General Information
The Lakes Express operates on the Isparta (Burdur) - İzmir (Basmane) line every day. It consists of 4 coaches with a total capacity of 262 passengers. The average travel time of the train (departing from Basmane at 23:00 and from Isparta at 22:30) is 8 hours 30 minutes. For passengers wishing to go to Burdur there are buses from the Gümüşgün Station stop to Burdur city centre.
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.
Aydın
Known as Tralleis in ancient times, Aydın was the centre of a celebrated school of sculpture. The remains date from the second century AD. After 1186, the town came under Seljuk rule. The local museum displays artefacts from the different periods of its history. In the Geyre district of Aydın, Aprodisias (Geyre), the capital of Caria, is one of the most significant sites discovered by modern archaeologists.
Denizli
Denizli is the gate way for the world-famous Pamukkale. The white travertine cascades resembling frozen waterfalls and terraces of shallow pools were created by the waters of thermal springs reacting with the air. This phenomenon was first noticed by the Romans. The magnificent Hierapolis ancient city was established next to the travertines by the Romans.
Burdur (by bus from Gümüşgün Station)
To the north of Antalya, Burdur is well known throughout Türkiye for its beautiful lakes (as well as for its carpets and kilims or flat-weave rugs). Burdur Lake, which has nice beaches for swimming, is also a superb location for water sports. It is at the heart of the Turkish Lake District.
Isparta
As the very centre of Türkiye's Lake District, Isparta is the Turkish province with the most lakes. Gölcük Crater Lake, Kovada Lake and Eğirdir Lake amaze visitors with their natural beauty and fresh air!