Turkish party train blazes through the night - in pictures

Passengers board the Eastern Express for an epic journey across Turkey's snow-capped Euphrates plateaus

An aerial view shows the Eastern Express train passing through a snowy field near Kars, on January 9, 2022. - Festive garlands, red tablecloths and enticing bottles pop out the moment passengers clamber aboard the Eastern Express train before it glides off on an epic voyage across Turkey's snow-capped plateaus along the Euphrates. Called Dogu Ekspresi in Turkish, the train offers one of the expansive country's most coveted new experiences. (Photo by Ozan KOSE / AFP)

Its nine carriages wind their way around mountain bends on a 32-hour, 1,300-kilometre journey from Turkey's capital Ankara to Kars, an ancient city near Turkey's border with Armenia and Georgia.

"It is really a very special moment for me and my family," says Zulan-Nour Komurcu, 26, who is celebrating her birthday with them on board.

The train runs twice a week from December 30 to March 31 to make the most of the snow-covered landscapes. Its route is a miniature version of Russia's Trans-Siberian railway, says engineer Fatih Yalcin.

The train was designed for the sheer joy of travelling through spectacular but hard-to-access provinces such as Kayseri, Sivas, Erzincan and Erzurum.

Lawyer Yoruk Giris, 38, holds a party on the Eastern Express "We prepared a lot," he said.

Passengers in their decoration festooned compartment on the Eastern Express. The service was suspended less than a year after starting because of the coronavirus pandemic. But with restrictions easing, the sleeper is back.

The train brings together an array of Turkish society – and although relatively pricey, tickets are snapped up in minutes

In Erzurum, the last stop before Kars, at an altitude of 1,945 metres, passengers perform a traditional dance on the frozen platform, with backing from a tea vendor's radio.

The station's thermometer shows minus 11C but there's a warm atmosphere around the train.

The Eastern Express makes its way through a winter wonderland.

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