By Mehmet Can Toptas and Serhat Tutak
ANKARA/DIYARBAKIR, Türkiye (AA) - Türkiye's new tourist Mesopotamia Express train has completed its promotional tour.
A promotional tour was held before the first voyage of the tourist train, which will offer travel enthusiasts an opportunity to discover natural views along the 1,051-kilometer (653-mile) route extending from capital Ankara to southeastern province of Diyarbakir.
The train will make its first regular run on April 19.
During the promotional tour, the train started from Ankara and reached Diyarbakir in about a day, stopping at the cities of Kayseri, Malatya and Elazig.
Passengers enjoyed the natural scenery along the route and also had the opportunity to get to know about the cities where they stopped.
The participants visited historical places in the region, tasted local delicacies, and had the chance to buy local products.
The tourist train was welcomed in Diyarbakir by Mehmet Kaya, the president of the Diyarbakir Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Kaya told Anadolu that tourism is one of the strongest aspects of the city and that the Mesopotamia Express will be a great advantage for the promotion of Diyarbakir.
"More than 1 million tourists a year make significant contributions to both our shopkeepers and our city, but with this train, the beauties of our country will be seen from Ankara to Diyarbakir and it will also contribute to the cities where it stops," Kaya said.
lkim Kutval, who traveled with her daughter Melina, said that the tour was an event they really wanted to participate in and that it offered them a different experience.
Mehmet Coban, another traveler who came from western province of Izmir, said that he loves traveling and discovering new things in different cities.
He also emphasized that the journey was “very comfortable.”
Didem Haziray, another traveler, also said that she felt like "traveling in time" on the tour and enjoyed it very much.
Helin Gozde Yilmaz, who came from Istanbul to Ankara to join the promotional tour, said that it was a “great feeling” to be on the tour, adding that everyone should experience it at least once in their life.
The train has a total capacity of 180 passengers with nine sleeping cars and one dining car.