<strong>Best seller:</strong> Turkey's epic Eastern Express, or Dogu Express train sells out fast among travelers hoping to embark on an odyssey to the country's little-touristed eastern regions.
Best seller: Turkey's epic Eastern Express, or Dogu Express train sells out fast among travelers hoping to embark on an odyssey to the country's little-touristed eastern regions.
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<strong>Capital start:</strong> The train begins its 30-hour journey in Turkey's capital Ankara before heading east.
Capital start: The train begins its 30-hour journey in Turkey's capital Ankara before heading east.
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<strong>Changing tracks: </strong>The train started out as a long-distance commuter route, but has grown in popularity among travelers in recent years.
Changing tracks: The train started out as a long-distance commuter route, but has grown in popularity among travelers in recent years.
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<strong>Strategic stops: </strong>The tourist trains have run since 2019. There are stops along the way with organized excursions to explore the picturesque landscapes en route.
Strategic stops: The tourist trains have run since 2019. There are stops along the way with organized excursions to explore the picturesque landscapes en route.
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<strong>Be quick: </strong>Tickets are notoriously hard to come by, often selling out in seconds.
Be quick: Tickets are notoriously hard to come by, often selling out in seconds.
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<strong>Dark Canyon: </strong>On the morning after departure from Ankara, the train arrives in Ilic, a small village whose main draw is its proximity to Karanalik, or Dark Canyon.
Dark Canyon: On the morning after departure from Ankara, the train arrives in Ilic, a small village whose main draw is its proximity to Karanalik, or Dark Canyon.
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<strong>All aboard: </strong>A railway official makes his last checks before the Eastern Express departs after a short stop at the eastern Anatolian city of Erzincan.
All aboard: A railway official makes his last checks before the Eastern Express departs after a short stop at the eastern Anatolian city of Erzincan.
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<strong>Wide open: </strong>Netta Kalpan, a native Minnesotan who spent time in Turkey, said she "didn't realize how big, flat and cold Turkey could be" before taking the train.
Wide open: Netta Kalpan, a native Minnesotan who spent time in Turkey, said she "didn't realize how big, flat and cold Turkey could be" before taking the train.
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<strong>You have to be there: </strong>"I kept trying to take videos out the windows" but felt "like I wasn't able to capture how it really felt to see it," Kalpan says of her trip on the train.
You have to be there: "I kept trying to take videos out the windows" but felt "like I wasn't able to capture how it really felt to see it," Kalpan says of her trip on the train.
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<strong>Kars castle: </strong>Famous for its winter wonderland landscape, Kars takes its name from the Turkish word for snow. The city is known for its unique architecture stemming from the days it was part of the Russian Empire.
Kars castle: Famous for its winter wonderland landscape, Kars takes its name from the Turkish word for snow. The city is known for its unique architecture stemming from the days it was part of the Russian Empire.
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