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Türkiye’s iconic winter rail journey has wrapped up another successful season. The Touristic Eastern Express, running along the scenic route between Ankara and Kars, carried 10,166 passengers during the 2025–2026 winter season, reaffirming its status as one of the country’s most sought-after travel experiences.
Announcing the figures, Türkiye’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu said the popular tourist train completed its final journey of the season on March 3, once again drawing strong interest from both domestic and international travelers eager to explore Anatolia by rail.
The winter season began on December 22, 2025, during which the train operated 60 trips in total, including 30 journeys from Ankara to Kars and 30 from Kars to Ankara. The train consisted of eight sleeping cars and one dining car, providing passengers with a comfortable travel experience.
The service also included tourism-oriented stops along the route. On the Ankara–Kars journey, the train stopped for two hours and 30 minutes in Erzincan and four hours in Erzurum. On the return route from Kars to Ankara, stops were made for three hours in İliç, two hours and 30 minutes in Divrigi, and three hours in Sivas.
These breaks allowed passengers to explore the natural landscapes as well as the historical and cultural heritage of the cities along the railway corridor.
Uraloglu also stated that since its launch in 2019, the Touristic Eastern Express has hosted more than 91,000 travelers and photography enthusiasts, becoming an important tool for promoting Türkiye’s cultural and natural richness through railway tourism.
The minister also noted that 126 university students were hosted on the train as part of the U-FEST Transportation Youth Festivals organized by the ministry. Selected through a lottery, the students traveled under the theme “Meeting on the Touristic Eastern Express with UFEST Youth,” where they participated in workshops and gained insights into the railway sector.
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