An opening ceremony is scheduled for today at the Ankara train station, and then the prime minister and other ministers, bureaucrats and journalists will take the 80-minute trip to Eskişehir. Upon their arrival, they will also participate in a ceremony at the Eskişehir train station. Beginning tomorrow, chartered trips on the line will begin.The 200-kilometer line runs between Ankara and Eskişehir, cutting the three-hour train trip from Ankara to Eskişehir down to one hour and 20 minutes. In addition to the Eskişehir ceremony Erdoğan will participate in, there will be a ceremony to mark the occasion in Yozgat, led by Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Çiçek. The next high-speed train line for Turkey is to run between Ankara and Yozgat, so Erdoğan will participate in the construction-commencement ceremony in Yozgat via a teleconference.
The train line will run at an introductory fare of TL 5 until April 1. Beginning April 2, tickets will be sold at TL 30 for first-class seats, TL 20 for economy class and TL 16 per person for students and groups large enough to qualify for a discount.
There will also be an option for passengers to buy monthly passes: TL 300 (TL 200 for students) for unlimited rides for a month. Trains will depart from Ankara at 7 a.m., 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. and from Eskişehir at 7 a.m., 11:35 a.m., 2:45 p.m. and 9:35 p.m.
