Istanbul is a city that everyone loves, thinks about traveling to, and even settling down in. It has been making people adore its history, natural beauty, and foods for many years. It is one of the most touristic cities in Turkey, and it has many tourist attractions. In fact, the number of foreign tourists visiting Istanbul was 4 million 854 thousand in the 8 months of the year. We should also note that it is a megacity with one of the busiest streets. So, to see everywhere you want to see, public transportation is always a must. On top of that, you might want to see what is outside of Istanbul. So today, we will tell you about the trains you can use in or out of this city. Don’t miss the train to Istanbul! 

Trains of Turkey

Istanbul is a complex city to visit and learn. As you start traveling, your curiosity will increase. Here are the trains that make it easy to travel and have fun. We have collected brief information about rail systems for those who want to travel around Turkey and Istanbul by train, which is an enjoyable type of travel. Nowadays, metro, tram, and suburban systems are used in cities in Turkey. Our provinces that use the rail system are Istanbul, Izmir, Ankara, Bursa, Eskişehir, Kayseri, Samsun, Konya, Antalya, Gaziantep, Adana, and Izmit. While more than one type of rail system is used in the first 4 of these cities, only the metro is used in Adana, and the tram is used in the remaining cities. Turkey has a total railway network of 12,466 kilometers. Moreover, Turkey has become 8th globally with the increasing number of high-speed railway lines in recent years. Rail systems continue to be developed. 

After all of this information, let’s start with the fun part of our job. If you are someone who thinks about traveling to Istanbul, a train to Istanbul may be the best choice for you if you enjoy train rides as much as we do. There are trains that come from Sofia to Istanbul that stops at Halkalı. After that, Istanbul has so many train lines that will take you where you need to go. We have prepared a list of what you can enjoy in Istanbul with these lines and what you can do in Istanbul.

High-Speed Train: Train to Istanbul

The first example is the High-Speed Train (abbreviated as YHT in Turkish). High-Speed Train is a train line connecting Istanbul and Ankara and offers a lovely experience to its passengers with comfort and speed. With this experience, you will not only discover Istanbul with its interior beauties on your train to Istanbul trip, but you will also be able to see the beauties on your way there. Remember, Ankara is the capital city of Turkey, and it also offers a lot to see for tourists. 

The first stop of this train is Söğütlüçeşme, which is very close to the center, and there are 6 services and 9 stops per day. The journey between Istanbul to Ankara takes about 5 hours by high-speed train. But if there is an expedition that stops at all stops, this time increases a little more. After you have bought your ticket to Istanbul and arrived, if you are on the Anatolian side, you can use the Metrobus and walk there or use Marmaray and take off at the same stop. For those coming from the European Side, transportation via Kadikoy seems to be the most logical solution.

Moreover, you can also enjoy the Bosphorus by taking the Kadıköy ferry! There are parking lots that can be used for one, or two-day parking around the main stops. Ticket prices are divided into affordable, standard, and flexible. In addition, ticket prices vary depending on the wagon type as ‘economy, the economy with meal and business.’ You can easily share this experience with your friends, family, or social media with the Internet service. 

Touristic Eastern Express

For those who don’t want to restrict your holiday or sightseeing route to Istanbul only, you have a great option: Touristic Eastern Express. You can do this by going directly to the starting point or via Istanbul. Touristic Eastern Express is an extraordinary train ride that departs from Ankara and will reach Kars with all the beauties of Anatolia in front of you. For this reason, we suggest you make this trip in winter as the view is incredible. The way you go on the train is up to you. You can choose seats or rooms with beds. Here are some tips for you; try to wake up before sunrise in the morning. Because we don’t want you to miss the sights that need to be seen, and don’t forget to take your camera, drink, and music so that you can fully enjoy and make your experience endless.

What to Do in Istanbul

After you have decided on your trip to Istanbul, all you have to do is plan your trip. There are so many places worth seeing in Istanbul. This is relatively easy with Istanbul.com. There are passes such as the Istanbul Tourist Pass® that give lots of benefits for people who want to discover Istanbul and see its tourist attractions. It gives you access to most tourist attractions such as Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar, Blue Mosque, and so on. It also has an accredited guide to visit the top tourist attractions. 

With the Istanbul Tourist Pass, you can see and explore the historical side of Istanbul and see its architecture. If you want to do something more fun, you can enter other places like Beşiktaş and Fenerbahçe Stadium Tours, Madame Tussauds, Sealife Aquarium, Legoland, or Pera Museum. After visiting the Topkapi Palace in the morning, you can take a tour of the Bosphorus at noon and enjoy Istanbul. It is also so easy to order it! All you have to do is order Istanbul Tourist Pass online and determine the number of days and people and you will be all set