A Guide to Ankara’s High-Speed Railway Station
Ankara YHT Garı is the high-speed railway station of the Turkish capital of Ankara. This guide shows what the station looks like and the facilities you can expect.
Turkish high-speed trains
The Turkish capital, Ankara, has a modern and beautiful high-speed railway station called Ankara YHT Garı.
YHT is an abbreviation for Yüksek Hızlı Tren, meaning high-speed train in Turkish, and it is the brand name of the high-speed trains operated by the national railway company, TCDD.
From Ankara, you can catch a high-speed train west to Eskişehir and Istanbul, east to Sivas, or south to Konya.
Turkish high-speed trains at the station of Ankara. ©AndyBTravels
A look around Ankara YHT Gari
If you’re taking a high-speed train from Ankara, you’re in for a real treat, as the city’s railway station is, in my opinion, one of the most stunning modern station buildings in the world.
Thanks to its large atrium and extensive use of glass throughout the building, Ankara’s high-speed railway station feels bright and airy, making it feel mightily impressive.
Before entering the station, you must pass through a body metal detector and place your bag through an X-ray machine, although this security check is more cursory than at airports and there are no restrictions on liquids you can carry.
You’ll typically be through within a minute.
In the YouTube video below, you can see a full impression of Ankara’s high-speed railway station, including an overview of the facilities and a step-by-step look at how to go through security and board your train.
Facilities at Ankara station
There is a large staffed ticket office at the railway station, but it is highly advisable to book your Turkish train tickets online in advance, as high-speed trains in the country often sell out quickly.
Inside the station, you’ll find plenty of seating, toilets, coffee shops and cafés, and even a food court on the upper floor.
Ankara’s modern high-speed railway station. ©AndyBTravels
Old Ankara station
Note that only high-speed trains depart from Ankara YHT Garı.
If you are travelling on a commuter train of the Başkentray (CapitalRail, Ankara’s suburban train service), an InterCity train, or a Turkish sleeper train, you’ll need to use the old railway station, which is located adjacent to the high-speed station, with its main entrance on the north-eastern side of the tracks.
When you step out onto one of the balconies of Ankara YHT Garı, you’ll have a great view over the railway tracks of the old station.
Old station building. ©AndyBTravels
Location
Although Ankara YHT Garı is centrally located, not everything is within easy walking distance due to the sprawling size of the Turkish capital.
The Anıtkabir, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s grand mausoleum, can be reached on foot from the station, with the walk taking around 30 minutes.
Walking from Ankara YHT Garı to sights such as Ankara Castle or the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations takes a bit longer, with distances of about 40 to 60 minutes on foot.
If you don’t fancy walking, you can always take a bus or taxi to reach these central sights.
Although Ankara YHT Garı is connected to the city’s metro system, it’s of little use to most tourists, as there are no metro stations near the city’s main sights.
Conclusion
Ankara YHT Garı is the high-speed railway station of the Turkish capital, situated next to the old train station that handles commuter, long-distance, and night trains.
When you take a train from Ankara, make sure you know which station to go to!
As Ankara’s high-speed railway station boasts stunning architecture and all the facilities you might need, it is easily one of the most impressive modern train stations around.
