Turkey - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services
Introduction
TCDD has not published a timetable for a number of years and this list is based on the public timetables contained in the TCDD website as at December 2018. Standard abbreviations are explained in General Information. In the absence of timetable table numbers, each line's TCDD Bölge (administrative/operational region) is given, namely: 1 Istanbul (Haydarpaşa), both European and Asian Turkey; 2 Ankara; 3 Izmir (Alsancak); 4 Sivas; 5 Malatya; 6 Adana and 7 Afyonkarahisar.
The TCDD website is sometimes not updated to represent the actual situation. Trains may remain on the site when they have been cancelled, curtailed or amended. Prospective passengers should check carefully any notes (which are in Turkish only) relating to trains. In rural areas and on branch lines TCDD may still operate mixed trains (karma). These trains are subject to alteration without prior notice, frequently on an ad-hoc basis, and arrival times may vary substantially from booked times. No reliance should be placed on the timings or days of operation of these trains, unless checked locally.
Travelling in the South All traffic has ceased on lines which cross or run close to the Syrian border.
Obscure services
Polatli avoiding line: Km.456+029 HZ – Km 5+691 HZ
[Bölge 2] (ERA 112C4) TR19/1
This west <==> south curve south west of Polatli connects the Eskişehir (İstanbul) and Konya high speed lines. It is used by high speed services (Yüksek Hizli Tren) between İstanbul (Pendik) and Konya.
(Ankara –) Sincan – Polatli – Eskişehir - Arifiye
[Bölge 2] (ERA 112B4 - 112C4) TR18/2
There are two largely parallel lines between Sincan and Arifiye, the original 'classic' single track main line and the Ankara - Eskişehir - Arifiye high speed line. .
Ankara: Gazi Mah. – Marşandiz carriage sidings
[Bölge 2] (ERA 112C4, not shown) TR18/3
Marşandiz carriage sidings run parallel to and well to the north of Marşandiz station. Owing to engineering work on the Baskentray project (Ankara suburban services) no trains are running on this route.
Alayunt triangle
[Bölge 7] (ERA 112B4) TR18/4
All trains between Eskişehir and Afyon run via Kütahya, using the north <=> west and west <=> south curves of the triangle and calling at Alayunt Müselles when traversing the latter curve. The north <=> south curve thus has no service. Click on the thumbnail in the next entry for a full size map.
Kütahya loop
[Bölge 7] (ERA 112B4 not shown) TR18/5
In order to avoid reversing, locomotive hauled trains between Eskişehir and Afyon run via this loop line which diverges to the north, east of Kütahya, enabling them to approach the station from the west. It is always used prior to arrival at Kütahya. Click on the thumbnail for a full size map.
The only train to use this line is
72014 Pamukkale Ekspresi | Eskişehir - 11:30 Alayunt - Denizli | ||
72013 Pamukkale Ekspresi | Denizli - 14:34 Alayunt Müselles - Eskişehir |
Other trains are worked by units or railbuses, which reverse at Kütahya and do not use the loop.
Karakuyu loop
[Bölge 7] (ERA 112B3 not shown) TR18/6
The line from Afyon divides into a balloon loop north of Karakuyu, giving two connections into Karakuyu station. One loop runs into the east end and can be used by trains between Afyon and Izmir via Goncali in order to avoid reversal. The other runs into the west end and can be used by trains between Afyon and Isparta to avoid reversal; however there are no longer passenger services to Isparta. Based on their timings, the following trains must use the east end loop:
72014 Pamukkale Ekspresi | Eskişehir - 15:21 Ekinova - Denizli | ||
72013 Pamukkale Ekspresi | Denizli - 10:44 Karakuyu - Eskişehir |
Afyon loop
[Bölge 7] (ERA 112B3 not shown) TR18/7
Afyon A. Çetinkaya station is equipped with a loop line which leaves the station in a south-easterly direction and turns to the north-east, joining the Eskişehir line. This enables trains between Eskişehir and either of the routes to Izmir (via Uşak or via Karakuyu) to avoid reversal. The loop appears to be used on departure from Afyon.
72014 Pamukkale Ekspresi | Eskişehir - 13:42 Afyon A.Çetinkaya - Denizli | ||
72013 Pamukkale Ekspresi | Denizli - 12:49 Afyon A.Çetinkaya - Eskişehir |
Goncali triangle
[Bölge 7] (ERA 112B3) TR18/8
There is a triangle east of Goncali station whose usage is as follows:
west – south curve (Goncali - Goncali Müselles)
Regional trains between Izmir/Söke and Denizli, plus
72014 Pamukkale Ekspresi | Eskişehir - 18:14 Goncali - Denizli |
east – west curve (Bozkurt – Goncali)
72014 Pamukkale Ekspresi | Eskişehir - 17:38 Kaklık - Denizli |
east – south curve (Bozkurt – Goncali Müselles)
72013 Pamukkale Ekspresi | 08:00 Denizli - Eskişehir |
Note: Train 72014 reverses at Goncalı
Boğazköprü avoiding line: Boğazköprü (Irmak Yönü BM) – Boğazköprü (Ulukışla Yönü BM)
[Bölge 2] (ERA 112C3) TR18/9
This west <==> south curve connects the Ankara line with the Niğde/Ulukişla line. Boğazköprü Müselles halt is located on this curve. Owing to engineering work for the Baskentray project, operation of the Çukurova-Ekspresi between Ankara and Adana is suspended, replaced by the Erciyes Ekspresi between Kayseri and Adana. There is therefore no service over this curve as at December 2017.
(Sivas –) Tecer (Km 649+750 Start of New Line) – Kangal – Temürün Köyü (Km 700+670 End of New Line) (– Çetinkaya)
[Bölge 4] (ERA 113A4) TR18/10
A cut-off between Tecer and Kangal, incorporating the 5367 m Deliktaş tunnel, the longest in Turkey, opened probably in September 2012. The very tortuous old alignment is still used by the following trains, which were withdrawn on 23 February 2014 on the introduction of a new DMU service but reinstated on 18 March 2014. They were karma (mixed) trains but may now be DMUs as at December 2017.
42603 | Divriği - 07:58 Çetinkaya - Sivas | ||
42604 | 16:00 Sivas - Divriği |
Elazığ – Tatvan Gar – Tatvan İskele [Tatvan Pier]
[Bölge 5] (ERA 113B3 - 113B4) TR18/11
It is thought there are no trains between Tatvan Gar and Tatvan İskele at present.
Click on the thumbnail for a full size map.
MWO | 22012 Vangölü Ekspresi | 10:55 TSuO Ankara - 04:58 MWO Elazığ - Tatvan Gar | |
TFSuO | 52862 | 07:05 Elazığ - Tatvan Gar (this is a mixed train carrying freight wagons) | |
TThO | 52011 Vangölü Ekspresi | 07:00 Tatvan Gar - Ankara | |
MWSO | 52861 | 07:15 Tatvan Gar - Elazığ (this is a mixed train carrying freight wagons) |
Other sparse services
The following lines have few trains (relative to service levels generally in this country) - fewer than three trains each way on at least three days a week - or do not run each weekday.
Halkali - Çerkezköy - Kapikule - Svilengrad (Bulgaria) | Bölge 1 | (ERA 111A2 - 111C1) | One train each way per day between Halkali and Kapikule and one between Halkali and Çerkezköy. The "Istanbul-Sofia Express" runs nightly between Halkali and Sofia. |
Irmak - Çankiri - Karabük - Filyos - Zonguldak | Bölge 2 | (ERA 112C4) | Trains are running only between Karabük and Zonguldak owing to engineering work. |
Boğazköprü - Niğde - Ulukışla | Bölge 2 | (ERA 112C3) | One train each way: the Erciyes Ekspresi between Kayseri and Adana. |
Balıkesir - Bandirma Şehir | Bölge 3 | (ERA 112B4) | One train each way, the "6 Eylul Ekspresi, owing to engineering work. Connection at Bandirma for high speed ferries to İstanbul Yenikapı. |
Uşak - Afyon A.Çetinkaya | Bölge 7 | (ERA 112B3) | The Konya Mavi, running overnight between Izmir and Konya, is the only train over this line |
Afyon A. Çetinkaya - Karakuyu - Goncali | Bölge 7 | (ERA 112B3) | The Pamukkale Ekspresi runs daily between Eskişehir and Denizli |
Afyon – Konya | Bölge 7 | (ERA 112B3 - 112C3) | The Konya Mavi, running overnight between Izmir and Konya, is the only train over this line. |
Karaman - Ulukışla | Bölge 6 | (ERA 112C3) | The Toros Ekspresi, running daily between Adana and Konya, is the only train over this line. |
Kütahya - Tavşanlı - Balikesir | Bölge 7 | (ERA 112B4) | Two trains each way - the Izmir Mavi and Ege Ekspresi. |
Kalın - Amasya - Samsun | Bölge 4 | (ERA 113A4) | All services suspended since September 2015 for engineering work |
Divriği - Erzincan - Erzurum - Kars - Akyaka | Bölge 4 | (ERA 113A4 - 113C4) | The Dogu Ekspresi runs daily between Kirikkale (connecting bus to/from Ankara) and Kars. A local train runs daily between Divriği and Erzincan and two local trains daily between Kars and Akyaka. |
Çetinkaya - Malatya | Bölge 5 | (ERA 113A3 - ERA 113A4) | A daily train between Kirikkale (connecting bus to/from Ankara) and Malatya continues 5 days a week as the Güney-Ekspresi to/from Kurtalan and 2 days a week as the Vangölü Ekspresi to/from Tatvan. |
Yolcati - Diyarbakır - Batman - Kurtalan | Bölge 5 | (ERA 113B3) | The Güney-Ekspresi runs 5 days a week between Kirikkale (connecting bus to/from Ankara) and Kurtalan. In addition there are two trains a day between Diyarbakır and Batman. |
Malatya - Fevzipasa | Bölge 5 | (ERA 113A3) | One train each way, the Firat Ekspresi, runs daily between Elaziğ and Adana. |
Fevzipaşa – İslahiye | Bölge 6 | (ERA 113A3) | One local train a day each way: early morning from İslahiye and late evening back. |
Deletions since previous edition
TR16/12 | Van İskele [Van Pier] – Van Gar – Kapıköy – state border (– Razi IRIR) | The Trans-Asya Ekspresi (Ankara - Tehran) has not run since July 2015, when it was suspended by the Iranian Railways |
Çerkezköy - Uzunköprü | Service withdrawn | |
Manisa – Soma | Normal service restored | |
Konya – Karaman | Normal service restored; sparse section now Karaman – Ulukışla | |
Kalın - Amasya and Havza - Samsun | Service withdrawn temporarily over entire Kalın - Samsun line |