TCDD (Turkish Republic State Railways) operate passenger trains all over the country.
On long distances, like Istanbul to Ankara or Pamukkale, the train is a comfortable way of transport.
Pass validity
The InterRail Global Pass and the InterRail Turkey Pass are valid on all trains operated by TCDD (Turkish Republic State Railways).
Visit the national railway company TCDD.
On the website of the Turkish State Railways you can find useful information about:
Domestic trains
The Istanbul-Ankara rail line is the most popular connection. There are several daily trains on this line.
Other major cities or tourist spots that can be reached by rail from Istanbul directly are Edirne, Eskisehir, Denizli (near Pamukkale), Konya, Adana, Kayseri, Gaziantep, Diyarbakir, Erzurum, Kars, and Tatvan on the shore of Lake Van.
How to get there
From Istanbul there are international connections to Romania and Bulgaria (Balkan Express), Greece (Filia-Dostluk Express) and Iran (Trans-Asya Ekspresi).
There are daily night train connections from Budapest (Hungary) via Bucharest (Romania). There are two daily trains from Greece, to Pythion every morning and to Thessaloniki every night. There are also daily trains to Istanbul from Sofia (Bulgaria).
Train types:
- Süper Ekspresler (intercity trains)
- Mavi Trenler and Ekspresler (interregional trains, the first type is higher quality)
- Bölgesel Ekspresler (interregional express trains), Ray Otobüsü ve Mototrenler and Normal Yolcu Trenleri (regional trains, the first type is higher quality)
- Banliyö Treni (commuter trains)
Reservations
Reservations are not compulsory on national trains in Turkey. For long-distance trains reservations are possible. You can make free reservations locally at Turkish train stations, up to 15 days in advance.
Bicycles
Bikes are allowed, but check locally if a special ticket is required.
