The Tourist Eastern Express winter season trips for 2024-2025 are starting.

```html

Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced that the tourist Eastern Express winter season services for 2024-2025 will start on December 23.

Uraloğlu pointed out in a written statement that ticket sales for the tourist Eastern Express have begun as package tours through authorized travel agencies, stating, "Ticket sales for the carriages allocated for individual passengers will also start tomorrow."

Minister Uraloğlu said, "The tourist Eastern Express's 2024-2025 winter season services will start on December 23 and continue until March 2, 2025. Services will be conducted from Ankara on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and from Kars on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays."

60 SERVICES WILL BE ORGANIZED

Uraloğlu drew attention to the fact that they have rearranged the departure times based on passenger requests, stating that the express will depart from Ankara at 13:55, will stop in Erzincan for 150 minutes, in Erzurum for 240 minutes, thus allowing passengers the opportunity to explore the cities.

Uraloğlu shared that the express will depart from Kars at 21:05 on the return trip, stopping in İliç for 210 minutes, in Divriği for 150 minutes, and in Sivas for 180 minutes.

Stating that the tourist Eastern Express operates with 8 sleeper cars and 1 dining car, Uraloğlu said, "During this period, in which we will organize a total of 60 services, our express with a capacity of 160 passengers will offer travel enthusiasts an unforgettable winter experience in the comfort of home in double rooms."

Uraloğlu noted that there will be other train services besides the express, and added: "Due to the high demand for the tourist Eastern Express, regional tourist express trains will also be put into service between Erzurum and Kars. Regional tourist express trains are planned to operate 24 services. The regional tourist express trains will have a capacity of 291 passengers and will operate on Saturdays and Sundays from January 18 to February 23, 2025."

TOURIST DIYARBAKIR EXPRESS SERVICES

Abdulkadir Uraloğlu pointed out that the Tourist Diyarbakır Express services will also take place between April 11 and May 25, 2025, stating, "These services, which will be conducted from Ankara on Fridays and from Diyarbakır on Sundays, will give passengers the opportunity to explore the cities with 3-hour breaks in Malatya on the Ankara-Diyarbakır route and 4-hour breaks in Elazığ-Yolçatı on the Diyarbakır-Ankara route."

Uraloğlu stated that they have also included new routes on their agenda based on surveys conducted with passengers, providing the following information: "Our passengers expressed their appreciation for the unique views offered by tourist trains, the opportunity to discover new places, and the different holiday experiences. We believe that the high demand will also be shown on other routes. We are also considering launching new tourist routes such as the Tourist Tatvan Train on the Ankara-Tatvan route, the Tourist Tuz Express on the Ankara-Çankırı route, and the Adana-Belemedik Express services in the Mediterranean Region, which are currently operated as special trains upon request."

Tickets can be purchased starting from 5,250 liras per person at TCDD ticket offices, authorized agencies, mobile applications, and at https://bilet.tcdd.gov.tr.