New touristic eastern trains set for departure in April

As the beloved Touristic Eastern Express continues to captivate travelers and culture enthusiasts, anticipation builds for two exciting alternative routes to Türkiye's southeast set to debut in April, offering immersive experiences to explore more of the country's rich landscapes.

New tourist trains consisting of dining and sleeper wagons are preparing to start operating bilaterally from the capital Ankara to Diyarbakır and Ankara to Tatvan, a district in Bitlis province. The routes will offer an alternative to the Eastern Express, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced.

"The Ankara-Kars line, which was put into service in the winter season, was in great demand and travel enthusiasts were demanding that touristic trains be put into service on different routes in the same way. We responded to these demands with these two trains," Uraloğlu said.

Covering an expansive network of tracks, the alternative route will traverse through the rugged terrain of the Anatolian plateau during spring and summer, making stops at picturesque destinations along the route.

According to Uraloğlu, the Ankara-Diyarbakır touristic train, which will be operated on a 1,051-kilometer track will depart from the capital Ankara on April 19.

While the Ankara-Diyarbakır service will stop in Malatya for three hours, the Diyarbakır-Ankara service will stop in Yolçatı, Elazığ for four hours and Kayseri for three hours, allowing travellers to discover the historical and natural beauties of Anatolia.

The touristic train which will be operated on the 1,262-kilometer Ankara-Tatvan route, will start its services from Ankara on April 17, making a four-hour stop in Elazığ.

Furthermore, the train heading back to the capital will...