The Touristic Eastern Express, which began its first trip of the season from the historic Ankara Train Station heading towards Kars, was welcomed in Erzincan, in eastern Türkiye, with a ceremony after an approximately 18-hour journey.

The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure's Turkish State Railways (TCDD) Transportation Inc. sent off the first trip of the 2024-2025 season at 2 p.m. on Tuesday from the historic Ankara Train Station, heading to Kars.

After an 18-hour journey, the passengers arrived at Erzincan Train Station at 8 a.m., where they were welcomed by Erzincan Governor Hamza Aydoğdu, Erzincan Mayor Bekir Aksun, other public officials and citizens.

Aydoğdu and his team presented roses to the passengers, including Boyraz.

Boyraz told reporters that they had set off from Ankara Train Station for the first trip of the season and had now arrived in Erzincan, the first stop.

Boyraz mentioned that passengers would have a three-hour break to visit Erzincan’s historical and cultural landmarks. "We had a very enjoyable journey, I think all of our passengers share the same feelings. This is one of the world’s most important and longest routes, a 1,365-kilometer (848-mile) route. The journey will conclude in Kars, after passing through Kayseri, Sivas, Erzincan and Erzurum," he said.

Boyraz noted that there would be 60 trips, benefiting a total of 12,000 citizens. "We are talking about a route that has received great attention. I hope the journey will be enjoyable, and passengers will fully experience and enjoy the beautiful places of Anatolia. I wish all passengers a healthy and safe journey," he added.

TCDD Customer Service Department head Murta Akçay also expressed that the journey was very enjoyable, saying: "The journey was very enjoyable. We have nine carriages. Today, six of them are for travel agencies, and two are for individual passengers and members of the press. There will be 60 trips in total, 30 from Ankara and 30 from Kars. The journey was very fun, and passengers danced halay (a traditional dance)."

Passenger Sevda Kaya shared that the journey had been very beautiful and fun, noting that they had traveled with a 39-person tour group.

Kaya, who was pleased with the welcome and activities, said: "This is our first long stop. We had a short break in Kayseri earlier, where we had fun dancing halay. Now, we will explore Erzincan. It has been my dream since childhood to take the Eastern Express. This is my first time, and it’s worth it. I didn’t sleep at all during the night journey. I spent my time taking photos and videos. We had a unique experience."

After the welcoming ceremony, local products were served at booths in the train station. Passengers watched folk dance performances and danced with the team.

During their break, the passengers explored the city's historical and tourist attractions.