The Touristic Karaelmas Express, which will operate between Ankara and Zonguldak, will depart for its first trip on Friday, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced.
"Our train will offer passengers the opportunity to rediscover the cultural and natural heritage of the Western Black Sea region," he said.
In a written statement, Uraloğlu noted that with a protocol signed between TCDD Taşımacılık AŞ, the Western Black Sea Development Agency (BAKKA) and the Zonguldak Special Provincial Administration, tourist train services will begin on the Ankara-Zonguldak-Ankara route.
The train will make eight round trips and consists of two dining cars, four sleeper cars and one couchette car. With a capacity of 120 passengers, the train will depart from Ankara at 9:25 p.m.
It will stop for a four-hour break on Saturday morning in Karabük/Yeşilyenice before reaching Zonguldak. The return trip will begin at 11:55 p.m. on Saturday night. On Sunday, the train will make sightseeing stops of two hours in Çerkeş, five hours in Çankırı and two hours 30 minutes in Kalecik, before arriving back in Ankara at 7:02 p.m. the same day.
The train will also depart from Ankara on June 13, Sept. 26, Oct. 10 and Nov. 14, with the last trip departing from Zonguldak on Nov. 15.
