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"Ankara-Istanbul 5 Hours!" by the TCDD (Turkish State Railways). |
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The morning Gazi Ekspresi, introduced in June 2004, cut the train travel time between Istanbul and Ankara to 5:15 hours—faster than the bus—but an accident on July 22, 2004 caused this train service to be suspended until the roadbed could be improved.
Named for Kemal Atatürk (the Gazi, or warrior-hero), it was to be the latest symbol of the Turkish State Railways' (TCDD) drive for Istanbul-Ankara train service to rival the airlines'.
The evening counterparts to the morning Gazi Ekspresi were the twin trains named for poets and writers: the Yakup Kadri and Yahya Kemal Ekspresis.
The Turkish State Railways' goal is to establish high-speed train service (250 km/hr) between Ankara and Istanbul on a modern, fully-electrified line, cutting the travel time to 3 hours and 10 minutes. The first phase of this modernization project is scheduled for completion during the first half of 2006; the second phase by the end of 2007.
Trains between Istanbul & Ankara
Turkish State Railways Route Map
How & Where to Buy Train Tickets
How to Decipher the TCDD Website
Turkey Travel Planner Homepage