Turkey has fixed the operating window for the 2026–27 Touristic Eastern Express, giving independent travellers a date to plan around. Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said individual tickets will go on sale through TCDD Taşımacılık on 26 October 2026. The first Ankara–Kars departure is scheduled for 21 December; the final Kars–Ankara service is planned for 12 March 2027. No official fare was included in the announcement.
Seventy journeys across the winter season
The train is scheduled to make 35 trips in each direction, 70 in total. Ankara–Kars services will operate from 21 December 2026 through 10 March 2027 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Kars–Ankara services will run from 23 December through 12 March on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Travellers should treat these as the announced operating windows and still confirm their exact date in the live booking system.
Sightseeing stops differ by direction
The outward Ankara–Kars itinerary will include excursion stops at Erzincan and Erzurum. The return route will stop for sightseeing at İliç, Divriği and Sivas. These are part of the tourism format rather than ordinary short station calls. The announcement does not specify each stop's duration or a guaranteed excursion programme, so plans should be based on the final ticket and operating timetable.
What the sleeping-train format includes
Uraloğlu said the formation will use sleeping and dining cars. Each sleeping car has ten compartments and each compartment has two beds. This makes the product different from the regular Eastern Express and capacity is structurally limited. Travellers booking as a pair should still verify whether TCDD sells the compartment as a unit or by passenger for the new season.
How to prepare for the 26 October sale
Use only TCDD Taşımacılık's official e-ticket channel or authorised sales points, prepare passenger identity details in advance and compare the two directions before paying. Avoid unofficial sellers promising guaranteed places before the public sale. Because the ministry has not announced the 2026–27 fare, any price circulating before the official listing should be treated as unconfirmed.
International visitors should check the basics
Foreign travellers should enter their names exactly as shown in their passport, check Turkey entry requirements separately and allow enough time to reach Ankara or leave Kars after the rail journey. Winter weather can affect road and air connections in eastern Turkey. Keep flexible onward arrangements, confirm baggage rules and save the booking confirmation offline.
TCDD Taşımacılık — official tourist-train information →