On the 7th of April, the Mesopotamia Express completed its promotional tour across Türkiye’s eastern and southeastern Anatolian regions. The train departed from Ankara with stops at Kayseri, Malatya, Elazığ and Diyarbakır. Travelers were able to delight in the natural scenery, visited historical places in the region, and had the opportunity to purchase local products while tasting local delicacies.
The promotional journey, as it was advertised, took place before the first official voyage of the tourist train on April 19th. The new train service will offer experiences to travel enthusiasts on the route from Ankara to Diyarbakır.
“More than a million tourists contribute significantly to both our tradespeople and our city every year,” Mehmet Kaya, president of the Diyarbakır Chamber of Commerce and Industry told Turkish media. “With this train, the beauties of our country will be seen from Ankara to Diyarbakır, contributing to the cities it stops at.” Kaya highlighted the significance of tourism as one of the city’s strongest assets. He stressed the great advantage of the Mesopotamia Express for promoting the city of Diyarbakır.
“It is crucial for developing tourism in our city and region,” said Kaya. “We have made every effort to ensure people see and get to know the region. It will be a crucial tool for people to see and get to know the culture.”
One of the places that travellers of the Mesopotamia Express can visit is Kayseri, the historic capital of Cappadocia. Historically known as Caesarea, it has been the historical capital of Cappadocia since ancient times. The Metropolitan Municipality area is composed of five districts: the two central districts of Kocasinan and Melikgazi, and since 2004, Hacılar, İncesu, and Talas.
Kayseri is situated at the foot of Mount Erciyes, a dormant volcano that reaches an altitude of 3,916 meters. The city also contains a number of historic monuments, particularly from the Seljuk period.
The city is also home to the 13th century Hunat Hatun Islamic complex, which was commissioned by sultan Alâadin Keykubad’s wife Hunat Hatun. In the 13th century, the Anatolian Selçuks (1219–1237) captured the Alanya fortress from its Armenian ruler, Kir Vart. One of the conditions of Vart’s surrender was that his daughter, Mahperi Hatun, would become the sultan’s wife. After her marriage, Mahperi Hatun converted to Islam. Hunat means ‘lady’ in Persian.
Mesopotamia Express passengers will also have the opportunity to visit the UNESCO Arslantepe Mound, an area where they will admire a number of palaces, temples and mural paintings dating as far back as 3000 BC. The Arslantepe Mound is located near the city of Malatya.
The Mesopotamia Express has nine sleeping cars and one dining carriage, each capable of carrying 180 passengers. Two-person sleeping arrangements cost TL 9,000 (260€) for the outbound journey and TL 8,000 (230€) for the return journey.
The two-person cabins feature seats that can be turned into beds for overnight sleep. The cabins are equipped with all necessary amenities, ranging from a fridge to a sink, wardrobe, lighting and heating to cater to the personal needs of travelers. Offering a placid journey amid unique natural landscapes, the train will make three-hour stops in Kayseri and Malatya and a four-hour stop in Elazığ.
