Erzincan is a city in Eastern Anatolia. After suffering from powerful earthquakes (in 1939 which leveled the whole city and most recently in 1992), it has undergone a process of renewal and has become a modern city—Erzincan is one of the most orderly cities in Turkey. The population is approximately 300,000. Many stores and shopping malls can be found in Erzincan.

Get in

By train

The Doğu Express departs Ankara daily at 18:00, reaching Erzincan 16 hours later around 10:00. This train continues to Erzurum, another 4 hours, then to Kars, a further 4 hours. The return train leaves Erzincan around 16:00. There are couchettes and a buffet. The main stops along the route are Kayseri and Sivas: for details and tickets see Turkish Railways website.

There's also a "tourist" version of this train, running daily year-round. The eastbound train makes long stops for sightseeing at İliç, Erzincan and Erzurum, while the westbound train calls briefly at Erzincan around 06:30 then makes long stops at Divriği and Bostankaya.

A regional train runs twice a day from Divriği, leaving at 05:00 and 16:00 and taking three hours. The eastbound train leaves Erzincan at 14:30 and 05:30.

A high-speed line is under construction from Ankara towards Erzincan and Kars. The first section may open in 2020, but meanwhile there is disruption to rail travel around Sivas.

1 Erzincan railway station is 500 m south of city centre.

See

• Girlevik Waterfalls. One of Turkey's most beautiful.
• Ekşisu Piknik Tesisleri. Natural mineral water source, and a picnic area.
• Dörtyol. Downtown Erzincan.
• Esentepe. A higher hill from which you can view all of the city.
• And many other picnic areas.

Do

Peevish rivers around Erzincan offers rafting opportunities full of adrenaline.

Buy

• Copper objects.

Eat

Perhaps the most special and unique culinary offering of Erzincan is Erzincan döneri, served as a sandwich or together with rice and fried potatoes. Check out Kebabistan, Döneristan or any other kebab shop around Dörtyol area; a portion (100 g) should cost no more than 9 TL.

Connect

Erzincan's telephone code is (+90) 446.

Go next

• Kemaliye — locally known as Eğin, Kemaliye is a beautiful old town on the Karasu River, a major tributary of the Euphrates, about 3 hours by buses to the southwest. The nearby Karanlık Kanyon ("Dark Canyon") is a major hotspot of adventure sports.

Routes through Erzincan

Istanbul ← Amasya ←

W  E

→ Erzurum → Dogubeyazit