Turkey launches tourist train to Cappadocia

Tourists in Türkiye will be able to explore unique historical locations on a journey aboard the special Mesopotamia Express train.

Ankara will be the starting point of the Mesopotamia Express trip through Türkiye’s inner, eastern, and southeastern Anatolian regions.

Ankara is easy to reach from Istanbul by a separate train line or cheap flights that take just an hour.

The launch date is the April 19th, with the first return ticket from Diyarbakır on April 21.

The first stop will be three hours in Kayseri, the historic capital of Cappadocia, which is dotted with thirteenth-century Seljuk-era mosques and tombs.

The next is another three-hour stop in Malatya, which is home to the UNESCO-designated Arslantepe Mound, an open-air museum of temples and mural paintings from as far back as 3000 BC. Then you’ll spend four hours in Elazığ, a city famous for its wine and cuisine.

The ticket price for the outbound journey starts at €257 and the return starts at €230. 

Up to 180 passengers can board the train, which is made up of ten carriages - one for dining, and the other nine for sleeping. Each cabin is fitted with seats which turn into beds, plus a fridge, sink, wardrobe and heating, and they all sleep two passengers.