Scenic Train Journeys in Turkey
Touristic sleeper trains and long-distance routes through mountains, gorges and steppe
In short: Türkiye has two kinds of train worth taking for the views. Dedicated touristic trains such as the Touristic Eastern Express to Kars run in set seasons with sightseeing stops. Regular long-distance trains such as the Lake Van Express and the Taurus Express cross some of the country’s most dramatic landscapes on ordinary timetables. All are run by TCDD Taşımacılık, the state railway operator. Seasons and timetables change, so always check with TCDD before you travel.
Last checked: 11 November 2026. We don’t list fares.
Touristic trains
- Touristic Eastern Express (Ankara–Kars): the best-known, a winter-only sleeper train with sightseeing stops at Erzincan and Erzurum going east and at İliç, Divriği and Sivas coming back. The 2026–27 season runs from 21 December 2026 to 12 March 2027. See our full Touristic Eastern Express guide.
- Touristic Diyarbakır Express (Ankara–Diyarbakır): also known as the Mesopotamia Express. It made its first trip on 19 April 2024 and covers about 1,050 km, with sightseeing stops in Kayseri, Malatya and Elazığ. It runs in spring; in 2025 it made eight trips in April and May. TIME magazine named it in its “World’s Greatest Places 2024” list. We found no confirmed dates for 2026.
- Touristic Tatvan Train (Ankara–Tatvan): first ran in June 2024 to Tatvan on the shore of Lake Van, about 1,260 km in roughly 28 hours, with sightseeing stops at Elazığ going east and Sivas on the return. No season has been announced since, so treat it as occasional.
Regular trains with great scenery
- Lake Van Express (Vangölü Ekspresi), Ankara–Tatvan: an overnight train running twice a week, taking about 26 hours via Kayseri, Sivas, Malatya, Elazığ and Muş to Tatvan on Lake Van. It has seats, couchettes, sleeping cars and a dining car.
- Southern Kurtalan Express (Güney Kurtalan Ekspresi), Ankara–Kurtalan: runs on most of the days the Lake Van Express does not, taking about 24 hours via Kayseri, Sivas, Malatya and Diyarbakır.
- Eastern Express (Doğu Ekspresi), Ankara–Kars: the regular daily train on the Kars line, about 25 hours, with seats, couchettes and a dining car.
- Taurus Express (Toros Ekspresi), Konya–Adana: a daily train across the Taurus Mountains through pine forest. The line crosses the Varda Viaduct, a bridge of the old Baghdad Railway that appears in the James Bond film Skyfall.
- Euphrates Express (Fırat Ekspresi), Elazığ–Adana: a daily train of about 10 hours through mountain scenery via Malatya.
- Lakes Express (Göller Ekspresi), Isparta–İzmir: a daily train of about 8.5 hours, a pleasant way to reach the lake district.
- Pamukkale Express (Pamukkale Ekspresi), Eskişehir–Denizli: a daily day train of about 8 hours via Kütahya and Afyon, handy for Pamukkale.
- İzmir Blue Train (İzmir Mavi Treni), Ankara–İzmir: a daily train of about 14 hours via Eskişehir, Kütahya, Balıkesir and Manisa.
- Konya Blue Train (Konya Mavi Treni), İzmir–Konya: a daily train via Manisa, Uşak and Afyonkarahisar, from the Aegean to the central plains.
Good to know
- Tickets: sold through TCDD Taşımacılık’s official website, mobile app and station ticket offices. Touristic Eastern Express packages are also sold by authorised travel agencies.
- Book early: sleeper places on the touristic trains have sold out quickly in past seasons.
- Lake Van: the train ferry across Lake Van carries freight, not passengers; passenger trains end at Tatvan.
- No trains to the coast resorts: there are no railway lines to Antalya, Fethiye, Bodrum or Cappadocia; see getting around Turkey.
Sources we checked (November 2026): Go Türkiye: rail tours · National Geographic: best train journeys in Turkey · Daily Sabah: scenic railway routes · Wikipedia: Lake Van Express · Wikipedia: Eastern Express · Hürriyet Daily News: Eastern Express 2026–27 · Hürriyet Daily News: Diyarbakır Express · Habertürk: Diyarbakır Express (Turkish) · Daily Sabah: Diyarbakır Express 2025 · TRT Haber: Diyarbakır Express 2025 (Turkish) · CNN Türk: TIME list (Turkish) · Hürriyet Daily News: Tatvan train · Milliyet: Tatvan train (Turkish) · Wikipedia: Taurus Express · Wikipedia: Varda Viaduct · Wikipedia: Pamukkale Express · Wikipedia: İzmir Blue Train · TRT Haber: Lakes Express (Turkish) · Wikipedia: Lake Van Ferry
Scenic trains in Turkey: questions
What is the most scenic train journey in Turkey?
The Touristic Eastern Express from Ankara to Kars is the most famous, especially in winter snow. The Lake Van Express to Tatvan and the Taurus Express across the Taurus Mountains are also known for their scenery.
Are there touristic trains other than the Eastern Express?
Yes. The Touristic Diyarbakır Express ran in spring 2024 and 2025, and the Touristic Tatvan Train ran in 2024. Check TCDD Taşımacılık for current seasons.
Can I take a train across Lake Van?
No. Passenger trains end at Tatvan; the Lake Van train ferry carries freight only.
How do I book Turkish trains?
Through TCDD Taşımacılık’s official website, app or station ticket offices. Touristic Eastern Express packages are also sold by authorised travel agencies.
Header photo: a train on the Varda Viaduct. Photo: Mustafa Tor, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).