Touristic Eastern Express and Kars Tour
Tour Program
Departure from Istanbul >> Ankara Train Station >> Journey to Kars on the Touristic Eastern Express
What do you know about the Eastern Express? Have you ever taken a long train journey before?
Have you enjoyed chatting or reading a book while the train moves along with gentle sways
amid the unique views of untouched nature?
If your answer is no, then it means you are depriving yourself of an extraordinary holiday adventure
you can have within the country. The Eastern Express is an experience that every traveler within
Turkey’s borders must experience…
After completing all our preparations, we meet at Ankara train station at 15:00 on the date we set.
You can reach Ankara train station however you wish. (For those who prefer, with the friends joining
our event from Istanbul, we can travel from Söğütlüçeşme by the Ankara High-Speed Train)
We settle into our private TCDD Eastern Express sleeping cars. We can design and decorate our
rooms as we like to create wonderful shots. We depart from Ankara Train Station at 15:55 and
begin our fairy-tale adventure, which will take approximately 32 hours.
In this long journey, along with the beautiful scenery accompanying us, our sincere conversations
during the trip, the fun-filled videos and photos we take together, and the games we play together
will turn our train journey into a true feast of entertainment. Those who wish can have today’s
dinner freely in the dining car on the train, while those who wish can also eat the food they brought
from home.
Touristic Eastern Express >> Erzincan >> Erzurum >> Kars
We wake up to a new day that we will spend traveling all day on the Eastern Express, taking in the snow-covered landscapes, mountains, and streams to our heart’s content. We arrive in Erzincan province. Our train passes through tunnels carved out of the rocks and will arrive at Erzincan central station at around 08:00 on average. Our train will make its first long stop in Erzincan station for about 2.5 hours (164 minutes). Until this break, those who wish can have breakfast on the train. Those who wish can also have breakfast freely in Erzincan city center during the break. During this free time in Erzincan, we can stroll through the bazaars and coppersmiths and take a coffee break.
We are back on the train at around 10:30. As our train, which departs around 10:40, continues its journey among the mountains and plateaus, we will also have unforgettable moments with many fun activities we do in the common area.
Around 15:00, we arrive at Erzurum station.
With an approximately 3-hour break in Erzurum, we will have our dinner with the famous local specialty cağ kebab.
Then, with those who wish, we can take a pleasant coffee break. Returning to Erzurum train station, we depart at around 18:00 on average.
We will be at Kars train station around 22:30 on average. We board our vehicle waiting for us and go to our hotel.
NOTE: Since we will arrive at the hotel late at night, dinner will not be served at the hotel or in Kars. Dinner should be taken during the Erzurum break.
NOTE: The train’s arrival and departure times at the stops are written according to the times published by TCDD, but there may be changes in the times, especially delays.)
Breakfast; Can be taken as desired from the restaurant inside the train. (Extra)
Lunch; Can be taken as desired from the restaurant inside the train. (Extra)
Dinner; Can be taken as desired from the restaurant inside the train or during the break in Erzurum. (Extra)
Breakfast: Can be taken as desired from the restaurant inside the train. (Extra)
Lunch: Can be taken as desired from the restaurant inside the train. (Extra)
Dinner: Can be taken as desired from the restaurant inside the train or during the break in Erzurum. (Extra)
Ani Ruins >> Gagik Church >> Ani Cathedral >> Ebu-l Muneçehr Mosque >> Lake Çıldır >> Historic Stone Bridge >> Kars Castle >> Traditional Kars Caucasian Night
After the breakfast we will have at our hotel in the morning, with an approximately 40-minute journey, we arrive at Ani Ancient City on the Turkey-
Armenia border. In Ani, the first place conquered by Alparslan in Anatolia in 1064, we visit by seeing the Ebul Münechr Mosque, the first Turkish mosque in Anatolia, Ani
Cathedral (Fethiye Mosque), the remaining parts of Sultan Alparslan Walls, and Gagik Church.
After taking plenty of photos in this mysterious city with Seven Gates, we turn our route
to Lake Çıldır, about 1.5 hours away. Çıldır, our only lake that freezes completely in winter in our country, greets us with an endless white landscape. On the lake, we can fish from broken ice
spots and take rides on horse-drawn sleds on the lake. We will capture wonderful shots
in these magical landscapes. With those who wish, we can taste the yellow fish unique to this area from the restaurants around the lake. After completing our Çıldır Lake excursion, we return to Kars city center and enjoy a panoramic view of the city by seeing the historic Stone Bridge and Kars Castle. Then we go to the venue where we will join the local dinner
and Caucasian night event.
Breakfast; Will be Served at the Hotel. (Included in the Tour Fee)
Lunch; Will be Served at Local Restaurants. (Extra)
Dinner; Will be Served at the Local Caucasian Night. (Included in the Caucasian Night Fee)
NOTE:The Caucasian Night and Local Food event to be held this evening is extra.)
Breakfast: Will be Served at the Hotel. (Included in the Tour Fee)
Lunch: Will be Served at Local Restaurants. (Extra)
Church of the Twelve Apostles (Kümbet Mosque) >> Caucasus Front War History Museum >> Historic Kars Streets >> Kars Bazaars >> Sarıkamış Martyrs Monument >> Erzurum Airport
After having our breakfast, we leave our hotel and visit the enchanting Kümbet Mosque of today, which was built as a church in the name of the Twelve Apostles, with its architecture. After completing our tour here, we visit the Kanlı Tabya Museum, which has a special place for Kars and tells the struggle on the Caucasus front and the conditions of that day, accompanied by our guide. After completing our tour here, we finish our shopping for Kars-specific cheese and local delicacies. In this way, we complete our Kars tour. We turn our route to the Sarıkamış Martyrs Monument, built in the name of our 60 thousand martyr soldiers who participated in the operation to take Kars back from the Russians and died of freezing. After commemorating our martyrs at the monument and praying for mercy, we head towards Erzurum.
NOTE: Depending on the conditions of the day, if there is enough time for our flight, we can take a short Erzurum city tour and have a meal break. Whether or not we will take a city tour in Erzurum will be determined according to the conditions of the day.
We come to the end of our dreamlike 3-night, 4-day journey to Kars on the Eastern Express.
We say goodbye, hoping to see you at our next Bizimle Turlasana Turizm event.
Breakfast; Will Be Served at the Hotel. (Included in the Tour Price)
Lunch; Will Be Served at Local Restaurants. (Extra)
Breakfast: Will Be Served at the Hotel. (Included in the Tour Price)
Lunch: Will Be Served at Local Restaurants. (Extra)
What's Included
Ankara - Kars Sleeper Touristic Eastern Express Train Ticket
Erzurum - Istanbul Return Flight Ticket
2 Nights Hotel Accommodation
2 Breakfasts at the Hotel
1 Night Train Accommodation
All Excursions in the Program
Mandatory Travel Insurance No. 1618
Professional Guiding Service
Transportation by Luxury Vehicles
Not Included
Extra Expenses at the Hotel
All Personal Expenses
Lunches
Museum and Ruins Entrance Fees
All Meals Taken During the Train Journey
Excursions Outside the Program
Horse-Drawn Sleigh Ride on Lake Çıldır
Transportation to Ankara Train Station
Expenses Made at the Stops Where the Train Will Take a Break
1 Night Caucasian Night Entertainment and Goose Menu Dinner
Note; Transportation to Ankara will be provided by High-Speed Train from Istanbul.
Our guests who wish may purchase their tickets themselves.