Turkey’s New Touristic Train Sets Off: Date for the Start of Services Announced
Turkey’s new touristic train, the Karaelmas (Black Diamond) Express, completed its promotional tour departing from Ankara on March 8th, ahead of the Western Black Sea Touristic Train Tour set to begin on April 12th. (Note: Black diamond is used to make a reference to coal, and the main industry in the region)
During the promotional tour, which covered the Western Black Sea Touristic Train Tour route starting from Ankara and including Çankırı, Karabük, and Zonguldak, passengers had the opportunity to see the rich natural, historical, and cultural heritage of the Western Black Sea region.
Western Black Sea Touristic Train Tour route starting from Ankara and including Çankırı, SKarabük, and Zonguldak,
WESTERN BLACK SEA TOUR STARTING FROM ANKARA, COVERING ÇANKIRI, SAFRANBOLU, KARABÜK, ZONGULDAK
Along the route, the first stops visited were Kalecik with its vineyards and historical castle, Çankırı with its salt cave and museums, and Çerkeş with its historic mansions.
COBBLESTONE STREETS OF SAFRANBOLU, A UNESCO CULTURAL HERITAGE CITY
The Karaelmas Express provided passengers with the chance to walk through the cobblestone streets of Safranbolu, a UNESCO Cultural Heritage City and one of the finest examples of classic Ottoman urban architecture.
TURKEY’S FIRST MINING MUSEUM
As part of the tour shedding light on the history of mining at Turkey’s first and only Mining Museum, passengers observed firsthand the working conditions of miners, the operation of the mine, and the mining process at the Turkish Hard Coal Enterprises (TTK) Training Mine in Zonguldak.
Tourists on the touristic train also visited the Gökgöl Cave in Zonguldak, known for its millions of years old coral fossils, and watched with interest the galleries, stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and travertines in the cave.
