The furthest east you can get by Interrail

nikeldas
Traveller
2 comments

To add some information:
I´m planning to get to Erzurum or Kars in Turkey from Frankfurt, Germany.
But on the interrail planner app I can´t find this route, whereas https://www.interrail.eu/content/dam/pdfs/Interrail_Maps_2024.pdf here it seems like this line is operating. Does anybody know why this is not possible to be found in the app?

Arend7
Traveller
645 comments

That map only give lines where Interrail is valid if there are trains available. If there is, try https://www.seat61.com/train-travel-in-turkey.htm

nikeldas
Traveller
2 comments

ok thanks a lot!
Does anybody know how far in advance we can book a reservation on sleepers?
And is the combination of interrail tiecket and sleeper reservation possible after all?
Thx guys :)

MisterSteve
Traveller
1089 comments

Interrail is valid on trains operated by Turkish national rail operator TCDD, whether they will be operating to Kars on the date you need is a different problem. Yo could try getting sense out of https://ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr/view/eybis/tnmGenel/tcddWebContent.jsf it has Turkish or English options.

But before the Kars journey there is the significant problem of getting into Turkey. Currently there is supposed to be one train per day from Bulgaria (during summer it has a through car from Bucharest which is the best route from Germany). But life is not that easy with TCDD, even if it is running you can't reserve online, nor can you with the Bulgarians (it might be possible with the Romanian CFR Calatori website for the summer). And it only goes as far as Halkali, to reach Istanbul you have to use the metro and that isn't covered by Interrail.

Don't get too worried by the map, it includes lines that aren't open but misses out some that are, and that applies all across it not just Turkey!