Turkey’s Eastern Express puts Romance Back on Tracks

Emre proposed to his girlfriend in a candlelit wagon on the Eastern Express, a 1,000 kilometre (km) train ride across eastern Turkey. Until a few years ago taking the 24-hour train ride would have been considered madness, despite the ridiculously cheap price of 45 lira ($11).

Nowadays tickets for the train run out a day after they go on sale, even though the number of cars has more than doubled.

It passes through farmland, hills and woods, crossing rivers and passing through long dark tunnels carved through mountains.

The Eastern Express features seated and sleeping coaches with toilets, a mini refrigerator and a table.