Eastern Express has become one of Turkey's most popular tourist routes. This long-distance train journey from Ankara to Kars offers its passengers a unique view of Eastern Anatolia. However, recent increases in ticket prices have become a major obstacle for those who want to experience this experience. While single-person ticket prices for the sleeping car were 2019 TL in 400, these prices increased up to 2022 TL in December 3100. In particular, the fact that the Eastern Touristic Express wagon prices, which were 20 thousand TL last year, were determined as 2023 thousand TL for a single wagon on busy days in the 24/125 winter season, caused great reactions in the public.
Green Left Party Kars Deputy Gulustan Kılıç Koçyiğit submitted a parliamentary question to the Parliament, with the request of the Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu regarding the Eastern Express.
Questions to Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu:
- Why has the ticket prices of an important touristic train line such as the Eastern Express increased 2019 times since 8?
- How do you evaluate the impact of the 4-fold increase in train ticket prices in 8 years on the exercise of economic, social and cultural rights?
- How does TCDD's mass ticket sales policy for tour companies in tourist train services affect tourism and local economies? Why don't you review this policy and consider a fairer approach?
- What is the reason why the wagon prices, which were sold to tour companies for 20 thousand TL last year, were increased to 125 thousand TL this year? Do you have any studies on how this will affect Kars tourism and tradesmen?
- As a public institution, why do you sell tickets to large tour companies rather than directly to the public?
- What kind of measures are you planning to take in order to fully utilize the touristic potential of Kars and to promote tourism compatible with ecology?
- A travel experience like the Eastern Express should not only be a luxury for those with high incomes. What concrete steps do you intend to take to respect every citizen's right to explore the cultural and natural beauties of Kars?
Questions to Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy:
- Is there any work or cooperation you are carrying out with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure in order to review TCDD's ticket sales practice, to provide easier and cheaper access to tickets for citizens and tourists who are considering buying Eastern Express tickets, to revitalize Kars tourism and to increase the benefit of local people from it?
- What are your evaluations about the increase in TCDD's Eastern Express ticket prices? How do you evaluate the effects of this price increase on Kars' tourism and cultural values?
- What measures do you, as the Ministry, plan to take in order to increase the contribution of a popular touristic train line such as the Eastern Express to local economies?
- How can we encourage tourists to interact with the local culture and especially experience the cultural and historical values of Kars more closely during the Eastern Express trip? As the Ministry, do you have any program or method work on this subject?
- Do you have any work to reduce the ecological impacts of the Eastern Express in order to support ecologically compatible tourism principles?