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The Ankara Express (Ankara
Ekspresi) running between Istanbul and Ankara is
my favorite train on the Turkish
State Railways (TCDD)
system.
It's an all-sleeping-car train which
departs Istanbul's Haydarpaşa
Station on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus at
10:30 pm (22:30) every night, and arrives
in Ankara the
next morning at 07:07 am, taking
9-1/2 hours for the journey.
The westbound version of the train
departs the Ankara
Gar (Ankara
Station) at the same time (10:30 pm)
for Istanbul (Haydarpaşa),
arriving at 07:07 am.
The total fare, including
sleeping compartment and service charge,
is TL85
for one person in a compartment, or TL60
per person if
two people share a compartment (total
= TL120
for two).
No meals are included, but the train
hauls a dining car in
which you can have drinks or dinner
(TL15
and up) in the evening, and breakfast
(TL10)
in the morning.
A discount of
20% applies on the fare if you buy
a round-trip (return) ticket.
The Ankara Ekspresi is a popular
train, so you should reserve
your compartment in advance.
There may be compartments available
on the day of travel, but don't depend
on it.
On Friday and Sunday
evenings compartments are
in particularly high demand. A week
or two in advance—perhaps even just
a few days--should be enough time
except during holiday
periods.
If you can't find a place on the Ankara
Ekspresi, try the Anadolu
Ekspresi or one of the
other Istanbul
- Ankara trains.
Click
here for info on how and where
to buy tickets in advance.
Both the Ankara and Istanbul (Haydarpaşa)
stations have decent restaurants in
which you can have a good, moderately-priced
dinner before boarding the train. They're
kind of funky and old-fashioned, with
a devoted clubby local clientele (mostly
male), but the food's good, service
competent, and prices moderate.
Please read this
safety notice about sleeping
car travel.
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