Turkey - General Information

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Country Name

Turkey (Türkiye). The country launched a rebranding campaign in late 2021 to be known as Türkiye. The United Nations has agreed to a formal request to rename it as Türkiye.

National Railway System

Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryolları, which in translation means State Railways of the Republic of Turkey. The state railway is normally abbreviated as TCDD.

National Railway Operator

In 2016 TCDD's operating activities were transferred to a stand-alone business known as Taşımacılık AŞ.

In May 2013 railway liberalisation legislation came into force, enabling private operators - in theory at least - to run services. However on 8 April 2020 the regulations were amended to allow the provision of public support for the continued operation of rail services seen as socially desirable. The 61 routes/service groups cover the majority of routes run by TCDD Taşımacılık, other than a few services deemed ‘commercial'. The main exceptions are in the southeast: Toprakkale – İskenderun, Nizip – Mardin – Nusaybin (currently not operating and marked as closed beyond Karkamış in the 2023 Network Statement), Van – Kapıköy (Iranian border) and Kars – Akyaka (– Doğakapı, on the closed border with Armenia).

Language

Turkish. Modern Turkish script is based on Latin script. However, some special characters are used for language specific sounds. Turkish is the only official language although the Turkish government accepts the language rights of the Jewish, Greek and Armenian minorities. Kurdish, spoken by 6% of the population, is not recognised as an official language.

Outside the large cities and main tourist areas, knowledge of a foreign language is rare. German and English are the languages most likely to be encountered.

See Useful Words & Phrases for some useful words & phrases related to rail travel, which phrase books etc may well not give.

Currency

Turkish Pound (Türk Lira)

UIC code

numeric 75; alpha TR

Timetable

Journey Planner

  • Domestic travel: A journey planner is now available. It comes up in Turkish but the language can be switched to English. This is intended primarily as a ticket purchasing service, but fortunately functions as a journey planner as well. If no service is found for the journey & date specified a small pop-up window saying "Kriterlerinize Uygun Sefer Bulunmamaktadır" will appear near the top of the screen. If a service is found a further screen will appear. Click on the Train Name to bring up a pop-up window giving the full stopping pattern and timings of the train. Only direct trains are shown: potential passengers appear to be expected to work out their own possible connections.
  • Izmir Suburban (Banliyö) Lines Izban
  • IOS (IPhone): TCDD e-Bilet

Downloadable Timetable

Printed Timetable

There is no longer an official printed timetable in Turkey. Usually, train departures (and sometimes arrivals) are shown on station boards with the terminating station and the train name often being the only information. Intermediate timings etc. are frequently not given. Timetables change irregularly and without prior notice to the public but, as the timetable structure is fairly static, they at least give an indication of service frequency. The only exception is international traffic between İstanbul and Bulgaria, where timetables appear to change in line with European practice, to which BDŽ adheres.

Engineering Information

No source known.

Maps

Printed Maps

Web-based Maps

  • A useful but very basic map is available on the Seat61 website.
  • A very good detailed map is available in the 2023 Network Statement, with separate sheets for Axle Load, Electrification, Signalling and Divisional Organisation.
  • Thorsten Büker's Map of Turkey. Although this remains on-line, the Büker maps are no longer being maintained. Last update August 2011.
  • A useful series of maps at various dates and enlargements are available on the Trains of Turkey website.
  • Maps and Plans - Turkey

Ticketing

The Turkish Railways online booking facility is available in English - click on 'English' at the top right if necessary. The system will book most long distance domestic trains within Turkey, including seats, couchettes and sleepers. The best guide on how to do this is on the Man in Seat 61 site > How to buy tickets. Note that sleepers and couchettes must be reserved in advance; they cannot be acquired on the train even if spare berths are available.

Sleeper and couchette tickets on the Ankara <> Tatvan (Vangölü Ekspresi) and Ankara <> Kars - (Turistik Doğu Ekspresi - sleeping cars only) and (Doğu Ekspresi - couchettes only) - are in high demand and hence difficult to obtain. They become available on line 30 days in advance and should be booked as soon as possible as they can sell out almost immediately.

TCDD no longer offers a network ticket. Balkan Flexipass and Interrail tickets continue to be valid.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure Authority

Under new legislation passed in April 2013, TCDD is now the infrastructure manager: TCDD Genel Müdürlüğü (TCDD General Directorate).

Network Statement

English language documents are available here:

The overall Network Statement for 2023

Detailed Documents in the Network Statement

Gauge

Standard. There appears to be some 1520 mm gauge track at Derince Liman (port) for the train ferry to Illichivs'k (Ukraine).

Electrification

25kV 50Hz.

The following lines are electrified: All high speed lines; İstanbul - Kapıkule (Bulgarian border)/Uzunköprü (Greek border); Muratli - Tekirdağ; İstanbul - Eskişehir - Ankara ('classic' line), including the Adazapari branch; Ankara - Kayas - Kayseri - Çetinkaya; Eskişehir - Kutahya - Balikesir; İzmir suburban lines (Aliağa - Çamlık); Menemen - Balikesir - Bandirma; Konya - Karaman; Boğazköprü - Ulukisla - Yenice; Adana/İskenderun - Toprakkale - Fevzipaşa - Malatya - Çetinkaya - Divriği.

The following lines are being electrified: Torbali - Tire/Ödemiş; Karaman - Ulukisla; Adana - Mersin.

Rule of the road

Right. However 95% of the non high speed network is single track.

Distances

The detailed map listed in the Web-based Maps section gives distances for each station.

Other Railways

İZBAN is the suburban system serving İzmir, owned 50% each by TCDD and İzmir Metropolitan Municipality. İZBAN

Tourist Lines

None

Metro

Adana

Ankara

Bursa

İstanbul

Izmir

There are also projects for metros in Konya (which might open in 2023), Gebze-Darıca and Mersin.

Tram/LRT-systems

Antalya, Bursa, Eskişehir, Gaziantep, İstanbul, İzmir, Kocaeli (Izmit), Kayseri, Konya, Samsun. All standard gauge except Eskişehir, which is metre gauge.

Some details and links are given at the Trains' of Turkey Site plus basic plans at the UrbanRailNet Site.

There is also a projected system in Afyon.

Recent and Future Changes

Future Changes

High Speed Lines

  • (Ankara –) Eskişehir – İstanbul. One section at the İstanbul end was completed during 2020 and work continues on two others. When these are complete the journey time will be reduced by half an hour.
  • (Ankara –) Yenice – Afyonkarahisar – Usak – Izmir

This 503 km line diverges from the existing Ankara – Konya high speed line at Yenice, about 20 km south of Polatlı, and runs west on a new alignment to Afyonkarahisar. It then broadly follows the existing line, but with various cut-offs and realignments to serve Uşak, Esme, Salihli and Manisa. it will reduce the route between Ankara and Izmir from 824 km to 624 km. Construction began in 2012 but was suspended in 2018 when almost 50% of the work had been completed on some sections. It was downgraded in the 2021 investment programme from “very high speed” (250 km/h) to “high standard railway” (200 km/h). Work was officially restarted at Sinanpaşa, west of Afyonkarahisar, on 30 August 2022. The first phase (Yenice – Afyonkarahisar) was planned to open in 2022! This is the most important section: not only is it the closest to Ankara but it will also the shorten the route by the greatest amount. No realistic completion date is known for the second phase (Afyonkarahisar – Uşak – Manisa – Menemen).

  • Osmaneli - Yenişehir - Bursa

This 106 km high speed line from Osmaneli (north of Eskişehir) was scheduled to be completed in 2023, but that is clearly impossible. No realistic completion date is known.

  • Ankara – Kırıkkale - Yerköy – Kayseri

A consortium has been selected to rebuild the Yerköy – Kayseri line for high speed services, reducing the route from 170 km to 142 km.

  • Konya - Adana

The 135 km Karaman - Ulukışla section is said to be 89% complete as at January 2022, with signalling design in progress and an invitation to tender for electrification being prepared.

Other Lines

  • İstanbul - Bulgarian border

The project to upgrade the 229 km Halkalı (western suburbs of İstanbul) - Kapıkule (Bulgarian border) line was officially launched on 3 October 2019. This will be mainly a new line but part is on the existing formation. Cerkezkoy – Kapikule is being funded by the EU. Halkali – Cerkezkoy will be funded by Turkey but no money had been allocated as at February 2021. However the planned ship canal connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara poses a threat to the railway. No indication has been given as to how the line would cross the canal: both a bridge over and tunnel under the canal would require lengthy new approaches to achieve a reasonable gradient.

  • İstanbul Sirkeci

The line from Kazlicesme to İstanbul Sirkeci was cut back in 2013 for construction of the cross-Bosphorus Marmaray line. A project was unveiled in September 2021 for rebuilding the 8km of line as a single track, with a footpath and bike lane on the course of the other track. Tracklaying apparently started in November 2022. On 20 August 2023, a special train conveyed the Transport minister to Sirkeci, the first passenger train for many years. The works were expected to be completed by the end of 2023.

  • Fevzipasa bypass

A new 17 km east-west cutoff is under construction between Bahce (Osmaniye province) and Nurdag (Gaziantep province) in southern Turkey. This will avoid the junction of Fevzipasa. It includes the longest tunnel in Turkey (10 km). Boring has been completed but it is unlikely that trains will start running before 2024. Fevzipasa will lose its importance and indeed might well close altogether as its only use would be for trains to Syria.

Other Projects

The Ankara - Baku train was expected to start running in late October 2019, resulting in the opening to passengers of the (Kars -) Mezra - Karakale TCDD - Kartsakhi RK - Akhalkalaki line. However, all international services were suspended in March 2020 owing to the pandemic. This train has not started running and the Ankara - Tehran (Transasia Express) has not resumed.

İstanbul Haydarpaşa was expected to reopen around the same time as the full Marmaray extension in March 2019, but this was delayed by the discovery of substantial archaeological remains. Renovation of the historic station building was completed, and a permanent archaeology park will be created on the site of the southern platforms. The proposal for an entirely new Haydarpaşa station at right angles to the existing one has been dropped. A 3 platform station for high speed trains will be created on the site of the northern platforms and may open in 2024. This will certainly be a more suitable terminus for high speed trains from the south than Söğütlüçeşme, which was never originally intended for this purpose. However, the fact that the main line is single track for 45km all the way to Gebze limits the number of trains that can be run.

The combined road/rail Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, at the eastern end of the Bosphorus between Garipçe on the European side and Poyrazköy on the Asiatic side, was opened to road traffic on 26 August 2016. This provides a bypass round Istanbul for through traffic. However, although a double track railway line is provided on the bridge, it is totally isolated and there is no railway connection on either side. No tender has even been invited yet for the Gebze Halkalı Hızlı Tren Hattı Güzergahı line between Halkalı on the European side and Gebze on the Asiatic side.

Recent Changes (Latest First)

2023

Following a ceremonial opening on 26 April, the Ankara – Kırıkkale - Yerköy – Sivas YHT (high speed line) opened to public traffic on 27 April. The only intermediate stations being served are Kırıkkale YHT and Yozgat YHT.

The through service between Sivas and Samsun reopened on 27 April after being suspended since April 2015 south of Amasya.

The major earthquake in southern Turkey caused extensive damage to the rail network in the region. As at March 2023, trains were running again with the exception of the Gaziray suburban system, although Regional trains are running between Gaziantep and Nizip. As at April 2023 the Firat Ekspresi is running only between Adana and Nurdağ (east of Fevzipasa).

A section of the İstanbul Metro Line 11, from Kağıthane to Havalimani (the main airport), opened on 22 January.

İstanbul Metro Line 8 from Bostanci to Parseller (14.3km), on the eastern side of the Bosphorus, opened on 6 January. It is the first north - south line on the Asian side.

2022

The Turistik Doğu Express between Ankara and Kars restarted on 12 December.

25.5km of the single track main line through Gaziantep have been quadrupled and electrified. The line reopened on 5 November, providing the 'Gaziray' suburban service between Baspinar in the NW and Taslica in the SE. Gaziantep - Nizip (30 km to the east) also reopened to local traffic on the same day.

The 7.4 km extension of Istanbul Metro line M4 from Tavşantepe to Sabiha Gökçen Havalimanı (the “alternative” airport on the Asian side) opened on 2 October.

The Amasya - Samsun section of the Sivas - Samsun line, closed in April 2015 for rebuilding, reopened to passenger traffic on 21 June.

The Sofia Express (Istanbul - Sofia service) resumed on 25 April, and the Bosphorus Express (the Bucureşti portion) resumed on 3 June. This is the first international service to restart since the pandemic.

High speed trains were introduced on the Konya - Karaman line on 8 January. At the same time, the Toros Express (Konya - Adana), was reinstated, reopening Karaman – Ulukışla to passenger traffic.

Sivas station, which closed on 1 April 2019 owing to engineering work for the Ankara - Sivas high speed line, appears to have reopened early in January, ending the diversion of trains via the direct Hanli - Bostankaya line.

2021

The Konya to Karaman section of the Konya – Ulukışla – Adana line, out of service since about 2014 for reconstruction as an electrified 2-track 200kph railway, reopened to local passenger traffic on an unknown date.

The Balikesir - Bandirma line reopened in late December, shortly before 23 December, following closure for electrification.

The Turistik Doğu Express restarted on 15 December.

Most of the 'classic' main line services withdrawn in March 2020 because of COVID resumed on 10 July. The exceptions were international trains to Bulgaria and Iran, and the Turistik Doğu Express.

A full high speed train service and most Regional trains (122 daily services on 20 routes) resumed on 17 May. However, 'classic' main line services were still suspended.

A limited service of high speed trains resumed on 1 March.

The first 9 km section of İstanbul LRT line T5, from Alibeyköy Cep to Cibali, was opened on 1 January.

2020

The Mecidiyeköy - Mahmutbey section of İstanbul Metro line M7 was opened on 28 October.

A limited number of high speed services between Ankara and Istanbul or Konya started in May.

(Sivas -) Kalin - Samsun finally reopened to freight on 4 May. The long delay was caused by faults discovered in the construction work and new rules on level crossings coming into force.

The Tekirdag - Derince train ferry was withdrawn in April, following the start of freight operation through the Marmaray tunnel earlier in the year.

All travel was suspended on either 14 or 28 March - sources differ.

Owing to the Coronavirus situation in Iran, the Transaysa Express (Ankara <=> Tehran) and the Van <=> Tabriz express were suspended in February. The Balkan Express (İstanbul Halkali <=> Sofia) was also suspended.

Older Changes

For details of older changes dating back to the year 2009 see Turkey - Older General Information.

Special Notes

Many trains run every day of the week but some Ekspresi (Express) services run only every other day. Suburban services are usually subject to a different weekend schedule.

Trains can be very crowded. For all main line express trains, especially during weekends and during the school holiday period July - September, reservations are recommended. For express services on the main routes, each station served has a fixed allocation of tickets and no more are normally sold once this is exhausted. Reserved seats are not marked as such.

Punctuality of long distance trains is often low, and with the exception of a few dedicated connecting services, trains would usually not wait for possible late running feeder services. The operational practice appears to be that a train - once running late - has a lower priority than other trains still on time.

Electronic visas must be obtained in advance by means of the e-Visa Application system.

Turkey is relatively unusual in operating an internal train ferry service across Lake Van in the east of the country, between Tatvan and Van. However, it carries only freight traffic The train ferry across the Bosphorus between the Istanbul stations of Sirkeci and Haydarpasa was withdrawn when rail access to these termini ceased. The train ferry between Tekirdag, about 100 km west of Istanbul, and Derince, about 60 km south east of Istanbul, was established in 2013 as a substitute for the Bosphorus ferry. However it was withdrawn in April 2020.

Useful Words & Phrases

A few useful words & phrases related to rail travel, as phrase books etc may well not give these:

2+2 Pullman and 2+1 Pullman = seats with either 2+2 or 2+1 seating density 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 = 20% discount.

60-64 yaş = senior fare, 50% discount for anyone 60-64.

65 yaş = senior fare, 50% discount for anyone over 65.

Satış Sözleşmesini Okudum ve Kabul Ediyorum = "I have read & agree to the terms & conditions."

See also