Hidden Rail Gem: A Ride on the Lake Van Express Train
One of the most scenic train journeys in Turkey is the ride on the Van Gölü Ekspresi, or Lake Van Express, which runs from Ankara to Tatvan on the western shore of Lake Van.
Although not as famous as the Doğu Express from Ankara to Kars, another celebrated scenic route, the Lake Van Express offers views that rival it, making the journey a true hidden gem of Turkish rail travel.
The Van Gölü Ekspresi has arrived in Tatvan. ©AndyBTravels
About the Lake Van Express
The Lake Van Express is an overnight train that takes about 26 hours to travel between Ankara and Tatvan.
Eastbound, it departs Ankara every Tuesday and Sunday at 11:20, arriving in Tatvan the next day at 13:44.
Westbound, it leaves Tatvan every Tuesday and Thursday at 10:25, reaching Ankara the following day at 11:59.
Kayseri, Sivas, Malatya, and Elazig are the most important intermediate stops along the route of the Lake Van Express.
Tickets can easily be booked on the website of the Turkish State Railways.
Historically, the Van Gölü Ekspresi connected in Tatvan with a train ferry across Lake Van to the town of Van, where passengers could board an Iranian sleeper train to Tabriz and Tehran.
Although the Iranian train has now resumed service, the ferry across Lake Van is infrequent and appears to operate without a clear timetable.
If you want to travel from Tatvan to Van, you will likely need to take a bus around the lake between the two cities, which takes around two hours.
AndyB at the station in Tatvan. ©AndyBTravels
The Van Gölü Ekspresi – or Lake Van Express. ©AndyBTravels
Lake Van Express train at Tatvan. ©AndyBTravels
Views along the route
From the window of the Lake Van Express, you can admire stunning views of Anatolia’s remote landscapes, with rugged mountains, wide steppes, rivers, and artificial lakes.
Below are a few pictures I took during my trip on a westbound Lake Van Express between Tatvan and Malatya.
View from the train. ©AndyBTravels
River landscape. ©AndyBTravels
Beautiful river gorge as seen from the Lake Van Express train. ©AndyBTravels
View across a lake. ©AndyBTravels
River dam. ©AndyBTravels
Another stunning view over a river and some mountains, as seen from the train. ©AndyBTravels
Lake view. ©AndyBTravels
Window view. ©AndyBTravels
Barren steppes and mountains. ©AndyBTravels
Passing by yet another lake. ©AndyBTravels
Old stone bridge as seen from the train. ©AndyBTravels
Artificial lake between barren mountains. ©AndyBTravels
View towards the rear of the train. ©AndyBTravels
Sunset views from the Lake Van Express. ©AndyBTravels
One of the stations along the railway line. ©AndyBTravels
Sunset views from the train. ©AndyBTravels
On board the Lake Van Express
On the Lake Van Express, you can find both sleeper and couchette carriages.
A sleeper compartment has two berths and can be booked as either a single or a double.
Each compartment is equipped with a washbasin and comes with a fridge, which doubles as a complimentary minibar stocked with some soft drinks and snacks.
Couchette compartments have four berths, with two lower and two upper berths.
In Turkey, you will always share a couchette with passengers of the same sex, unless you book all four berths when travelling as a mixed-gender group.
The Lake Van Express also has reclining Pullman seats, arranged in a 1+2 configuration across each coach.
While these seats aren’t ideal for the overnight trip from Ankara to Tatvan, they work well for shorter daytime journeys, such as Ankara to Sivas or Elazig to Malatya.
The train also has a dining car where you can purchase drinks, snacks, or a full meal.
That said, it’s always a good idea to bring your own food and drinks as well, in case the dining car isn’t fully stocked.
Sleeper compartment in daytime mode. ©AndyBTravels
When you want to go to sleep, you simply flip over the seats to fold out the bed! ©AndyBTravels
Conclusion
The Lake Van Express (Van Gölü Ekspresi) is a fantastic train to take if you’re looking for a scenic rail journey.
This Turkish train combines stunning scenery with a comfortable ride, especially if you’re booked in a sleeper compartment for the long journey from Ankara to Tatvan.
Read about other hidden rail gems
In our overview of hidden rail gems, you’ll find many other stunning railway journeys across Europe and beyond that are worth taking for the ride alone.
