Peter
Traveller
9332 comments
Posted 16 years ago
[b]ISTANBUL - SYRIA | night train: Toros Express[/b]
On the route from [b]Istanbul[/b] to [b]Syria[/b] or the Turkish-Syrian border, there is a night-train called:
[b]Toros Ekspresi[/b] or Taurus-Express
If you want to reach the eastern border of your InterRail pass, travel to [b]Adana[/b] or [b]Gaziantep[/b] (only on Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday) with this night-train.
The official fares are like this: a normal seat (Pullman) will be about only 15 EUR one-way. For a bed in a very clean sleeping car you pay about 35 EUR / 2 beds per cabin.
If you have luck and your InterRail ticket is accepted, you might even pay less than the fares mentioned above!! But don't count on it. ;)
If you want to cross the border, take the wagon to [b]Aleppo[/b] in Syria (only on the train leaving Istanbul on Sunday - back to Istanbul on Tuesday). There you can change the train to [b]Damascus[/b].
But stay one or two days in Aleppo as it is one of the oldest towns with a big big bazaar (12 km long).
[b]The stations in Istanbul:[/b]
arriving from Western Europe (Vienna, Sofia, ...) you will arrive in [b]Istanbul Sirkeci [/b] (all trains from Europe arrive here).
From there you have to take a little ferry (calculate 1 hours but you will need less) over to the Asian side of Istanbul to the station [b]Istanbul Hayerpasa[/b] (all trains from the Asian side arrive here).
Links of the Turkish Railway Company (TCDD):
[b]Toros Express DETAILS[/b]: [u]http://www.tcdd.gov.tr/tcdding/trentoros_ing.htm[/u]
[b]Transport to Middle Eastern Countries[/b]: [u]http://www.tcdd.gov.tr/tcdding/ortadogu_ing.htm[/u]
[b]VISA information:[/b]
Europeans need a visa for Syria and Iran. Order it early enough at a Syrian or Iranian embassy in your country of residence.
[b]Syria[/b]:
time to gt the visa: one week
fare: ~30 EUR
[b]Iran[/b]:
time to get the visa: around one month
fare: ~80 EUR
Pay attention to actual information concerning the political situation of Iran.
[b]Update: November 2010[/b]
wilmeijer
Traveller
2 comments
I have read your story of the trip to damascus.
My last information was, that I can take at thursday evening the directly train to thr border to Aleppo?
I am coming from Holland arrived at monday morning want to stay for 3 days in Istanbul then go on to Damascus.
Now I want to know can I go at thirsday evening to Aleppo or is it only at Sunday leaving for a directly connection.
Thanks
with regards Wil Meijer.
wilmeijer
Traveller
2 comments
I am forget to give the datum
I arrived at 25 april 2011 and want to go by train to Damascus at the 28 april.2011
Wil Meijer.
Wesley
Traveller
25 comments
The Toros Express has been discontinued indefinitely in 2008, and as of now, there are no signs of its revival. You will therefore have to look for alternatives, such as the ones described on the page.
Wesley
nltrainer
Traveller
1346 comments
due to current political situation in Syria (april-may 2011) it appears that all the still existing local trains TR-SY are also cancelled. Westerners can enter-but get much stiffer border checks-to see if they are not hidden journalists. PLus you would be mad as heel to go there currently.
Times for Syria trains, if it all becomes better: in more accessible german (I suppose you cannot read Arabic) google for syrische-eisenbahnen.