nostalgic railtours
Ege (Aegean) Express
General Information
The Aegean Express runs every day between İzmir (Basmane)-Kütahya-İzmir (Basmane). The train has no sleeping coaches or dining car. The journey between Basmane and Kütahya takes approximately 11 and a half hours.
Main Stopping Points
İzmir (Basmane)
İzmir, the “Pearl of the Aegean,” is the birthplace of the epic poet Homer and a city with 8,500 years of history. In recent history, it was known as Smyrna. A coastline of more than 600 kilometres and of unmatched beauty is embroidered with magnificent ancient cities, two of which, Pergamon and Ephesus, are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Manisa
Manisa, historically known as Magnesia, is a large city in Türkiye's Aegean Region. Modern Manisa is a booming centre of industry and services, advantaged by its closeness to the international port city and the regional metropolitan centre of İzmir and by its fertile hinterland rich in quantity and variety of agricultural production.
Akhisar
Formerly known as Thyatira, and one of the Seven Churches of Asia, it's now a small market town in Manisa province. All that remains of Thyatira is a small set of ruins known as Tepemezarı, covering one city block. Akhisar is not a tourist town, and you may be greeted with some incredulity by local children. However the people are friendly, and the architecture and horse-drawn carriages make it feel about a hundred years behind the times, and thus well worth a visit.
Soma
Soma is a mining town north of Manisa. It is home to one of Türkiye’s largest wind farms.
Balıkesir
Balıkesir ranks high for its natural beauty, ancient cultural heritage and hot waters. You can ‘heal’ in rich hot waters, see archaeological treasures, cool on blue-flagged beaches and indulge in nature rich endemic species of Mound Ida. Getting to know the gastronomic values of this olive-scented city, where green and blue meet, will provide you with an unforgettable experience.
Kütahya
A lesser-known part of Central Anatolia, Kütahya is most famous for its colourful porcelain tiles. However, the Temple of Zeus at Aizanoi is perhaps one of the best-preserved Roman temples in Türkiye and is well worth the visit.