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 Sivas towards Erzincan and Kars.
🌍 Erzincan railway station is 500 m south of city centre.
Get around
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.
- Üçpınar south of D100/E80 towards Tercan is a semi-abandoned village, formerly Armenian Abrank (Ապրանք). It has the 13th century Surp Tavit Monastery with a dilapidated church building. Nearby are two, 6-m tall khachkars, elaborately carved Armenian headstones; these are perhaps the most impressive khachkars still standing upright on their original position in Turkey.
- Tercan, 100 km east, is the site of an impressive 12th-century caravanserai established by Mama Hatun, a female ruler of the Saltukids, a regional dynasty contemporary with the Sultanate of Rum.
Do
The crazy whitewater 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.
Drink
Sleep
Connect
As of Dec 2020, there is 4G in Erzincan from all Turkish carriers. There's a mobile signal along the main east-west highway through the district but lots of dead spots. 5G has not yet reached this area.
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 |
Amasya ← Niksar (  S) ← |
W  E |
→ Erzurum → Doğubayazıt |
| Ankara ← Sivas ← | W  E |
→ Ends at |
| Ankara ← Divriği ← | W  E |
→ Erzurum → Kars |