Ankara to Kars, Türkiye
Touristic Eastern Express: when tickets go on sale
Individual tickets for the Touristic Eastern Express (Turistik Doğu Ekspresi) 2026-2027 season go on sale on Monday 26 October 2026 through TCDD Taşımacılık's channels, for trains from 21 December 2026 to 12 March 2027. The hour has not been announced, and last season most sleeper cars went to travel agencies, not to individual buyers.
- When does booking open?
- 26 October 2026, for the whole 2026-2027 winter season. The hour sales open has not been announced. Ankara to Kars trains leave at 13:55 TRT on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 21 December 2026 to 10 March 2027; Kars to Ankara trains leave at 21:05 TRT on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from 23 December 2026 to 12 March 2027. 70 trips in all.
- How far ahead is that?
- About 8 weeks before the first departure.
- Where do I book?
- TCDD Taşımacılık: the ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr website (it has an English version), the TCDD mobile app, or station ticket offices. Visitors from abroad can book online.
- Does it sell out?
- Strong evidence of fast sellouts, but no official timing. For 2025-2026, TCDD's official terms gave 6 of the 8 sleeper cars to travel agencies and kept 2 cars (40 beds a train) for individual sale; the 2026-2027 split is not published. Turkish press reported the 2024-2025 tickets sold out quickly, including January dates.
- Can I cancel or change?
- TCDD's own rules for tourist trains: a refund costs 15% of the fare up to a week before the departure day and 70% after that; a change costs 10% and 35%. Tickets cannot be turned into open tickets. If TCDD cancels the trip, the fare is refunded in full; delays give no right to a refund or compensation.
Checked 15 October 2026
How to book
You buy a whole two-bed sleeper compartment. TCDD's official price list for 2026-2027: from Ankara, 16,500 TL per compartment for departures up to 15 January 2027 and 20,000 TL from 18 January; from Kars, 15,000 TL up to 17 January and 18,000 TL from 20 January. Up to 2 children aged 0 to 6 ride free if they do not need their own bed. Rail discounts (youth, 65+ and others) do not apply.
Book on ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr (switch it to English), the TCDD app or at a station. The fare covers the train only: meals in the dining car, hotels and tours are extra. Foreign cards usually work, according to a long-running independent rail guide, but some fail at the payment step.
The train stops for sightseeing at Erzincan (2 hours 30 minutes) and Erzurum (3 hours 30 minutes) towards Kars, and at İliç (3 hours), Divriği (2 hours 30 minutes) and Sivas (3 hours) towards Ankara.
If it’s sold out
Keep checking the TCDD site and app: refunded compartments can come back on sale.
Buy a tour package from a TÜRSAB-licensed travel agency, which hold most of the train. Packages usually add flights and hotels and cost more.
Or take the regular Doğu Ekspresi on the same line. It has no sightseeing stops and is sold separately.
Booking for a group
Each compartment has 2 beds, so a group of 4 needs 2 compartments, bought fast and ideally in one transaction. Compartments next to each other are not guaranteed, and TCDD's rules let it change your car and berth for operational reasons.
Every passenger's name and ID or passport details are entered when you buy, and the original document is checked on board: photos and photocopies are not accepted.
A whole car (10 compartments, 20 people) went only to licensed travel agencies last season, at 120,000 to 170,000 TL per car per trip.
Good to know
- Have every passenger's passport details ready before 26 October 2026, so checkout is quick.
- Choose your direction by the stops you want: Erzincan and Erzurum towards Kars, or İliç, Divriği and Sivas towards Ankara.
- Budget for food: the fare covers the train only, and the dining car sells breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- Book from 15 January 2027 or earlier for the lower price: departures from 18 January cost more.
Sources
- Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure: 70 trips in the new season (official, 11 October 2026): Individual ticket sales start on 26 October 2026 through TCDD Taşımacılık's sales channels, for trains from 21 December 2026 to 12 March 2027.
- TCDD Taşımacılık: Touristic Eastern Express (official booking site): 2026-2027 dates and days, departures at 13:55 from Ankara and 21:05 from Kars, sightseeing stop lengths; the site has an English version.
- TCDD Taşımacılık: 2026-2027 dates and compartment prices (official PDF): Compartment prices of 16,500 and 20,000 TL from Ankara and 15,000 and 18,000 TL from Kars, with the low and high period dates.
- TCDD Taşımacılık: sales rules, section 7, tourist trains (official, Turkish): Refunds cost 15% or 70% and changes 10% or 35%, with a one-week cut-off; full refund if the trip is cancelled; no discounts; up to 2 children aged 0 to 6 free; originals of ID checked.
- TCDD Taşımacılık: 2025-2026 agency car terms (official PDF): Of 8 sleeper cars, 6 went to TÜRSAB A-group travel agencies and 2 were sold to individuals, at 120,000 to 170,000 TL per car.
- Habertürk: Doğu Ekspresi tickets sold out: 2024-2025 season tickets sold out quickly, including January departures.
- Seat61: Turkey train guide: The TCDD booking site normally accepts foreign cards, with some failures reported.
Checked on 15 October 2026. Booking rules change; the official site has the last word.