Traveling by Rail
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Due to the railway construction suitable to high-speed trains there will be no trains running between Istanbul Haydarpaşa and Adapazarı as of February 1. The construction is planned to end in late 2014.
Schedule changes are:
All trains from Istanbul to the East (Erzurum-Kars, Diyarbakir, Tatvan, Teheran) depart from Ankara instead of Istanbul.
No night trains between Istanbul and Ankara.
Meram Express(Istanbul - Konya) is suspended.
Icanadolu Mavi Tren (Istanbul - Konya - Adana) departs from Arifiye (Adapazarı) instead of Istanbul.
The extensive network of the Turkish State Railways connects to most major cities. The trains have couchettes, sleeping cars, restaurants, and lounge cars offering first and second-class service. There are always rebates for students and the elderly.
In the Aegean region, it is possible for groups to charter a steam train, which has all the amenities for trips with a route of your choice that allows you a more relaxed way of traveling through this beautiful region.
There are two main train stations in Istanbul. For the European side you have to choose Sirkeci Train Station (Tel: 212-527 00 50), and for the Asian side you have to choose Haydarpaşa Train Station (Tel: 216-348 80 20). Both stations are very close to ports.
When The Turkish Republic was established in 1923 there were approximately 4000 km. of lines built and operated by various foreign companies existing within the national borders at that time. These lines were nationalized in 1924 and General Directorate of Anatolian-Baghdad Railways was established. This name was converted to General Administration of State Railways and Ports in 1927
The administration functioned as a Public Enterprise with a supplementary budget until 1953 and was later converted to a Public Economic Corporation under the name General Directorate of Turkish State Railways (TCDD).
Turkish State Railways in Brief (1999)
Total Lengths of Lines = 10,933 km
Total Number of Locomotives = 843
Total Number of Passenger Coaches = 1040
Total Number of Freight Wagons = 17.213
Ports operated by TCDD = 7
Total Number of Employee = 48,166 person
Annual Passenger Transport = 98.931 person/km
Annual Freight Transport = 8.446.000 tones/km
Information telephones:
Ankara: (312) 309 05 15/336, (312) 311 06 20
Istanbul - Haydarpaşa: (216) 348 80 20/336, (216) 336 04 75, (216) 336 20 63
Istanbul - Sirkeci: (212) 527 00 50
Izmir - Alsancak: (232) 464 77 95
Izmir - Basmane:(232) 484 86 38
You can make reservations by calling the numbers below. Please note that you
should buy your tickets before 17.30 the same day.
Ankara: (312) 309 05 15/4647 and 4657, (312) 311 49 94
Istanbul, Haydarpaşa (216) 336 44 70, (216) 337 87 24
Istanbul, Sirkeci (212) 527 00 50-51 (only for international train) 07:00-24:00
Izmir, Basmane: (232) 484 53 53
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