Service type InterCity First service July 2005 (2005-07) | Status Discontinued Current operator(s) TCDD, TrainOSE | |
Locale European Turkey, northern Greece Last service February 2011 (2011-03) | ||
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 S.A. 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.
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 at Pythion railway station.
This train service was terminated on 13 February 2011. This is due to cost cutting by Greek state-owned company TrainOSE.
On March 8, 2016 were signed an intergovernmental agreement between Greece and Turkey 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