| 9th of September Express | |
|---|---|
The 9th of September Express at Ayvacık station. |
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| Overview | |
| Service type | Intercity rail |
| Status | Defunct |
| Locale | Western Turkey |
| First service | April 1, 1972 |
| Last service | January 20, 2010 |
| Current operator(s) | TCDD |
| Route | |
| Start | Basmane Terminal, İzmir |
| No. of intermediate stops | 31 |
| End | Central Station, Ankara |
| Distance travelled | 824 km (512 mi) |
| Average journey time | 13 hours, 25 minutes (Eastbound) 13 hours, 6 minutes (Westbound) |
| Service frequency | Daily each way |
| On-board services | |
| Seating arrangements | Coach Seating |
| Sleeping arrangements | Sleeping Car |
| Catering facilities | Dining Car |
| Baggage facilities | At select stations |
| Technical | |
| Rolling stock | TVS2000 |
| Gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) |
| Operating speed | 100 km/h (62 mph) |
| Track owner(s) | TCDD |
The 9th of September Express (Turkish: 9 Eylül Ekspresi) was an overnight train, operated by the Turkish State Railways, from Basmane Terminal, İzmir to Ankara Central Station, Ankara. The name of the service refers to 9 September 1922, the date on which the Greek occupation of İzmir ended after World War I.
The train was one of the 3 daily trains from İzmir to Ankara. The journey from İzmir to Ankara takes 13 hours and 25 minutes, while the journey from Ankara to İzmir takes 13 hours and 6 minutes[1]. The train serviced 6 provincial capitals: İzmir, Manisa, Balıkesir, Kütahya, Eskişehir and Ankara.
The Karesi Express operated between İzmir and Ankara since 1938. However the Karesi had no sleeping cars. Demand for more service between the two cities rose, so on April 1, 1972 the 9th of September Express made its first journey in about 14 hours. In 1980 the İzmir Blue Train was added making 3 daily trains between İzmir and Ankara. On January 20, 2010 the 9th of September Express was discontinued, due to low ridership.
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