The Dogu Express: a beautiful train journey through Turkey

This post is all about the Dogu express including my own experience, how to get Dogu express tickets, The Dogu express route and what to expect on a Turkish train.

The Dogu express, also called Dogu ekspresi, from Ankara to Kars is the longest train journey in Turkey. It takes 24 hours and is among the world most epic train rides in Europe with some of the most spectacular landscapes. It is also the best and cheapest way to reach the desolate but beautiful Northeastern Anatolia.

The train stops in Kars and this could be the end of your journey or the start of a new adventure. Kars itself is a nice city with the Kars castle and the nearby Ani ruins. But you can travel further to Dogubayezit. Another nice town with the beautiful Ishak Pasa Palace and famous Mount Ararat.

In recent years the Dogu express has become so popular that since may 2019 there is a Dogu express for tourists. This train leaves three times a week and takes over 30 hours, but has planned stops with exciting excursions.

Why the Dogu express

It was by chance that I took the Dogu express when I was planning my trip to Iran. Of course flying to Iran is much easier, but I love trains. Unfortunately the Trans Asia express from Istanbul to Tehran had been cancelled for an indefinite amount of time.

The other option was the Dogu express from Ankara to Kars. This journey was not as straightforward as the direct train to Tehran. It took more time and included a change of trains, buses and taxi’s, but little did I know about the beauty of the scenery along the way. In the end it was a huge bonus that I was able to visit northeastern anatolia before I went to Iran.

The Dogu express is among one of the most beautiful train journeys in my travel history together with the Oslo to Bergen train in Norway, the Kandy to Ella train in Sri Lanka, the Belgrade to Bar train and the St Petersburg to Murmansk train.

My experience on the Dogu express

The Dogu express used to be even longer when it departed from Istanbul, but all long distance trains now leave from Ankara. New high speed trains bring you from Istanbul to Ankara in about 4 hours.

My first mission was to go to Pendik station in Istanbul. To get to the Asian side was quick and easy, but then the challenge started. It took a while before I found a local minibus, but I still had 2 hours so I tought I had plenty of time.

I was wrong. The traffic was crazy and we went through endless suburbs that did not seem to end. Only 10 minutes before departure I arrived at the station for the rather dull journey to Ankara.

I had a couple of hours to kill in Ankara before the Dogu express departed. Just one month ago a bombing in Ankara killed 37 people. The park in front of the station was eerily quiet except for some armed police guards. It did not invite me to explore Ankara further with my heavy backpack and decided to wait at the station.

Update: Since march 2019 trains now leave from Söğütlüçeşme station that is much easier to reach with the Marmaray.

Ankara

At 6 pm I finally boarded the Dogu express from Ankara to Kars. To my surprise the train was very modern and luxurious. My cabinet had 4 comfortable beds with blankets, sheets and even a free pair of slippers.

As I retreated to my seat the rest of the passengers were still debating in the corridors. Men and women were divided in several female and male cabinets. I am not sure if I was supposed to be alone, but nobody else joined me. Once the train left we were soon rolling through a rugged landscape with a wonderful sunset.

Ankara to Kars

I had a good nights sleep at the Dogu express and woke up to a frozen land. It was already April, but winter was still going on in the Anatolia highlands. From under my warm blankets I looked at the snow outside of my window.

The scenery along the Dogu express was stunning. Endless mountains and fields with streams running through. After every tunnel a new beautiful view emerged and I enjoyed every hour of the train journey.

We didn’t come across many towns or villages but the ones that we did go through looked rather gloomy. Old farm houses are quickly disappearing and replaced by modern, but ugly Soviet style flat apartments. These new buildings can not mask the fact that life is rough in this cold and desolate landscape.

Kars

After 24 hours on the Dogu express we finally arrived in Kars. A small town at what really felt like the end of Turkey to me. It didn’t look very promising at first. From the outside, it seemed another gloomy town, but I was wrong.

When I tried to find my way from the station to my hotel I was immediately adopted by a family whose daughter came back home from her studies in Erzurum. She insisted she would bring me personally to my hotel and even invited me to stay at her place.

The center of Kars was very lively with shops selling fresh fruits and vegetables and families strolling through the main shopping street. For dinner I found Ocakbasi restaurant. The place looked so posh that I tought it must be way above my budget, but it was the cheapest and best food I had in Turkey.

Kars to Dogubayezit

Kars is one of the highest  and coldest towns in Turkey. The next morning when I woke up there were dark clouds in the sky. It was snowing heavily once I walked to the local bus station to take the bus to the border town of Dogubayezit.

It was a 3 hour bus drive to Dogubayezit through small villages and over two mountain passes surrounded by mist, snow and ice. Somewhere behind these clouds was the famous mount Ararat.

Dogubayezit

In Dogubayezit it was still snowing and I headed quick;ly to my hotel. Soon I had several invitations for tea as people seemed happy to see a tourist still coming their way.

With nothing else to do in Dogubayezit I decided to try to visit the Ishak Pasa palace up the hill. Unfortunately the minibuses going there decided the weather was too bad. A shopkeeper nearby invited me for tea while he called the bus driver, but one tourist wasn’t enough for him to come back.

The shopkeeper turned out to be a trekking guide who was taking care of his friends shop. He was bored and offered to show me the palace, even tough the road was covered in snow and ice. The palace was wonderful. Once we were up it stopped snowing and we had a wonderful view over Dogubayezit.

The shopkeeper asked me to tell other people to still come to Eastern Turkey and to Dogubayezit in particular. I enjoyed my time here even tough I was not lucky with the weather. The scenery was stunning and the next morning I woke up to a clear blue sky with a full view on Mount Ararat.

Dogu express travel tips

Dogu express train times

The touristic Dogu express used to leave on mondays, wednesdays and fridays only, but since December 2019 there are daily services. The train leaves from Ankara at 15:55 arriving in Kars at 00:37 the next day. The other way around it leaves Kars at 22:35 arriving in Ankara at 05:15 AM after spending two nights on the train. Excursions can be booked in the train.

The regular dogu express leaves every day at 17:55 from Ankara, arriving at 18:00 PM in Kars the next day. The other way around it leaves Kars at 8 AM arriving Ankara at 8 AM the next day.

I have heard it is now more difficult to get Dogu express tickets for this train and that they are often sold out. Therefore it is important to plan this trip in advance and book your Dogu express tickets as soon as possible, either online or through a travel agency

How to get Dogu express tickets?

You can book your Dogu express tickets directly on the website of the Turkish Railways. When I travelled on this train this was a very easy process, but apparently it is more difficult now and tickets sell out fast. Tickets for the regular Dogu express can be booked 30 days before departure and for the touristic Dogu express 60 days before departure.

You can therefore also use a travel agency to get your Dogu express tickets. I haven’t used these agencies myself, but the man from seat61 recommends Amber travel and Backpackers travel.

Tickets for the regular Dogu express cost between 6 euro (seat) and 11 euro (4 person sleeper) when booked directly through the Turkish Railways.

Tickets for the touristic Dogu express cost between 65 euro (2 person sleeper) and 80 euro (1 person sleeper) when booked directly through the Turkish Railways. Excursions (around 10 Euro’s per excursion) are not included in the price and can be booked seperately once you are in the train.

Remember that if you leave from Istanbul you need to book two tickets. One for the high speed train from Istanbul (Söğütlüçeşme station) to Ankara and then the Dogu express from Ankara to Kars.

The high speed trains leave Istanbul Söğütlüçeşme station several times a day, but I can recommend you take the train from 09:30 or 11:30 arriving in Ankara at 14:15 and 16:01 respectively. This allows you enough time in Ankara to have lunch and stock up on some snacks before boarding the Dogu express at 17:55.

The Dogu Express Route

The regular Dogu express starts in Ankara with stops in Kirikkale, Kayseri, Sivas, Erzincan and Erzurum before arriving in Kars the next day.

The touristic Dogu express has planned stops where you can go on excursions. From Ankara to Kars the train stops in Ilic, Erzincan and Erzurum.

In Ilic you can take an excursion to the Karanlik canyon (dark canyon) where you take a motorboat over the river and visit Kemaliye, a local village.

Erzincan is another Dogu express stop where the excursion takes you to the Caglayan Waterfall and Urartian Altintepe Castle.

Erzurum is a destination in itself and a beautiful city in the Anatolian highlands with mosques, madrassahs and citadels. The train stops 1 kilometer north of the center. You can either explore on your own or take an excursion through the city.

If you travel from Kars to Ankara the touristic Dogu express stops in Divrigi and Bostankaya.

How to choose your seat on the Dogu express?

The regular Dogu express has two different classes. The cheapest are the SV2000 reclining pullman seats. It’s a long journey though and I recommend a sleeper. The SV2000 couchettes are in my opinion the best value for money with comfortable 4 bed compartments.

The touristic Dogu express is more upmarket and has sleeper cars only with 2 bedroom or 1 bedroom compartments.

The high speed trains from Istanbul to Ankara are very good and you can choose between economy and business class.

How to reach Söğütlüçeşme station in Istanbul?

Since May 2019 trains leave from the new Istanbul Söğütlüçeşme station in the center of the city on the eastern side of the Bosphorus.

If you are on the western side of the Bosphorus it is best to take the Marmaray from Sirkeci station to Söğütlüçeşme station. This journey takes around 30 minutes.

What to expect on the Dogu express?

I found the Dogu express very nice. Each wagon has a conductor who provides sheets, pillows, blankets and slippers. There are enough toilets that are relatively clean for a train. There is also a decent restaurant wagon where you can buy simple dinner and breakfast.

I travelled in a 4 bed sleeper compartment on the regular Dogu express. I found this comfortable enough. The touristic Dogu express is more up market with 2 and 1 bedroom compartments.

Solo female travel on the Dogu express

As a women travelling alone I felt absolutely safe on the regular Dogu express. I had the compartment all to myself and experienced no problems with the other passengers in my corridor.

With the current popularity it is unlikely you will have the compartment to yourself like I did, but it seems that despite the official seat reservations men and women divide themselves in different compartments.

Even if you do find yourself with male companions in your compartment I found Turkish men to be polite and friendly. The friendly people you meet along the way in the train are part of the experience. Not many tourists travel on the regular train and you will receive a warm welcome and some genuine curiosity what brings you to these parts of Turkey.

On the touristic Dogu express the other people will likely be tourists.

What to bring along on the Dogu express?

24 hours is a long journey so bring enough snacks and water with you. Other essentials are toilet paper and/or wet wipes.

More information on train travel in Turkey and beyond is available at The man from Seat61

Accomodation after the Dogu express

Istanbul: Stanpoli Hostel is a good hostel with an excellent breakfast buffet on the top floor and a wonderful view on the Bosphorus.

Kars: Hotel Kent Ani is an excellent hotel with great breakfast buffet with a view on the castle of Kars

Dogubayezit: Hotel Ararat is a good hotel with an excellent location in the center of the city

Going by Train through Turkey to Iran

For a long time the Trans Asia express that was travelling directly from Istanbul to Iran was cancelled due to security issues. Since 2018 it is once more possible to travel from Turkey to Iran with a weekly sleeper train from Van to Tabriz.

Even though the Dogu express is no longer the easiest way to travel by train from Turkey to Iran you might still want to consider it because of the beautiful scenery and the possibility to see northeastern Anatolia.

Here are the two options opn travelling by train from Turkey to Iran

Option 1 The Trans Asia Express route through Van/Kapikoy

The High speed train from Istanbul Pendik station to Ankara leaves at 19:20 arriving in Ankara at 23:13 (ticket is 70 TL). Stay the night in Ankara

The Van Golu express only leaves on Tuesdays and Sundays departing at 11:19 and arriving at 13:31 the next day in Tatvan (TL 46).

Take the bus from Tatvan to Van (20 TL 2 hours) and stay overnight in Van.

Take a bus to Tabriz (Iran) the next day crossing the border at Kapikoy/Razi or the new weekly sleeper train from Van to Tabriz leaving every Tuesday night at 21:00 arriving at 07:25 in Tabriz.

Option 2 The Dogu express route through Dogubayezit

The High speed train from Istanbul Pendik station to Ankara leaves at 10:45 arriving in Ankara at 14:42 (ticket is 70 TL)

The daily Dogu express leaves Ankara at 17:45 arriving in Kars at 18:00 the next day (ticket in the 4 beth couchette is 52 TL)

Stay the night in Kars and take a bus to Dogubayezit the next day. From Kars you need to take a bus to Igdir (3 hours 20 TL) and change in Igdir for another bus to Dogubayezit (1 hour 8 TL).

Stay the night in Dogubayezit to cross the Gurbulak/Bazargan border the next day

Crossing the border to Iran

From Dogubayezit it is easy to cross the border to Iran and continue your journey to Tabriz. For all the practical details check my post about the Turkey to Iran border crossing at Gurbulak Bazargan.

Last updated: January 2021

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