Turkey - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services: Difference between revisions

From EGTRE
Jump to navigationJump to search
(One intermediate revision by the same user not shown)
Line 119: Line 119:
There is a triangle east of Goncali station whose usage is as follows:
There is a triangle east of Goncali station whose usage is as follows:
====west – south curve (Goncali - Goncali Müselles)====
====west – south curve (Goncali - Goncali Müselles)====
Regional trains between Izmir/Söke and Denizli, plus  
Trains between Izmir/Söke and Denizli, plus  


{|  class="ostable"
{|  class="ostable"
Line 300: Line 300:
|(ERA 112B4)
|(ERA 112B4)
| Two trains each way, the ''6 Eylul  Ekspresi'' and ''17 Eylül Ekspresi''. Connection at Bandirma for high speed ferries to İstanbul Yenikapı.
| Two trains each way, the ''6 Eylul  Ekspresi'' and ''17 Eylül Ekspresi''. Connection at Bandirma for high speed ferries to İstanbul Yenikapı.
|-
| Karakuyu - Isparta
| ''Bölge'' 3
|(ERA 112B3)
| The ''Göller Ekspresi'', running overnight between İzmir Basmane and Isparta, is the only train over this line.
|-
|-
| Uşak - Afyon A.Çetinkaya  
| Uşak - Afyon A.Çetinkaya  

Revision as of 13:29, 26 October 2019

Introduction

TCDD has not published a timetable for many 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 and Konya.

(Ankara –) Sincan – Polatli – Eskişehir – Esentepe (– İstanbul)

[Bölge 2] (ERA 112B4 - 112C4) TR19/2

There are two largely parallel lines between Sincan and Esentepe, about 30 km south of Arifiye: the original 'classic' single track Ankara – İstanbul main line and the Ankara - Eskişehir - Arifiye high speed line. The only trains using the 'classic' line are local services between Ankara and Polatli, plus the following overnight trains.

22006 İzmir Mavi 19:00 Ankara - İzmir Basmane
22001 Ankara Ekspresi 22:00 Ankara - İstanbul (Halkali)
32005 İzmir Mavi İzmir Basmane - 05:35 Eskişehir - Ankara
12002 Ankara Ekspresi 22:00 İstanbul (Halkali) - Ankara

Note that the İzmir services use the 'classic' line between Eskişehir and Ankara only.

Alayunt triangle

[Bölge 7] (ERA 112B4) TR19/3

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 for a full size map.


Kütahya loop

[Bölge 7] (ERA 112B4 not shown) TR19/4

In order to avoid reversing, locomotive hauled trains between Eskişehir and Kütahya 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.


72014 Pamukkale Ekspresi Eskişehir - 11:44 Alayunt - Denizli
72602 09:30 Eskişehir - Kütahya
72604 14:25 Eskişehir - Kütahya
72013 Pamukkale Ekspresi Denizli - 14:26 Alayunt Müselles - Eskişehir

Note that the local trains 72602 and 72604 have been worked by units or railbuses in the past and may be again, in which case they would reverse at Kütahya and not use the loop.

Karakuyu loop

[Bölge 7] (ERA 112B3 not shown) TR19/5

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 such passenger services. Based on their timings, the following trains must use the east end loop:

72014 Pamukkale Ekspresi Eskişehir - 15:42 Ekinova - Denizli
72013 Pamukkale Ekspresi Denizli - 10:33 Karakuyu - Eskişehir

Afyon loop

[Bölge 7] (ERA 112B3 not shown) TR19/6

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 - 14:01 Afyon A.Çetinkaya - Denizli
72013 Pamukkale Ekspresi Denizli - 12:39 Afyon A.Çetinkaya - Eskişehir

Goncali triangle

[Bölge 7] (ERA 112B3) TR19/7

There is a triangle east of Goncali station whose usage is as follows:

west – south curve (Goncali - Goncali Müselles)

Trains between Izmir/Söke and Denizli, plus

72014 Pamukkale Ekspresi Eskişehir - 18:38 Goncali - Denizli

east – west curve (Bozkurt – Goncali)

72014 Pamukkale Ekspresi Eskişehir - 17:58 Kaklık - Denizli

east – south curve (Bozkurt – Goncali Müselles)

32015 Göller Ekspresi İzmir Basmane - 03:33 Denizli - Isparta
72013 Pamukkale Ekspresi 07:50 Denizli - Eskişehir
72016 Göller Ekspresi Isparta - 00:49 Kaklik - İzmir Basmane

Note: Train 72014 reverses at Goncalı

Boğazköprü avoiding line: Boğazköprü (Irmak Yönü BM) – Boğazköprü (Ulukışla Yönü BM)

[Bölge 2] (ERA 112C3) TR19/8

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 was suspended from 24 June 2016, replaced by the Erciyes Ekspresi between Kayseri and Adana. It had not restarted as at December 2018 so there is therefore no service over this curve.

(Sivas –) Tecer (Km 649+750 Start of New Line) – Kangal – Temürün Köyü (Km 700+670 End of New Line) (– Çetinkaya)

[Bölge 4] (ERA 113A4) TR19/9

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 are now DMUs.

Note: during the reconstruction of Sivas station between 1 April and 15 December 2019, these trains will use a temporary platform "next to the Tüdemsaş museum" at the east end of the station.

42603 Divriği - 07:55 Çetinkaya - Sivas
42604 15:35 Sivas - Divriği

Elazığ – Tatvan Gar – Tatvan İskele [Tatvan Pier]

[Bölge 5] (ERA 113B3 - 113B4) TR19/10

Tatvan Gar is a terminus and trains are believed to propel from there to Tatvan İskele. The line between Tatvan Gar and Tatvan İskele describes three 180 degree curves. A connection links the two sides of the middle curve, forming a balloon loop. If a train has propelled to Tatvan İskele, the return working may well use this connection and reverse at its western end in order to reverse the formation to be the right way round for departure from Tatvan Gar. It seems that operation is designed to avoid running round at Tatvan Gar and Tatvan İskele if possible.

Click on the thumbnail for a full size map.



MWO 22012 Vangölü Ekspresi 11:00 TSuO Ankara - 04:39 MWO Elazığ - Tatvan Gar
TFSuO 52602 07:05 Elazığ - Tatvan Gar (this is a mixed train carrying freight wagons)
ThO Trans-Asya Ekspresi 14:25 WO Ankara - 07:21 ThO Elazığ - Tatvan İskele
TThO 52011 Vangölü Ekspresi 07:15 Tatvan Gar - Ankara
MWSO 52601 07:35 Tatvan Gar - Elazığ (this is a mixed train carrying freight wagons)
FO Trans-Asya Ekspresi 05:52 FO Tatvan İskele - Ankara

The Trans-Asya Ekspresi (Ankara - Tehran) operates once a week and is the only train serving Tatvan İskele. Only the through baggage car is carried on the Tatvan - Van train ferry; through passengers join the ferry on foot.

Hanli - Bostankaya

[Bölge 4] (ERA 113A4) TR19/11

This 32 km freight-only cut-off avoiding Sivas is being used by through passenger services between Ankara and Kars, Van and Kurtalan (the Dogu, Vangolu and Guney Kurtalan expresses) whilst Sivas station is closed from 1 April until 15 December 2019 owing to engineering work for the Ankara - Sivas high speed line. Sivas passengers are conveyed by bus between Sivas and Bostankaya.

Van İskele [Van Pier] – Van Gar – Kapiköy – Razi (Iran) – Tabriz

[Bölge 5] (ERA 113C3) TR19/12


MO 717 21:00 Van Gar - Tehran
ThO 719 21:25 Van İskele - Tehran
WO 718 21:50 Tehran - 18:30 ThO Kapiköy – Van İskele
SuO 716 12:40 Tehran - 01:11 MO Tabriz – Van Gar

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. The Optima Express car carrying train runs approximately twice a week between Villach (Austria) and Edirne (Turkey).

Pehlivanköy - Uzunköprü Bölge 1 ERA 112A4 One train each way per day
Irmak - Çankiri - Karabük - Filyos - Zonguldak Bölge 2 (ERA 112C4) Trains are running only between Karabük and Zonguldak owing to engineering work.
Boğazköprü - Niğde - Ulukışla (- Adana) Bölge 2 (ERA 112C3) One train each way: the Erciyes Ekspresi between Kayseri and Adana.
Balıkesir - Bandirma Şehir Bölge 3 (ERA 112B4) Two trains each way, the 6 Eylul Ekspresi and 17 Eylül Ekspresi. Connection at Bandirma for high speed ferries to İstanbul Yenikapı.
Karakuyu - Isparta Bölge 3 (ERA 112B3) The Göller Ekspresi, running overnight between İzmir Basmane and Isparta, is the only train over this line.
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 between Eskişehir and Denizli is the only train over this line.
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 (- Adana) Bölge 6 (ERA 112C3) The Toros Ekspresi between Adana and Konya, is the only train over this line.
Kütahya - Tavşanlı - Balikesir Bölge 7 (ERA 112B4) Two trains each way, one being the Izmir Mavi.
Kalın - Amasya - Samsun Bölge 4 (ERA 113A4) All services suspended since September 2015 for engineering work
Divriği - Erzincan - Erzurum - Kars Bölge 4 (ERA 113A4 - 113C4) The Dogu Ekspresi runs daily between Ankara and Kars but no longer carries sleeping cars. The Turistik Doğu Ekspresi, conveying sleeping cars, runs between Ankara and Kars MWFO eastbound and WFSuO westbound. A local train runs daily between Divriği and Erzincan.
Kars - Akyaka Bölge 4 (ERA 113C4) Two local trains daily between Kars and Akyaka, on the border with Armenia.
Çetinkaya - Malatya Bölge 5 (ERA 113A3 - ERA 113A4) A daily train between Ankara and Malatya continues 5 days a week as the Güney Kurtalan 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 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

TR18/3 Ankara: Gazi Mah. – Marşandiz carriage sidings With the restoration of the full suburban service no advertised services now run to/from the carriage sidings

See also