The regional train service is set to enhance the travel experience for passengers from Türkiye’s eastern Malatya by connecting the city to the recently inaugurated Ankara-Sivas high-speed train line on June 20, reducing the travel time by half, Turkish State Railways (TCDD) General Manager Ufuk Yalçın announced recently.
The new service aims to reduce travel time and provide a convenient connection from the city to the aforementioned high-speed train line.
Yalçın, speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), emphasized their commitment to shortening travel times and offering fast, comfortable transportation services, adding that the Malatya-Sivas regional train route is one of their initiatives in this regard.
"Our regional train will depart from Malatya daily at 8:10 a.m. and reach Sivas at 11:49 a.m. From Sivas, it will depart at 4:10 p.m. and arrive in Malatya at 7:54 p.m.," Yalçın said.
He further noted that the journey between Ankara and Malatya, currently 15 hours and 30 minutes on the conventional route served by the "Four September Blue Express," will be halved with the high-speed train.
"With this connection, the train journey between Malatya and Ankara will take seven hours and 20 minutes, and between Ankara and Malatya, it will take six hours and 54 minutes," he said.
Yalçın additionally noted that the discount of 50% will be applied for the passengers who travel to Ankara and Istanbul using both the high-speed and regional trains, and those traveling only on the Malatya-Sivas route will pay the full ticket price.
Emphasizing their customer-oriented approach, taking passenger preferences into account, Yalçın noted that the "Four September Blue Express," which operates on the Ankara-Malatya route, will continue to operate four times a week, departing from the capital on Thursdays and Saturdays, and from Malatya on Fridays and Sundays.
"Under the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and with the support of our Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, we will continue to connect our citizens with high-speed trains in every corner of Türkiye," Yalçın vowed.
