Slow Travel in Türkiye by Train: Ankara to Kars on the Eastern Express
A practical slow-travel guide to Türkiye’s Ankara–Kars rail journey, including the Eastern Express, Touristic Eastern Express, scenic stops and how to plan the trip.
Netzender Editorial Team 
Some journeys are better when the transportation is part of the destination.
The rail route between Ankara and Kars is one of Türkiye's best examples. Instead of flying over central and eastern Anatolia, the train lets you watch the landscape change over many hours as cities, plains, valleys and mountains pass outside the window.
For slow travelers, this matters. The objective is not simply to reach Kars. It is to experience distance, geography and the places between the starting point and the final station.
Two Different Train Experiences
Travelers should first understand that the Ankara–Kars route is associated with two different experiences.
The regular Doğu Ekspresi, or Eastern Express, is a passenger service between Ankara and Kars.
The Turistik Doğu Ekspresi, or Touristic Eastern Express, is designed specifically around the journey as a travel experience and includes longer exploration stops on selected services.
For a slow-travel itinerary, the touristic service is particularly interesting because the stops are part of the design rather than accidental breaks in transportation.
The 2026–2027 Touristic Eastern Express Season
According to TCDD Taşımacılık's current schedule, the Ankara-to-Kars Touristic Eastern Express season runs from December 21, 2026 to March 10, 2027.
Current Ankara departures are scheduled on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The Kars-to-Ankara direction is scheduled from December 23, 2026 to March 12, 2027, with departures on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Schedules can change, so always verify the specific departure on the official TCDD booking site before arranging flights or hotels around it.
Why This Route Fits Slow Travel
Slow travel is not simply traveling slowly.
It is a different way of allocating attention.
Instead of optimizing every hour for another attraction, you allow the journey itself to reveal:
- regional geography;
- changes in architecture;
- local food;
- weather and seasonal patterns;
- smaller cities that would otherwise be bypassed;
- the physical distance between destinations.
An overnight rail journey naturally creates this kind of experience.
Ankara: Start With Time Rather Than a Tight Connection
A slow-travel itinerary should avoid arriving in Ankara only minutes before departure.
Consider spending at least part of a day in the capital before boarding.
This reduces the risk created by a delayed flight or bus and gives the journey a more deliberate beginning.
The rail trip should feel like the next chapter of the itinerary, not a transport emergency.
The Ankara-to-Kars Exploration Stops
For the 2026–2027 season, TCDD currently lists extended stops on the Ankara-to-Kars journey in:
- Erzincan: approximately 2 hours 30 minutes;
- Erzurum: approximately 3 hours 30 minutes.
These are not full city breaks, so avoid planning an ambitious checklist.
A better strategy is to choose one compact activity, meal or walking area and leave enough time to return to the train comfortably.
The Return Journey Has Different Stops
The Kars-to-Ankara direction is not simply the outward itinerary in reverse.
TCDD currently lists longer stops at:
- İliç;
- Divriği;
- Sivas.
This means travelers with enough time can ride both directions and still experience different places along the route.
For slow travel, that is more attractive than repeating an identical itinerary.
Kars Deserves More Than One Night
One of the easiest mistakes is treating Kars only as the station at the end of a famous train ride.
The city has enough history, architecture and regional culture to justify a longer stay.
GoTürkiye highlights Kars' layered history and its position near major historic trade routes.
Its local identity also includes regional cheeses, honey and goose dishes, while nearby cultural attractions expand the trip beyond the city center.
Make Time for Ani
The medieval archaeological site of Ani is one of the most important reasons to avoid rushing out of Kars.
Rather than arriving by train and immediately flying away, build in enough time to explore the surrounding region.
This is where slow travel becomes more than a scenic rail ride: the train creates context for the places you explore afterward.
Winter Changes the Experience
The Touristic Eastern Express is strongly associated with winter landscapes.
That creates beautiful scenery but also practical consequences:
- shorter daylight hours;
- cold temperatures;
- possible snow and ice;
- greater need for flexible ground transport;
- seasonal clothing requirements.
Do not build a minute-by-minute outdoor itinerary that assumes ideal weather.
Choose the Train for the Journey, Not Just the Photos
The Eastern Express has become highly photogenic, but reducing it to an Instagram backdrop misses the point.
Bring something that makes long-distance rail travel enjoyable:
- a book;
- offline music;
- a journal;
- snacks;
- a downloaded map;
- a camera;
- time to simply watch the landscape.
The empty hours are part of the trip rather than a problem to eliminate.
Keep the Itinerary Light Around the Train
Do not schedule a demanding tour immediately after arrival if you can avoid it.
Long train journeys can be relaxing, but sleep quality varies and delays are possible.
A better first day in Kars may be a walk, a meal and a small number of nearby sights.
Book Early, but Verify Current Information
The Touristic Eastern Express is popular and operates seasonally.
Use official TCDD channels for the latest:
- departure dates;
- reservation availability;
- carriage information;
- prices;
- route changes.
A blog article can help you understand the journey, but it should never replace the operator's current booking information.
Sample Slow-Travel Structure
A relaxed version of the trip could look like this:
- Spend one or two nights in Ankara.
- Board the Touristic Eastern Express.
- Use the official extended stops selectively rather than rushing through them.
- Stay several nights in Kars.
- Visit Ani and explore local food and architecture.
- Either return by train for different stops or continue elsewhere using a separate transport leg.
Combine Rail Travel With Fewer Destinations
A slow-travel itinerary becomes less meaningful if you immediately add six more cities to the same week.
Choose fewer bases and spend longer in each one.
If this style appeals to you, browse our Slow Travel section and our destination guides for ideas that favor experience over checklist tourism.
Final Takeaway
The Ankara–Kars rail journey works because it turns distance into experience.
The Touristic Eastern Express makes that idea explicit through long scenic travel and planned exploration stops.
Do not treat it only as a famous train to photograph. Give Ankara room, give Kars several days, keep the stopovers realistic and allow the journey itself to be one of the main reasons you went.
