepare for great scenery!
Pamukkale is 16 km by road from Denizli, the local regional centre.
YHT = Yüksek Hızlı Tren = 250 km/h high-speed train. There's a brief X-ray & metal detector check when entering the station, allow a few minutes for this.
Pam. Exp = Pamukkale Express. TVS2000 reclining pullman seats with refreshment trolley.
Söğütlüçeşme is a suburban station 2km (1.2 miles) east of the old Haydarpaşa station, see Söğütlüçeşme station guide & how to reach it.
Check these times at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr or as explained here.
How much does it cost?
2025 prices. £1 = TL 54. 1 = 47 TL. $1 = TL 41. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently, check online.
All these fares are one-way per person. Return tickets cost 20% less than two one-way fares.
Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth (genç) fare.
Youths under 26 get 15% off (genç). All seniors over 60 get 15% off (yaş 60-64), but only Turkish citizens over 65 get 50% off (yaş 65).
How to buy tickets
How to buy tickets. You will need to book each train as a separate transaction. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead.
Option 1, Istanbul to Izmir by YHT & sleeper train
You can take an evening train from Istanbul to Eskisehir and pick up the air-conditioned sleeper train to Izmir with private 1 & 2 berth sleepers. It's a very affordable, time-effective and comfortable way to make this journey. Or travel by day to enjoy the scenery, this requires an overnight stop in Eskisehir in the southbound direction, but can be done in one day northbound.
YHT = Yüksek Hızlı Tren = 250 km/h high-speed train. There's a brief X-ray and metal detector check when entering the station, allow a few minutes for this.
Sleeper = Izmir Mavi Tren. TVS2000 sleeping-cars (1 & 2-bed compartments) & TVS2000 reclining pullman seats.
Ege = Ege Express. TVS2000 reclining pullman seats. Can run late, so don't risk any tighter connections than those shown above.
* In this direction you'll need to stay overnight in Eskisehir between trains, by all means book an earlier train from Istanbul.
Söğütlüçeşme is a suburban station 2km (1.2 miles) east of the old Haydarpaşa station, see Söğütlüçeşme station guide & how to reach it.
Check these times at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr or as explained here.
How much does it cost?
2025 prices. £1 = TL 54. 1 = 47 TL. $1 = TL 41. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently.
All these fares are one-way per person. Return tickets cost 20% less than two one-way fares.
Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth (genç) fare.
Youths under 26 get 15% off (genç). All seniors over 60 get 15% off (yaş 60-64), but only Turkish citizens over 65 get 50% off (yaş 65).
How to buy tickets
How to buy tickets: You need to buy Istanbul to Eskisehir and Eskisehir to Izmir as two separate tickets. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead.
Option 2, Istanbul to Izmir by ferry & train
An enjoyable way from Istanbul to Izmir is to sail across the Sea of Marmara to Bandirma by fast ferry, then take the air-conditioned 6 Eylül Express from Bandirma to Izmir. Much nicer than 9 hours in a bus.
* Requires an overnight stop in Bandirma. As you can see, this journey involves an overnight stop in Bandirma. The inexpensive but comfortable Panderma Port Hotel & Sahil Otel are both a stone's throw from the station & ferry terminal and get good reviews.
Ferry connections vary and they're sadly not co-ordinated with the train, check ferry times for your date at www.ido.com.tr. Ferry terminal & railway station are right next to each other at Bandirma. Check train times less than 60 days before departure at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr.
About the journey: The ferry is a fast seacat run by the IDO ferry company, see www.ido.com.tr to check times & prices. The ferry terminal in Istanbul is called
For onward travel from Izmir to Selçuk (Ephesus) and Denizli (Pamukkale) see this section.
How much does it cost?
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Istanbul (Yenikapi) to Bandirma by fast ferry costs TL 649 (£14, 19, $17, 2025 prices). A cheaper promo fare may be available.
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Bandirma to Izmir by train in a pullman seat costs TL 350 (£8, 10, $9, 2025 prices).
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Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over must pay the adult fare.
How to buy tickets
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Buy the ferry ticket at www.ido.com.tr up to 30 days in advance, or buy it at the ferry terminal. Remember that Yenikapi is the starting point in Istanbul. They ask for a phone number, enter a Turkish-format number, for example the phone number of your hotel. I found that the IDO website wouldn't accept my UK credit card, so www.ambertravel.com helped me out. But let me know if it accepts yours!
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Buy the train ticket online as shown here or at the station in Izmir or Bandirma or at Istanbul's Sirkeci station.
Booking normally opens 60 days ahead.
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If you have any problems booking, use a recommended Turkish travel agency as explained here.
What's the journey like?
Yenikapi ferry terminal, see map showing location. It's a 12-minute 900m walk from Yenikapi Marmaray station, see walking map. There's a token X-ray and metal detector check when entering the terminal building. You should arrive 30 minutes before your ferry, though ferries typically appear on the departure board only 10-15 minutes before departure with their gate number. At the gate, your ticket QR code is scanned and you either sit in the designated waiting area for that gate until doors open and the ferry boards, or you walk straight out and board the ferry.
IDO ferry from Istanbul Yenikapi to Bandirma. The fast ferry has airline-style seating and a small cafe counter for tea, coffee, water, soft drinks and snacks. Luggage goes on racks or (if necessary) in a designated deck area at the rear of the craft, you may be asked to enter via the rear door if you have large bags. On this vessel there was no access to any outside deck during the crossing. The ferry speeds across the blue waters of the Sea of Marmara to Bandirma, journey time 2h55.
Bandirma ferry terminal (above left): You walk off the ferry and out into the street. Turn left and you'll find a fish market, a car park with a cafe on your right in a building marked Bandirma Ville that was clearly once the town's railway station, and beyond that a town square on the seafront surrounded by more cafes and restaurants than you can shake a stick at. There are worse places to spend a few hours!
Bandirma Sehir railway station (above right): The station is 3 minutes walk from the ferry terminal. Walk out of the terminal, turn right and walk 130m to the entrance to the station signed TCDD, see walking map. It looks like a private industrial area, in 2025 the original station building is being demolished (or rebuilt, difficult to tell which). The station ticket office and waiting room (bekleme salonu) is in the futuristic building on the right in the photo above. The platform is out of shot to the left. Ignore the (closed, non-operational) station marked as Bandirma on Google maps, the station you want is Bandirma Sehir and that is what your ticket will say.
The train runs into Bandirma Sehir, locomotive at the front. The train will back out of the station, then run forward through a tunnel to get out of Bandirma.
The Bandirma -Izmir train has powerful air-conditioning and comfortable reclining pullman seats. There's no catering so bring your own supplies.
Arrival at Izmir Basmane (above right). You arrive late at night, I recommend the Istanblu Hotel & Spa just across the road from the station.
Izmir: The clock tower (above left) and in the bazaar (above right).
The international sleeper train from Istanbul to Sofia & Bucharest takes this route and is shown on the Istanbul to Sofia & Bucharest page. But two domestic trains also run between Halkali (a suburban station 25 km west of Istanbul Sirkeci) & Edirne. They have comfortable air-conditioned TVS2000 cars. You can reach Halkali from Sirkeci by frequent Marmaray suburban trains, see the advice here.
Check these times at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr or as explained here. The trains have one class of seating only, no catering car.
Halkali is a suburban station 25 km west of Istanbul Sirkeci station.
To reach Halkali from central Istanbul, take a Marmaray suburban train from Sirkeci station (the new Marmaray platforms underground). These run every 15 minutes, journey time 49 minutes, fare equivalent of around 0.60.
How much does it cost?
Halkali to Edirne costs TL 335 (£7, 9, $8).
2025 prices, but Turkey has significant inflation so prices may change.
How to buy tickets
How to buy tickets. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead.
The Halkali - Edirne - Kapikule train. Photos courtesy of Ivor & Ines Morgan.
Istanbul to Göreme & Cappadocia
Cappadocia is an incredible land of strange rock formations and cave dwellings that should not be missed. It's a nightmare 11 hour bus journey from Istanbul, but you can easily let the train take the strain to Ankara, then take a much shorter bus ride.
Option 1, by high-speed train + bus - the easiest way
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Step 1, travel from Istanbul to Ankara by comfortable high-speed YHT train, as shown above.
These 250 km/h YHT trains have 1st & 2nd class and a cafe car. Book the train as shown here.
Take the metro from Ankara station to the long-distance bus terminal a couple of miles out of the city centre. Allow at least an hour for this.
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Step 2, Buses run from Ankara to Nevsehir & Göreme in Cappadocia every couple of hours throughout the day, taking 2h45 to Nevsehir and as little as 3h10 to Göreme.
The fare is around £14 / 16 / $17.
Buy a bus ticket at www.flixbus.com.
Option 2, by high-speed train, onward train and bus - least time in a bus
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Step 1, travel from Istanbul to Ankara by comfortable high-speed YHT train, as shown above.
These 250 km/h YHT trains have 1st & 2nd class and a cafe car. Book the train as shown here.
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Step 2, take a classic train from Ankara to Kayseri as shown in the timetable below. Book this train as shown here.
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Step 3, take a bus from Kayseri to Göreme, Kayseri is only 70 km from Göreme, so this is the shortest bus journey (maybe 1.5 hours) though a longer overall trip.
It's a nightmare 12-hour bus journey from Istanbul to Turkey's southern coast. You can easily avoid it by taking a high-speed YHT train from Istanbul to Konya in 4h40, then bus from Konya to Alanya or Antalya in around 4h.
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Step 1, travel from Istanbul Söğütlüçeşme to Konya Selçuklu YHT station by YHT train in 4h40, as shown above.
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In Konya, the bus station is a 15-minute taxi ride from the YHT station, see map.
However, Konya is a great place to visit so I recommend a stopover here.
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Step 2, travel from Konya to Antalya or Alanya by bus in around 4h. Check bus times at www.flixbus.com or www.checkmybus.co.uk.
Istanbul to Bodrum & Marmaris
There are direct buses from Istanbul to the Mediterranean coast, but this is a nightmarishly long bus journey, especially overnight slumped in a bus seat. Here's how to travel in comfort with a minimum of time in a bus:
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Step 1, travel from Istanbul to Izmir by ferry & train or by YHT & sleeper train as shown above. It's a relaxing and enjoyable journey.
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Step 2, take a local train from Izmir to Aydin railway station as shown here.
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Step 3, take a bus from Aydin bus station to Bodrum or Marmaris. Aydin to Bodrum takes 2h40. Aydin to Marmaris takes 2h20. There's a range of buses daily, try www.pamukkale.com.tr or www.checkmybus.co.uk.
Istanbul to Fethiye
There are direct buses from Istanbul to the Mediterranean coast, but this is a nightmarishly long bus journey, especially overnight slumped in a bus seat. Here's how to travel in comfort with a minimum of time in a bus:
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Step 2, take a bus from Denizli bus station to Fethiye. There are several buses daily taking around 3h45. Try www.pamukkale.com.tr or www.checkmybus.co.uk.
You can make this journey by day or night. A comfortable sleeper train links Ankara with Izmir every night with 1 & 2 bed sleepers, see the TVS2000 sleeper photos. Or you can travel by day, using a high-speed YHT train between Ankara & Eskisehir and the Ege Express between Eskisehir & Izmir.
Sleeper = Izmir Mavi Tren with two TVS2000 sleeping-cars (1 & 2-bed compartments), TVS2000 reclining pullman seats & TVS2000 restaurant car.
YHT = Yüksek Hızlı Tren = 250 km/h high-speed train Ankara-Eskisehir. There's a brief X-ray & metal detector check when entering the station.
Ege Exp = Ege Express Eskisehir-Izmir with TVS2000 reclining pullman seats. Ege is Turkish for Aegean sea.
Check these times at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr or as explained here.
How much does it cost?
2025 prices. £1 = TL 54. 1 = 47 TL. $1 = TL 41. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently.
All these fares are one-way per person. Return tickets cost 20% less than two one-way fares.
Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth (genç) fare.
Youths under 26 get 15% off (genç). All seniors over 60 get 15% off (yaş 60-64), but only Turkish citizens over 65 get 50% off (yaş 65).
How to buy tickets
How to buy tickets: Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. Sleepers sell out fast, so book early.
The sleeper can be booked as one transaction. Only one sleeping-car is bookable online, the other is sold at stations in the days before departure.
The daytime option can be booked as one transaction westbound from Ankara to Izmir. In the eastbound direction from Izmir to Ankara you need to book Izmir to Eskisehir first, then Eskisehir to Ankara, allowing plenty of time for delay in Eskisehir.
What's the journey like?
Izmir Basmane station. There's a brief X-ray & metal detector check when entering the station, the entrance is in the centre. If you need an inexpensive hotel near the station I suggest the Istanblu Hotel&Spa, out of shot to the right across the road.
Inside Izmir Basmane. The ticket office is the wooden structure on the concourse. There are various kiosks for tea, coffee, drinks & snacks.
Above, the Izmir to Ankara sleeper train waits to leave Izmir Basmane station.
Above left, 2-bed sleeper in evening mode. Above right, the same sleeper in night mode. The ladder is not shown here.
Above left, dinner in the diner. Above right, scenery approaching Ankara.
Ankara to Denizli & Pamukkale
It's cheap, easy and comfortable to travel between Ankara and Denizli, for the famous springs at Pamukkale. You take a high-speed YHT train from Ankara's main station to Eskisehir then the Pamukkale Express to Denizli.
Pamukkale is 16 km by road from Denizli, the local regional centre.
YHT = Yüksek Hızlı Tren = 250 km/h high-speed train Ankara-Eskisehir. There's brief X-ray & metal detector check when entering the station, allow a few minutes for this.
Pamukkale Express = TVS2000 reclining pullman seats with refreshment trolley Eskisehir-Denizli.
Check these times at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr or as explained here.
How much does it cost?
2025 prices. £1 = TL 54. 1 = 47 TL. $1 = TL 41. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently.
All these fares are one-way per person. Return tickets cost 20% less than two one-way fares.
Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth (genç) fare.
Youths under 26 get 15% off (genç). All seniors over 60 get 15% off (yaş 60-64), but only Turkish citizens over 65 get 50% off (yaş 65).
How to buy tickets
How to buy tickets: You need to buy Ankara-Eskisehir and Eskisehir-Denizli as two separate tickets. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead.
A high-speed line linking Ankara with Konya opened in August 2011. 250 km/h (156 mph) high-speed trains with economy and business class air-conditioned seating and a cafe-bar car link Ankara & Konya in 1h40. Previously, you could only travel between these cities via a roundabout route that took over 10 hours. The journey from Ankara to Konya is around 309 km (193 miles), including 212 km of new high-speed line.
* Runs Friday, Saturday & Sunday only.
YHT = Yüksek Hızlı Tren = 250 km/h high-speed train. There's a brief X-ray & metal detector check when entering the station, allow a few minutes for this.
Konya Selçuklu YHT is the new high-speed station in central Konya opened in 2021, see location map. It's on the other side of the city from the original Konya station, which is about 4 km away.
How much does it cost?
2025 prices. £1 = TL 54. 1 = 47 TL. $1 = TL 41. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently.
All these fares are one-way per person. Return tickets cost 20% less than two one-way fares.
Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth (genç) fare.
Youths under 26 get 15% off (genç). All seniors over 60 get 15% off (yaş 60-64), but only Turkish citizens over 65 get 50% off (yaş 65).
How to buy tickets
How to buy train tickets. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead.
What are the trains like?
Most departures use the 6-car YHT trains built by CAF, a couple of departures use the 8-car YHT Velaro trains built by Siemens. Both have business & economy class and a cafe car.
A YHT (Velaro type) at Ankara YHT station.
There's no better way to travel between Ankara and Adana than by train. Take a high-speed YHT train to Konya and change for a journey over the spectacular Taurus mountains to Adana aboard the Toros Express. Update: The Toros Express has been temporarily suspended since May 2024 due to line reconstruction.
YHT = by excellent YHT high-speed train between Ankara & Konya with business class and economy class seats.
Toros = by Toros Express with pullman seats between Konya & Adana. Superb scenery through the Taurus mountains.
* The Toros Express has been temporarily suspended since May 2024 due to line reconstruction.
Check these times at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr or as explained here.
Connection to Tarsus & Mersin Connection to Iskenderun.
How much does it cost?
2025 prices. £1 = TL 54. 1 = 47 TL. $1 = TL 41. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently.
All these fares are one-way per person. Return tickets cost 20% less than two one-way fares.
Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth (genç) fare.
Youths under 26 get 15% off (genç). All seniors over 60 get 15% off (yaş 60-64), but only Turkish citizens over 65 get 50% off (yaş 65).
How to buy tickets
How to buy tickets: Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You need to buy Ankara-Konya and Konya-Adana as two separate tickets.
Istanbul & Ankara to Eastern Turkey
It's a long way to eastern Turkey, but the trains have sleeping-cars and couchettes for a comfortable and wonderfully scenic journey, making the train far more comfortable, civilised and enjoyable than any cramped long-distance bus. Most trains now use modern air-conditioned TVS2000 sleeping-cars and reclining seat cars. For the weekly onward train to Iran (if & when running), see the London to Iran page. For onward connections to Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia, see the Caucasus page.
Notes for the timetable
As you can see from the timetable, you take a YHT high-speed train from Istanbul to Ankara, then the classic trains from Ankara eastwards.
Check these times at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr or as explained here.
Istanbul Sog. = Söğütlüçeşme, a suburban station 2km (1.2 miles) east of the old Haydarpaşa station, see Söğütlüçeşme station guide & how to reach it.
YHT = Yüksek Hızlı Tren, 250 km/h high-speed train. There's a brief X-ray & metal detector check when entering the station, allow a few minutes for this.
Güney Express. Runs on days of the week shown in the table above. TVS2000 sleeping-car (1 & 2-bed rooms), TVS2000 couchette car (4-berth compartments), TVS2000 reclining pullman seats, TVS2000 restaurant car.
Van Gölü Express. Runs on days of the week shown in the table above. TVS2000 sleeping-car (1 & 2-bed rooms), TVS2000 couchette car (4-berth compartments), TVS2000 reclining pullman seats, ordinary seats.
Turistik Doğu Express. Tourist train run by Turkish Railways, runs eastbound from Ankara on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays late December to late February. Westbound, it runs on Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays late December to late February.
It has 9 TVS2000 sleeping-cars (1 & 2-bed rooms) & TVS2000 restaurant car. This train started in 2019, created by TCDD Turkish Railways in response to the popularity of the original Doğu Express. Stops briefly at several locations for off-train excursions. Special fares apply, with dynamic pricing.
Doğu Express. Runs daily with TVS2000 couchette car (4-berth compartments) & TVS2000 reclining pullman seats. This is the original Doğu Express, which became so popular that it was often fully-booked as soon as booking opened. In response, TCDD created the all-sleeping-car Turistik Doğu Express and from May 2019 replaced the sleeping-cars on this original daily Doğu Express with a couchette car. But the scenery is the same whichever train you choose, and the couchettes are comfortable. Says one traveller: "Overnight on brilliant Doğu Express to Erzurum. A trip highlight."
4 Eylül Mavi Tren. TVS2000 4-berth couchette cars & TVS2000 reclining pullman seats. No sleepers.
YHT high-speed trains Ankara-Sivas: In addition to the classic trains shown above, several high-speed trains in each direction started linking Ankara & Sivas every day from April 2023, taking just 2h33 on a much more direct high-speed line.
How much does it cost?
2025 prices. £1 = TL 54. 1 = 47 TL. $1 = TL 41. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently.
All these fares are one-way per person. Return tickets cost 20% less than two one-way fares.
Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth (genç) fare.
Youths under 26 get 15% off (genç). All seniors over 60 get 15% off (yaş 60-64), but only Turkish citizens over 65 get 50% off (yaş 65).
Special tourist fares apply for the Doğu Turistik Express with no child, youth, senior or return trip discounts.
How to buy tickets
How to buy tickets: Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You must buy Istanbul-Ankara and Ankara-Eastern Turkey as two separate tickets.
Couchettes and sleepers on these trains usually sell out soon after booking opens, so book early and ideally use my suggested agencies to secure tickets as they know how it all works, as shown above.
To book the Turistik Doğu Express, contact Amber Travel, www.ambertravel.com.
What are the trains like?
Sleeping-cars: Above left, 2-bed sleeper in evening mode. Above right, the same sleeper in night mode. The ladder is not shown here. More about these sleepers.
Couchettes: Above left, in day mode with bunks folded away. Above right, 'the morning after', bunks folded out. More about these couchette cars.
Restaurant car: More about the restaurant cars.
What's the journey like?
Great scenery on the train to Kars: Two views from the Dogu Express, alongside the Euphrates river between Sivan & Erzurum. Away from road development, you'll see great scenery from the comfort of your train. It's the inexpensive & relaxed alternative to airport stress or a nightmare journey in a cramped bus. Photos courtesy of Conor Meleady.
More scenery from the Doğu Express. Photos courtesy of Maximilian Meyer.
Breathtaking - the Doğu Express in eastern Turkey. Courtesy of Matthew Woodward, read his blog about the journey here.
It's a nightmare 9-hour bus journey from Ankara to Turkey's southern coast. You can easily avoid it by taking a high-speed YHT train from Ankara to Konya in 1h40, then bus from Konya to Alanya or Antalya in around 4h.
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Step 1, travel from Ankara to Konya Selçuklu YHT station by YHT train in 1h40, as shown above.
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In Konya, the bus station is a 15-minute taxi ride from the YHT station, see map.
However, Konya is a great place to visit so I recommend a stopover here.
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Step 2, travel from Konya to Antalya or Alanya by bus in around 4h. Check bus times at www.checkmybus.co.uk.
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Step 1, travel from Ankara to Izmir by YHT train and overnight sleeper as shown here. It's a comfortable and enjoyable journey.
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Step 2, take a local train from Izmir to Aydin railway station as shown here.
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Step 3, take a bus from Aydin bus station to Bodrum or Marmaris. Aydin to Bodrum takes 2h40. Aydin to Marmaris takes 2h20. There's a range of buses daily, try www.pamukkale.com.tr or www.checkmybus.co.uk.
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Step 1, travel by YHT high-speed train from Ankara to Konya as shown above.
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In Konya, the bus station is a 15-minute taxi ride from the YHT station, see map.
However, Konya is a great place to visit so I recommend a stopover here.
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Step 2, take a bus from Konya bus station to Fethiye. Try www.kontur.com.tr for bus times & fares, or www.checkmybus.co.uk.
Izmir to Konya
Konya Mavi = Konya Mavi Tren, with air-conditioned TVS200 sleeping-car with 1 & 2-bed compartments & TVS2000 reclining pullman seats. These are all comfortable air-conditioned, smooth-riding TVS2000 cars.
Check these times at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr or as explained here.
How much does it cost?
2025 prices. £1 = TL 54. 1 = 47 TL. $1 = TL 41. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently.
All these fares are one-way per person. Return tickets cost 20% less than two one-way fares.
Children under 8 go free, children 8-11 travel for half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth (genç) fare.
Youths under 26 get 15% off (genç). All seniors over 60 get 15% off (yaş 60-64), but only Turkish citizens over 65 get 50% off (yaş 65).
Special tourist fares apply for the Doğu Turistik Express with no child, youth, senior or return trip discounts.
How to buy tickets
How to buy tickets: The sleepers often sell out, so book as soon as you can.
Regional trains link Izmir Basmane station with Selçuk (the station for Ephesus), Çamlık (the closest station to the resort of Kusadasi), and Denizli for the natural springs at Pamukkale. Izmir to Selçuk is 78 km by train, the ruins at Ephesus are 3.8 km from the modern town of Selçuk, it can be walked or you can take a taxi or dolmus (local minibus). For travel between Istanbul and Denizli, see above.
The trains are 2nd class only, operated by comfortable modern air-conditioned diesel trains.
How to reach Kusadasi How to reach Ephesus Change at Aydin for buses to Bodrum, Marmaris & Datca.
To check current times, run an enquiry at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr.
Additional IZBAN metro trains Izmir-Selçuk: Electric suburban trains operated by IZBAN (www.izban.com.tr) now operate roughly every 75 minutes between Izmir Alsancak station and Selçuk in addition to the diesel regional trains run by TCDD shown here. Currently a change of train is necessary at Tepeköy when using these suburban trains. Suburban service will increase further when more project work is completed. You can check Alsancak-Tepeköy and Tepeköy-Selçuk train times at www.izban.com.tr. Fare around 16 TL.
How much does it cost?
Izmir to Selçuk TL 100
Izmir to Denizli TL 300
Denizli to Selçuk TL 220
2025 prices. £1 = TL 54. 1 = 47 TL. $1 = TL 41. Turkey has high inflation so fares & exchange rates change frequently.
Children under 8 free, children 8-11 half the adult fare, children 12 & over pay the youth fare. Seniors over 60 15% off, over 65 50% off. Youths under 26 15% off.
How to buy tickets
These are regional trains, most people buy a ticket at the ticket office, there are always tickets available.
Or you can buy online at ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr, see the advice on using it.
What's the journey like?
Izmir Basmane station. There's a brief X-ray & metal detector check when entering the station, the entrance is in the centre. If you need an inexpensive hotel near the station I recommend the Istanblu Hotel&Spa, out of shot to the right across the road.
Inside Izmir Basmane. The ticket office is a wooden structure on the concourse. There are various kiosks selling tea, coffee, drinks & snacks.
Regional train on the Izmir-Selçuk- Çamlik - Denizli route, at Izmir Basmane station.
Scenery approaching Selçuk. The landscape becomes more mountainous between Selçuk and Çamlik.
Selçuk station, complete with bell! You can easily get a taxi to Ephesus or Kuşadası, if there isn't a taxi waiting there are taxi phone numbers posted at the station.
Çamlik station, with a train to Izmir arriving. The station is in the countryside a couple of kilometres from the town it serves, which is smaller than Selçuk. It's next to the main road and a level crossing, there are a couple of shops selling drinks and snacks nearby, but little else. When heading for Kusadasi it may be easier to find taxis in Selçuk, but it's closer to Kusadasi when heading back to Izmir.
To reach Kuşadası
By taxi from Çamlik: Çamlik is the closest station to the resort of Kuşadası, 12 km (17 minutes) away by taxi, although in the outward direction you may find it easier to find a taxi from Selçuk, 21 km & 28 minutes away. There is a large open-air railway museum at Çamlik, 9 minutes walk from the station. The railway museum features many Turkish steam locomotives and one of Ataturk's private carriages complete with marble bath.
By minibus from Selçuk: It's a 4-minute 350m walk from Selçuk station to the bus stop in front of the Selçuk Municipality building. Clearly-marked Selçuk-Kuşadası dolmuses (minibuses) leave Selçuk every 15 minutes April-September and every 30 minutes October-March, taking around 30 minutes. Fare 90 TL (2, 2025 price). Or take a taxi from Selçuk station, a taxi to Kusadasi will cost around 50. Feedback appreciated.
To reach Ephesus
The ruins at Ephesus are a UNESCO World Heritage site. For opening hours see muze.gov.tr (please let me know if that link changes).
Take a train to Selçuk, it's then a pleasant 49-minute 3.6 km walk from Selçuk station to the northern entrance to the ruins. Allow 2-3 hours for the stroll through Ephesus to the south entrance. It's then a 46-minute 3.4 km walk back to the station. Feedback appreciated.
Alternatively, it's a 5-minute 400m walk from the station to Selçuk bus station (otogar). Dolmuses (minibuses) leave every 20 minutes at 0, 20 & 40 minutes past the hour) for Kusadasi. The dolmus will drop you at the top of the road to Ephesus, an easy 13-minute 900m walk to the ruins' north entrance. Dolmus fare around TL 50 (1) from Selçuk to Ephesus road.
Above, the southern entrance to Ephesus, showing ticket office and turnstiles.
Above, the library.
Adana to Tarsus & Mersin
Adana ► Yenice, Tarsus, Mersin
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Regional trains leave Adana daily at 05:45 and roughly every 30-60 minutes until 23:00.
Update 2025: All trains on this route are suspended from 2024 for up to 2 years due to track upgrading.
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Journey time Adana to Mersin 45-66 minutes, Adana to Tarsus 28-39 minutes, Adana to Yenice 17-26 minutes.
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Fare Adana-Mersin ?? TL.
Mersin, Tarsus, Yenice ► Adana
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Regional trains leave Mersin daily at 05:45 and roughly every 30-60 minutes until 22:30.
Update 2025: All trains on this route are suspended from 2024 for up to 2 years due to track upgrading.
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All these trains call at Tarsus & Yenice. Journey time from Mersin to Adana 45 to 68 minutes.
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Fare Mersin-Adana ?? TL.
The trains between Adana & Mersin are modern air-conditioned diesel units like the one shown in the Izmir to Selçuk & Denizli section above.
To check current train times, go to the Turkish Railways website www.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr or ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr. The information you need may not be shown in the English version of their site, so you must leave it in Turkish, ideally using Google's Chrome browser with automatic translation. Select Bölgesel (= regional trains) at the top. Click the route you are interested in. Trains appear, click each train to see its schedule.
Connections from Istanbul & Ankara...
For train connections from Ankara to Adana, see the Ankara-Adana section.
For train connections from Istanbul to Adana, see the Istanbul-Adana section.
Adana to Iskenderun
Adana ► Iskenderun
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Regional trains run from Adana to Iskenderun 3 times a day, at 07:56, 14:27, 18:03. Journey time around 2h30.
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The train consists of a diesel locomotive and several modern air-conditioned carriages, 2nd class only.
Iskenderun ► Adana
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Regional trains leave Iskenderun for Adana daily at 07:15, 11:30, 17:15, journey time around 2h45.
Fares & how to buy tickets
Adana to Iskenderun costs around TL ??.
Buy tickets at the station or even on board the train, no reservation necessary.
Connections from Istanbul & Ankara
For train connections between Adana & Ankara, see the Ankara-Adana section above.
For train connections between Adana & Istanbul, see the Istanbul-Adana section above.
Traveller's report
Traveller Magnus Larsson reports: "On the minute the train departed from Iskenderun at 07.15 and made its way slowly through the outskirts of town. The Mediterranean sea became visible through the windows at times during the journey. The train was pretty full of passengers but with 2+1 seats there were generous space for all of us. The air-conditioning kept temperature in the wagons at a pleasant level all the time, even though the sun was shining strong when we arrived Mersin on schedule at 10.40. I bought tickets from the ticket counter at Iskenderun station but it is also possible to buy tickets on board."Back to top
Sivas to Samsun
Sivas ► Samsun
The line closed in 2015 for a complete rebuild, but reopened in April 2023 with a daily train leaving every morning, journey time 8h. The train is an air-conditioned diesel unit with comfortable one-class seating.
Samsun ► Sivas
The line closed in 2015 for a complete rebuild, but reopened in April 2023 with a daily train leaving every morning, journey time 8h. The train is an air-conditioned diesel unit with comfortable one-class seating.
Connections from Ankara to Sivas
Starting in April 2023, three daily YHT high-speed trains link Ankara with Sivas taking just 2h33. They get fully-booked, so book ahead. You will need to stay overnight in Sivas between trains. You can find these using ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr.
Alternatively, use any of the classic trains using the classic route shown in the Ankara to Eastern Turkey section above.
The Sivas to Samsun train arrived at Samsun. Photo courtesy of www.DiscoverByRail.com.
Istanbul to Thessaloniki & Athens by train
There are currently no trains from Istanbul to Greece.
Izmir to Thessaloniki & Athens by ferry
In 2022, a direct ferry started linking Izmir & Thessaloniki several times a week from Spring until November run by Levante Ferries, www.levanteferries.com. Howver, this seems to have ceased.
Turkey to Greece via a Greek island
Alternatively, you can take a ferry between southern/western Turkey & several Greek islands, then a domestic Greek ferry between those islands & Piraeus (the port of Athens).
Step 1, take a ferry from southern Turkey to either Kos, Lesvos, Samos or Rhodes:
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Ferries between Marmaris & Rhodes sail several times a week. See www.seadreams.gr for details, although you may find it easier to check and book at www.ferriesingreece.com. Journey time 1 hour by catamaran, 2 hours by car ferry.
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Ferries between Kusadasi & Samos sail once or twice daily (08:30 & 17:00) between early April & late October. See www.meandertravel.com/ferrytosamos/ for details. Journey time 1 hour 15 minutes minutes, fare around 30 (50 open return).
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Ferries between Ayvalik (a few hours north of Izmir by bus) & Lesvos (Mytilini) sail daily Monday-Saturday, crossing 1 hour 10 minutes, fare 30.
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A hydrofoil sails every day between Bodrum & Kos, fare 28, crossing 1 hour, Bodrum depart 09:30, Kos depart 15:30, see www.bodrumexpresslines.com.
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You may or may not need to overnight on the island, depending on schedules, but always allow several hours for connections at least.
Step 2: Take a ferry from Kos, Lesvos, Samos or Rhodes to Piraeus. Piraeus is the port of Athens, 25 minutes from central Athens by metro. The port on Lesvos is called Mytilini.
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For Lesvos (Mytilini) to Piraeus, see www.hellenicseaways.gr to check sailing dates, times, fares and to book online or use www.ferriesingreece.com. The voyage takes 9.5 hours.
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For Kos-Piraeus or Rhodes-Piraeus see www.bluestarferries.gr to check sailing dates, times, fares and to book online, or use www.ferriesingreece.com. Ferries normally sail Rhodes-Piraeus overnight, with cabins available.
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For Samos-Piraeus, see www.kallistiferries.gr or www.ferriesingreece.com.
Turkey to/from the rest of Europe
Istanbul ► Sofia & Bucharest
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A daily overnight train links Istanbul with Sofia & Bucharest, see the Istanbul to Bucharest page.
Istanbul ► Budapest, Vienna & other European cities
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For travel from Istanbul to Budapest, Vienna & all other European cities, see the international trains from Istanbul page.
Istanbul ► Paris & London
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For travel between Istanbul and Paris or London, see the Istanbul to London page.
Above, the Istanbul-Sofia Express to Sofia and Bucharest boarding at Istanbul Halkali station.
Other international services
Istanbul ► Aleppo (Syria), Damascus, Amman (Jordan), Petra, Cairo (Egypt)
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Until the start of the conflict in Syria, there was a daily train & bus option from Istanbul to Syria. You took the daily air-conditioned sleeper train through great scenery from Istanbul to Adana (see above) then a bus to Aleppo in Syria. Then a 100 mph air-conditioned train from Aleppo to Damascus. From Damascus you could catch regular daily buses to Amman in Jordan (a 4-5 hour journey), with onward buses & ferries to Petra, Aqaba & Egypt. See the London to Syria, London to Jordan & Egypt pages for information about each stage of the journey. You might be inspired by a blog about travel from the UK to Egypt this way, www.unplaned.com. Of course, for obvious reasons the Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to Syria.
Istanbul / Ankara ► Tehran (Iran): See the Iran page.
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A weekly express train, the Trans-Asia Express, with modern air-conditioned sleeping-berths, ran from Istanbul & Ankara to Tabriz & Tehran in Iran. See the London to Iran page for full details & current status.
Istanbul / Ankara ► Tbilisi (Georgia): See the Caucasus page.
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You can travel by air-conditioned sleeper train across Turkey through great scenery, then bus to the Georgian border, then train to Tbilisi. See the Caucasus page for details.
Istanbul ► Yerevan (Armenia): See the Caucasus page.
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The Turkish/Armenian border is currently closed, and there is no train service between Turkey and Armenia. However, you can easily travel from Turkey to Armenia by first travelling from Istanbul or Ankara to Tbilisi in Georgia), then travelling from Tbilisi to Yerevan in Armenia by direct overnight train. See the Caucasus page for details.
Istanbul ► Baku (Azerbaijan): See the Caucasus page.
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You can travel by air-conditioned sleeper train across Turkey through great scenery, then by bus to the Georgian border, then train to Tbilisi, then by overnight train from Tbilisi to Baku. See the Caucasus page for details.
Istanbul & Gaziantep ► Mosul & Baghdad (Iraq)
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In February 2010, a new weekly train started between Gaziantep in south eastern Turkey and Mosul in northern Iraq, restoring train service between Turkey and Iraq. But unsurprisingly it's now cancelled.
Istanbul ► Odessa (Ukraine) by ferry
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A weekly passenger ship and twice-weekly truck ferry used to link Istanbul with Odessa in Ukraine across the Black Sea, taking about 36 hours. For details of the current situation see the Ukraine page, ferry section.
Turkey ► Cyprus
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A daily fast ferry and regular conventional ferry link Taşucu in southern Turkey with Girne (Kyrenia) in northern Cyprus, just north of Nicosia. See www.fergun.net for ferry times, fares and booking. For train connections from Istanbul to Taşucu via Karaman, see the Cyprus page.
European Rail Timetable & Map
The
European Rail Timetable
(formerly the Thomas Cook European Timetable)
has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus
currency & climate information. It is essential
for regular European train travellers and an inspiration for armchair
travellers. Published since 1873, it had just celebrated 140 years of
publication when Thomas Cook decided to pull the plug on their entire publishing
department, but the dedicated ex-Thomas Cook team set up a private venture and
resumed publication of the famous European Rail Timetable in March 2014.
You can buy it online at
www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses) or
www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide).
More information
on what the European Rail Timetable contains.
Rail Map Europe is the map I recommend, covering all of Europe from Portugal in the west to Moscow & Istanbul in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily & Athens in the south. Scenic routes & high-speed lines are highlighted. See an extract from the map. Buy online at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide) or at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses).
How to buy train tickets online
The Turkish Railways website has a good online booking facility, revamped in 2014 and available (mostly) in English. The system will book most long distance domestic trains within Turkey, including seats, couchettes and sleepers.
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Go to ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr and change TR to English top right.
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How to buy tickets online
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The TCDD (Turkish Railways) home page is www.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr, but at the time I write this it's only in Turkish - and at times has only been accessible using a VPN set to a Turkish IP address.
However, their ticket sales page is ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr and this has an English version, change TR to English top right.
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Remember that reservations for Turkish trains normally opens 60 days before departure, or for some trains less than this, it varies. You won't see any trains if you look too far ahead.
You'll need passport numbers and dates of birth for all passengers.
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Use the online system to buy Turkish domestic train tickets, it's pretty straightforward. It even allows you to select specific seats or sleeper berths from a plan.
For Istanbul, type Istanbul and select ISTANBUL(SÖĞÜTLÜÇEŞME), ISTANBUL.
For Ankara, type Ank... and select ANKARA GAR, ANKARA.
For Konya, type Kony... and select
Remember it can only book one train at a time, it cannot book journeys involving multiple connecting trains. So book each train you want individually.
Dates are written as DD.MM.YYYY, (= GG.AA.YYYY in Turkish)
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A few useful words & phrases as not every Turkish word is fully translated:
2+2 Pullman and 2+1 Pullman = seating with seats arranged either 2+2 or 2+1 across the width of the car.
YATAKLI = sleeping-car. On the plan, üst = upper berth, alt = lower berth. If you book 1 person, you get a whole 2-berth compartment.
Örtülü kuşetli = 4-berth couchettes. If you book 1 person, you get 1 berth in a shared compartment.
YHT = high speed train.
Tam = adult rate
çocuk = child rate = children under 12. Under 8s go free, 12 & over pay the youth fare.
genç = youth fare for anyone under 26 = 15% discount.
60-64 yaş = senior fare, 15% discount for anyone aged over 60.
65 yaş = senior fare, 50% discount but only for Turkish citizens over 65.
Satış Sözleşmesini Okudum ve Kabul Ediyorum = "I have read & agree to the terms & conditions."
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Remember that Google language tools will help with anything not fully translated, see www.google.co.uk/language_tools?hl=en.
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It can be fussy with some overseas credit cards, but accepts my UK-issued one.
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You'll get an e-ticket you can print or show on your phone.
Tip: As with any booking site, make sure you register and log on before booking. After booking, never navigate away from a confirmation page (on any booking website!) until you have the ticket emails safely in your inbox, and/or have taken a note of the PNR number. When I've used it, it has occasionally only emailed one ticket out of four, and the print ticket buttons on the confirmation page didn't work. If this happens, go to the ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr home page, click My tickets above the journey planner and enter your PNR and surname. The print buttons on the next page should work!
To
get the most out of your trip, you'll need a good guidebook
- I'd recommend the Lonely Planets guides as about the best out there. The
Middle East guidebook is less detailed, but covers Egypt,
Syria, Jordan, Iran, Israel and other countries as well as
Turkey.
Click the images to buy online at Amazon.co.uk
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Hotels in Istanbul
The famous Pera Palace Hotel is one of the world's great hotels as I explain on the Pera Palace page, not just a roof over your head but an Istanbul landmark since 1895. Famous guests include Agatha Christie, Ernest Hemingway, Alfred Hitchcock, Greta Garbo, Turkey's Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and Britain's King Edward VIII and Queen Elizabeth II. It also has the most comfortable beds in Istanbul! I've stayed here myself in 1995, 2005, 2013 & 2025. If you can manage a modest splurge, this is the place! Check prices and book.
if you can't stretch to the Pera Palace, the nearby Grand Hotel de Londres offers similar grandeur at a much cheaper price and is apparently a favourite with archaeologists working in Turkey. The Hotel Yasmak Sultan is another good inexpensive choice, this time in the popular Sultanahmet area near the Blue Mosque, Haghia Sofia and World Famous Pudding Shop and a 5-minute 400m walk from Sirkeci station.
The Pera Palace's main entrance.
Backpacker
hostels
If you're on a tight budget, don't forget the hostels. For a dorm bed or an ultra-cheap private room in backpacker hostels in most European cities use www.hostelworld.com.
The World Famous Pudding Shop
There are of course many restaurants in Istanbul, but a 16-minute walk from Sirkeci station, opposite the Haghia Sofia and Blue Mosque in Sultanahmet, you'll find a personal favourite. The Lale Restaurant, better known as the World Famous Pudding Shop (www.puddingshop.com) opened in 1957 and became famous in the 1960s as a travellers' stop and meeting place on the hippie trail from London to Kathmandu. It even features in the film Midnight Express. I first ate there in 1995 having discovered it through my Lonely Planet guidebook. Today it's an inexpensive Turkish restaurant with friendly staff, decent food and Efes beer, its walls adorned with memorabilia from its glory days. Their stuffed vine leaves are delicious...
Travel insurance & other tips
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Always take out travel insurance
Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover. It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself. Here are some suggested insurers. Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.
www.staysure.co.uk
offers enhanced Covid-19 protection & gets 4.7 out of 5 on
Trustpilot.
www.columbusdirect.com
is also a well-know brand.
If you live in the USA try
Travel Guard USA.
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Get an eSIM with mobile data package
Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a mobile data package for the country you're visiting and stay connected. Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM card so you don't need to buy a physical SIM, including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list. Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data.
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Get a Curve card for foreign travel
Most banks give you a poor exchange rate, then add a foreign transaction fee on top. A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month at time of writing. The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.
How it works: 1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android. 2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses. 3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card. 4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app. You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.
I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader. The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than digging a card out). I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great. See details, download the app and get a Curve card, they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.
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Get a VPN for safe browsing. Why you need a VPN
When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure. A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi. It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply. See VPNs & why you need one explained. ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription. I get a small commission to help support this site.
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Carry an Anker powerbank
Tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes are often held digitally on your mobile phone, so it's vital to keep it charged. I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over if I can't get to a power outlet. Buy from Amazon.co.uk or from buy from Amazon.com.