The return of the “Orient Express” .. a nice winter trip between Ankara and eastern Anatolia

The return of the “Orient Express” .. a nice winter trip between Ankara and eastern Anatolia

Orient Express, which was suspended for a period of time as part of the measures taken against the spread of the Corona pandemic, has resumed its tourist flights via the Orient Express tourist train since yesterday, Wednesday, December 15 ، The train departs from the Turkish capital, Ankara (central Turkey) to Kars, the most distant country in the northeast.

With the increased demand for the Eastern train, the Turkish Railways Company started. In cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, in organizing tourist trips on the same line in 2019. In order to increase the quality of service and contribute to tourism in general and domestic tourism in particular.

The Eastern Express train travel is the longest Turkish rail journey. The road is 1,310 km long from Ankara to Kars and passes through the provinces of Kırıkkale, Kayseri, Sivas, Erzincan and Erzurum ، Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Kara Ismailoglu bids farewell to the passengers of the first flight of the Orient Express Tourist Train. Which resumed its services after the easing of restrictions imposed on Corona ، Along the way, passengers enjoy a wonderful winter trip through the snow until they reach Kars Province.

Kars and the beauty of winter by tourist train :

Kars is home to many important tourist attractions, the most famous of which is the ancient city of Ani, which was the first entrance to Anatolia from the Caucasus ، The ruins of “Ani” are known by many names, most notably “The City of the World”, “The Cradle of Civilizations”, “A Thousand and One Churches” and “The City of 40 Gates”. UNESCO included it in the World Heritage List in 2016 ، Kars also includes architectural monuments of unique historical and aesthetic value, such as the Al-Munouchehr Mosque. And the first mosque built by the Turks in Anatolia, the historic Kars Castle and many churches and cathedrals.

Visitors to the city also enjoy sleigh rides on the surface of Gelder Lake, which freezes in freezing temperatures in winter. They also try to catch eskimo fish from circular holes in the frozen surface of the lake, which are half a meter thick in places ، It is located between Kars and Ardahan provinces and covers an area of ​​123 km.

Tourists who come to Kars are also interested in visiting the village of Bogatpi, famous for its various types of cheese, as well as visiting the Caucasian Front Military Museum ، Kars receives a large number of domestic and foreign tourists, especially in winter, thanks to the touristic Orient Express.

Interest beyond expectations :

The Director of Culture and Tourism in Kars State, Khair El-Din Chaitin, said in a statement. He expressed his happiness with the return of tourist trips on the Eastern Express, noting that it is one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world.

The passengers of the tourist train live in a wonderful atmosphere throughout their journey and after seeing many places, they arrive in Kars, where there are the ruins of the historical city of Ani, Lake Gilder, Sari Kamish ski resort and many other places, as well as the tourist attractions that are waiting for them.”

Cetin pointed out that the Orient Express has made a very important contribution to reviving tourism in Kars province. He said that the interest and demands of the tourists to Kars exceeded all their expectations and that it attracted the attention of those wishing to come. Arrivals also faced difficulties in finding train tickets and reported that the number of trips was insufficient to meet the increasing demand.

The Turkish official advised those coming to the province to eat the famous goose meat and types of cheese from Kars, and to buy souvenirs made of obsidian.

Orient Express Tourist Train :

The Orient Express tourist route, considered one of the most beautiful in the world, offers an important opportunity for tourists to explore the region, with long stops in the provinces of Erzincan, Erzincan-Ilic, Erzurum, Sivas Devry and Bostenkia and enjoy the beautiful nature.

On its method from Ankara to Kars, the holidaymaker train stops in Erzincan for 2 hours and fifty minutes, in Ilic district for 3 hours and five minutes, and in Erzurum for 2 hours and forty minutes, and on the come back trip it stops at Sivas for 2 hours and fifty minutes, and in Bostankaya for three hours and quarter-hour. so as to modify tourists to go to the necessary sites in those states and find out about their touristry potential ، The tourist train runs twice a week and the journey from Ankara to Kars is 1,310 kilometers and takes 31.5 hours.

Read also : Have you tried skiing in the wonderful mountains of Erzurum? Details here