Launched through a protocol signed between the Turkish State Railways Transportation Inc. (TCDD Taşımacılık AŞ), the Western Black Sea Development Agency (BAKKA), and the Zonguldak Special Provincial Administration (ZİÖİ), the first touristic train service on the Ankara-Zonguldak-Ankara route began with a ceremony at Ankara Train Station.
Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology Oruç Baba İnan stated at the ceremony that the “Touristic Karaelmas Express” is not only a tourist train line between Zonguldak and Ankara, but also a rediscovery of the Karaelmas region — once a symbol of labor, coal, and industrialization.
He emphasized the importance of this project in preserving cultural heritage and contributing to local development, and wished the first passengers an enjoyable journey.
Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Osman Boyraz pointed out that they regularly organize such events and noted that Turkey continues to achieve remarkable advancements not only in air, rail, and road transport, but also in communications and maritime sectors.
Tourism’s Share Will Grow
Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Nadir Alpaslan noted that under the AK Party government, Turkey has become a regional power globally and has made significant progress in cultural tourism.
He emphasized that tourism revenue has exceeded $60 billion and that Turkey ranked 4th in the world last year with 62 million visitors. “We are now in the ‘Champions League’ of global tourism, one of the world’s leading tourism destinations,” Alpaslan said. “Every corner of our beautiful country holds unique cultural and tourism assets. We aim to expand tourism across all 81 provinces and regions. The Western Black Sea region, with its rich history, natural beauty, and gastronomy, is extraordinarily valuable. By promoting these assets more effectively, we will raise the region’s share in tourism together.”
8 Round Trips Scheduled
The train will make a total of 8 round trips and consists of 2 dining cars, 4 sleeping cars, and 1 couchette car, with a capacity of 120 passengers.
The train departs from Ankara this evening and will arrive in Zonguldak. The return journey will begin at 11:55 PM on Saturday. On Sunday, the train will stop for sightseeing: 2 hours in Çerkeş, 5 hours in Çankırı, and 2.5 hours in Kalecik, before arriving in Ankara at 7:02 PM the same day.
Departure dates from Ankara are June 13, September 26, October 10, and November 14. The final return trip from Zonguldak will take place on November 15.
