Turkey - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services

Introduction

TCDD has not published a timetable for a number of years and this list is based on the public timetables contained in the TCDD website as at October 2011 for entries prefixed "TR11/" and as at February 2014 for entries prefixed "TR14/". Standard abbreviations are explained in General Information. In the absence of timetable table numbers, each line's TCDD Bölge (administrative/operational regions) is given, namely: 1 Istanbul (Europe and Asia); 2 Ankara; 3 Izmir; 4 Sivas; 5 Malatya; 6 Adana and 7 Afyon.

The TCDD website is often not updated to represent the actual situation. Trains may remain on the site when they have been cancelled, curtailed or amended. Prospective passengers should check carefully any notes (which are in Turkish only) relating to trains. In rural areas and on branch lines TCDD may still operate mixed trains (karma). These trains are subject to alteration without prior notice, frequently on an ad-hoc basis, and arrival times may vary substantially from booked times. No reliance should be placed on the timings or days of operation of these trains, unless checked locally.

Travelling in the South-East: Owing to the circumstances in South-East Anatolia trains have in the past been subject to frequent cancellations and suspensions. As the situation has now improved there is no general problem to the safety of passengers. Nevertheless, any change in the political climate could result in short notice suspensions.

Obscure services

Eskişehir avoiding line

[Bölge 1] (ERA 112B4) TR14/1

This west <==> south curve connects the İstanbul and Afyon lines, avoiding Eskişehir station. Note that Eskişehir Enveriye station is situated on this curve.

Owing to works for construction of the high speed line between Eskişehir and Istanbul there are at present no train services between Eskişehir and Istanbul. It is not known if services using this curve will resume when the conventional main line reopens.

Polatli avoiding line: Km.456+029 HZ – Km 5+691 HZ

[Bölge 2] (ERA 112C4 not shown) TR14/2

This west <==> south curve south west of Polatli connects the Eskişehir (İstanbul) and Konya high speed lines. It is used by high speed services (Yüksek Hizli Tren) between Eskişehir and Konya.

(Ankara –) Sincan – Eskişehir

[Bölge 2] (ERA 112B4 - 112C4) TR14/3

There are two largely parallel lines between Sincan and Eskişehir, the original single track main line and the Ankara - Eskişehir high speed line, officially opened on 13 March 2009. This line is being extended into Ankara as at January 2014. Conventional trains use the original main line and high speed trains (Yüksek Hizli Tren) the new line.

Ankara: Gazi Mah. - Marşandiz carriage sidings

[Bölge 2] (ERA 112C4, not shown) TR14/4

Marşandiz carriage sidings run parallel to and well to the north of Marşandiz station. Some or perhaps all local trains between Kirikkale and Marşandiz run to and from the carriage sidings and appear to be available for use by passengers. The equivalent of the following train ran this way in January 2012, although train 22573 appears to have been suspended since 1 September 2013:

22573

Kirikkale - 14:28 Adana - Marşandiz

Kütahya loop

[Bölge 7] (ERA 112B4 not shown) TR11/4

In order to avoid reversing, trains between Eskişehir and Afyon which call at Kütahya station use the loop line which diverges to the north, east of Kütahya, enabling them to approach the station from the west. This route appears to be used by trains always prior to arrival at Kütahya.

		11320 Meram-Ekspresi	İstanbul Haydarpaşa - 02:22 Alayunt - Konya
		11126 İçanadolu Mavi	İstanbul Haydarpaşa - 06:27 Alayunt - Adana
		71622	Eskişehir - 19:00 Alayunt - Afyon
		71621	Afyon - 08:58 Alayunt Müselles - Eskişehir
		71319 Meram-Ekspresi	Konya - 22:59 Alayunt Müselles - İstanbul Haydarpaşa
		61125 İçanadolu Mavi Tren	Adana - 02:48 Alayunt Müselles - İstanbul Haydarpaşa

Karakuyu loop

[Bölge 7] (ERA 112B3 not shown) TR11/5

The line from Afyon divides into a balloon loop north of Karakuyu, giving two connections into Karakuyu station. One loop runs into the east end and can be used by trains between Afyon and Izmir via Goncali in order to avoid reversal. The other runs into the west end and can be used by trains between Afyon and Isparta to avoid reversal. Actual usage is not known but it is thought there are no train services passing through Karakuyu as at October 2011.

Boğazköprü avoiding line: Km 364+000 - Km 170+800

[Bölge 2] (ERA 112C3) TR11/6

This south <==> west curve connects the Ankara line with the Niğde/Ulukişla line. Boğazköprü Müselles halt is located on this curve. The trains do not call at Kayseri: times shown at Kayseri are for a connecting minibus provided between Kayseri and Boğazköprü Müselles.

		21206 Çukurova-Ekspresi	Ankara - 01:17 Fehimli - Adana/Mersin
		61205 Çukurova-Ekspresi	Adana/Mersin - 00:39 Incesu - Ankara

Narlı loop

[Bölge 6] (ERA 113A3 not shown) TR11/7

Narlı is equipped with an electrified loop line which leaves the station in a south-easterly diection and turns to the north-east, joining the Malatya-bound line. It is not known if the currently suspended Toros-Ekspresi to/from Gaziantep uses this loop to avoid reversal.

Tecer - Kangal

[Bölge 4] (ERA 113A4) TR13/7A

A cut-off between Tecer and Kangal, incorporating the 5367 m Deliktaş tunnel, the longest in Turkey, opened probably in September 2012. The very tortuous old alignment is still used by the following karma (local) trains as at December 2013:

		42801	05:15 Divriği - Sivas
		42802	16:35 Sivas - Divriği

Elazığ - Tatvan Gar - Tatvan İskele [Tatvan Pier]

[Bölge 5] (ERA 113B3 - 113B4) TR11/8

The Trans-Asya Ekspresi (Ankara - Tehran) operates once a week. Note that only the through baggage car is carried on the Tatvan - Van train ferry; through passengers must travel as foot passengers. A local mixed karma train operates three times a week between Elazığ and Tatvan Gar [Tatvan station], not Tatvan Pier.

Tatvan Gar is a terminus and trains may well propel from there to Tatvan İskele. The line between Tatvan Gar and Tatvan İskele describes three 180 degree curves. A connection links the two sides of the middle curve, forming a balloon loop. If a train has propelled to Tatvan İskele, the return working may well use this connection and reverse at its western end in order to reverse the formation to be the right way round for departure from Tatvan Gar. It seems that operation is designed to avoid running round at Tatvan Gar and Tatvan İskele if possible.

	MWO	11532 Vangölü Ekspresi	11:30 TSuO Ankara - 06:27 MWO Elazığ - Tatvan İskele
	ThO	11512 Trans-Asya Ekspresi	10:25 WO Ankara - 06:15 ThO Elazığ - Tatvan İskele
	TFSuO	52862 karma	07:05 Elazığ - Tatvan Gar
	TThO	51531 Vangölü Ekspresi	07:15 Tatvan Gar - Ankara
	FO	51511 Trans-Asya Ekspresi	04:52 Tatvan İskele - Ankara
	MWSO	52861 karma	07:15 Tatvan Gar - Elazığ

Note: The Damascus - Tatvan İskele train ia marked "Does not run until further notice" and has therefore been deleted from this list.

Van İskele [Van Pier] - Van Gar - Kapıköy - state border (- Razi IRIR)

[Bölge 5] (ERA 113C4) TR11/9

The Trans-Asya Ekspresi (Ankara - Tehran) operates once a week. Note that only the through baggage car is carried on the Tatvan - Van train ferry; through passengers must travel as foot passengers. A train operates once a week between Tabriz and Van Gar [Van station], not Van Pier.

	WO	495	20:00 Van Gar - Tabriz
	ThO	11522/491 Trans-Asya Ekspresi	21:30 Van İskele - Tehran
	WO	494	22:30 TO Tabriz - 04:15 WO Kapıköy - Van Gar
	ThO	490/51521 Trans-Asya Ekspresi	21:25 WO Tehran - 17:40 ThO Kapiköy - Van İskele

Note: The Tehran - Van İskele service connecting with the Damascus train is marked "Does not run until further notice" and has therefore been deleted from this list.

Other sparse services

The following lines have few trains (relative to service levels generally in this country) - fewer than three trains each way on at least three days a week - or do not run each weekday.

Halkali - Kapıkule	Bölge 1	(53A2, ERA 111A2)	Owing to engineering work, the only trains running west of the suburban service terminus at Halkali are FSSuO 81721 and 81722 Kapıkule - İstanbul and v.v
Kapıkule - Svilengrad (Bulgaria)	Bölge 1	(53A2, ERA 111A2)
Çankiri - Karabük	Bölge 2	(ERA 112C4)	3 trains a week in each direction: MWFO 21625 10:40 Karabük - Çankiri; MWFO 21626 15:50 Çankiri - Karabük. Note: There will be no trains on the entire Irmak - Karabük - Zonguldak line until 15 February 2013 owing to signaling work.
Boğazköprü - Niğde - Ulukışla	Bölge 2	(ERA 112C3)	2 trains each way: the Erciyes Ekspresi (Kayseri - Adana) and Çukurova Mavi (Ankara - Adana), which uses TR11/6 and does not call at Boğazköprü station itself.
Balıkesir - Bandirma	Bölge 3	(ERA 112B4)	Trains connect at Bandirma for high speed ferries to İstanbul Yenikapı.
Manisa - Alaşehir - Uşak	Bölge 3	(ERA 112A3 - 112B3)	There are no trains between Uşak and Afyon.
Kalın - Amasya and Havza - Samsun	Bölge 4	(ERA 113A4)	The Amasya - Havza section of the Kalın - Samsun line has a more frequent service.
Çetinkaya - Divriği - Erzincan - Erzurum - Kars - Akyaka	Bölge 4	(ERA 113A4 - 113C4)
Çetinkaya - Malatya	Bölge 5	(ERA 113A3 - ERA 113A4)	The 4 Eylül Mavi Treni runs daily between Ankara and Malatya. The Vangölü Ekspresi runs 2 days a week between İstanbul Haydarpaşa and Elaziğ. The Güney-Ekspresi runs 4 days a week between İstanbul Haydarpaşa and Diyarbakır, and on to Kurtalan 3 days a week.
Diyarbakır - Kurtalan	Bölge 5	(ERA 113B3)	The Güney-Ekspresi runs 3 days a week between İstanbul Haydarpaşa and Kurtalan. There is one train a day in each direction Diyarbakır - Kurtalan and Diyarbakır - Batman.
Malatya - Narlı	Bölge 5	(ERA 113A3)	The Firat Ekspresi runs daily between Elaziğ and Adana.
Narlı - Gaziantep	Bölge 6	(ERA 113A3)	The Toros-Ekspresi ran daily between İstanbul Haydarpaşa and Gaziantep. However it appears that this train is suspended as at October 2011 because the line is closed for engineering work, and Gaziantep is served by a bus connection. Two additional mixed (karma) trains have operated on this line in the past, but it is thought that they are now discontinued.
Gaziantep - Nusaybin	Bölge 6	(ERA 113A3 - 113B3)	3 trains a week in each direction: TThSuO 62952 10:00 Gaziantep - Nusaybin; MWFO 62951 07:00 Nusaybin - Gaziantep. These trains will be withdrawn from 31 July 2013 owing to engineering work.

Deletions since previous edition

• TR11/1 Muratli - Tekirdag: services withdrawn on 22 December 2011