"Western Turkey by rail is efficient if not altogether romantic
One visitor's dreams of the Orient Express go unmet, but the system is modern and affordable.
Reporting from Istanbul —
It seemed like a brilliant idea at the time: touring Turkey by train. Turkey was at the top of my list of countries I had yet to conquer, and trains have long been my favorite mode of transportation. Conjuring images of the old Orient Express, I envisioned lounging under a silk-shaded sconce in my plushly upholstered, wood-paneled compartment as the Mediterranean coast glided past my window."
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