Getting There By Rail
Turkish State Railways – TCDD (tel: (312) 309 0515; website: www.tcdd.gov.tr/tcddwebenglish) operates the national railway network, with rolling stock that is slow and lacks air conditioning, although fares are very cheap. There are two stations in Istanbul – Sirkeci Station, Ankara Caddesi, near Eminönü on the European side (tel: (212) 527 0050 or 0051), and Haydarpasa Station, Haydarpasa Istasyon Caddesi, near Kadiköy on the Asian side (tel: (216) 336 0475 or 336 2063). Both stations are well equipped with restaurants, newspaper kiosks, waiting rooms and ATMs.
Rail services: Trains bound for Sofia, Belgrade, Bucharest and Budapest (with transfers to Munich and Vienna) leave from Sirkeci Station, departing approximately 2300. Trains for Turkish destinations leave from Haydarpasa Station. There are express trains between major Turkish cities but cheaper rural routes can be painfully slow. The following services all go to Ankara: the Bogazici Express (journey time – 6 hours 30 minutes), the Baskent Express (journey time – 6 hours 30 minutes), the Fatih Express (journey time – 8 hours), the Anatolia Express (journey time – 9 hours) and the Ankara Express (journey time – 10 hours).
Transport to the city: Both stations are fairly central. A taxi is the easiest way to reach a hotel, although taxi drivers may expect a hefty tip, as the distance is short. Haydarpasa Station, on the Asian side, is connected to the European side by ferry to Karaköy port, while Sirkeci Station is a short walk or taxi ride from Eminönü port. Sirkeci is also on the tramway to Sultanahmet.
|
