Friendship Express

For the train service between Delhi, India and Lahore, Pakistan, see Samjhauta Express.

Friendship Express
Dostluk Ekspresi
Εξπρές Φιλίας
OSE 220-027 pulls the westbound train near Filadelphia, Greece, consisting of all-Turkish equipment.
Overview
Service typeInterCity
StatusDiscontinued
LocaleEuropean Turkey, northern Greece
First serviceJuly 2005 (2005-07)
Last serviceFebruary 2011 (2011-03)
Current operator(s)TCDD, TrainOSE
Route
TerminiSirkeci Terminal, Istanbul
Thessaloniki railway station, Thessaloniki
Stops10
Average journey time13h03' (westbound),
12h19' (eastbound)
Service frequencyDaily each way
Train number(s)444/445, 81021/81022
Line(s) usedIstanbul–Pythio railway,
Alexandroupoli–Svilengrad railway,
Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli railway
On-board services
Sleeping arrangements5 TCDD Sleepers, 3 OSE Sleepers
Catering facilitiesyes
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
ElectrificationIstanbul to Pehlivankoy
Track owner(s)OSE Thessaloniki–Pythion,
TCDD Istanbul–Hudut
Route map
Legend

Travel time (h:mm)

0:00
 Istanbul Sirkeci
Alpullu
Pehlivanköy
4:05
 Uzunköprü
Turkey
Greece
border
5:18
 Pythio
7:39
 Alexandroupoli
8:38
 Komotini
9:10
 Xanthi
10:26
 Drama
11:18
 Serres
Rodopolis
12:39
 Kilkis
13:03
 Thessaloniki
This diagram:

The Friendship Express (Turkish: Dostluk Ekspresi, Greek: Εξπρές Φιλίας, Exprés Filías), was an international InterCity train jointly operated by the Turkish State Railways (TCDD) and TrainOSE from July 2005 to February 2011, linking Istanbul's Sirkeci Terminal, Turkey and Thessaloniki, Greece. Eastbound trains (service 444/81021) departed daily at 19:48 from Thessaloniki arriving to Istanbul at 08:07. Westbound trains (service 81022/445) departed at 20:30 from Istanbul, arriving to Thessaloniki at 09:33.[1]

There were two trains on this service, one provided by TrainOSE and the other by TCDD. TrainOSE used OSE former SNCF type T2 sleeping cars while TCDD used TVS2000 type cars. The trains changed locomotives and crew at Pythio.

This train service was terminated on 13 February 2011.[2] This is due to cost cutting by Greek state-owned company TrainOSE.[3]

On 8 March 2016 Greece and Turkey signed an intergovernmental agreement for reconnecting the line Istanbul to Thessaloniki with an enhancement to Igoumenitsa (a town facing towards Italy) with the goal to create the Egnatia Railway[4] As of late 2024, the Friendship Express was still not running.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Dostluk/Filia Express Train Timetable". Archived from the original on 26 October 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
  2. ^ "02/13/2011 (inclusive) From the date of DOSTLUK/FILIA EXPRESS trains will be canceled until further notice". TCDD. Archived from the original on 12 September 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  3. ^ "Greece severs international links". International Railway Journal. March 2011. [dead link‍]
  4. ^ "Επιταχύνονται οι διαδικασίες για την ακτοπλοϊκή σύνδεση των λιμανιών Θεσσαλονίκης και Σμύρνης. Οι δηλώσεις των δύο πρωθυπουργών" [The procedures for the ferry connection of the ports of Thessaloniki and Izmir are accelerated. The statements of the two prime ministers] (in Greek). 8 March 2016.