Aleppo Travel Forum

Hi all!
I found your wonderful forum and I hope that somebody can answer my questions. I'm sorry but my English isn't perfect :(.

At the moment I'm planning a trip from Aleppo to Germany. I've got some question about the part from Aleppo to Istanbul. The plan is to use the train from Aleppo to Istanbul. Unfortunately I can only book on the day of departure. There is the possibility that the sleeper is already fully booked and no berth is available for me :(.
In this case I would like to use a taxi or bus to Gaziantep and catch the "Toros Express" there. Toros Express departs 14:30 in Gaziantep.

Is this possible?
How long does a trip to Gaziantep take by bus or taxi?
Is there a bus that reaches Gaziantep to connect with Toros Express?
Some other suggestions?

Does anybody have got a good map of Aleppo? (I only found this one: http://www.syriacsummerschool.com/information/aleppo_map.htm)
Does anybody know the "al-Gawaher Hotel"? Is it ok for one night?

Thank you very much for your help!
Dirk

The answers to the transport part of your queries can be found here and more...

http://www.seat61.com/Syria.htm

Enjoy your trip!

Thank you very much for your quick reply.

I had a look at this website before. But unfortunately they only mention a bus from Aleppo to Antakya and Adana and the journey takes 6hours and 30 minutes. And the bus leaves at 5am :(. A bus from Gaziantep to Aleppo is mentioned in the Istanbul to Syria section but not the other way round.

Is there no better way to travel via Gaziantep?

Can't help with the travel, but your English seems faultless!

hi
there is 1 route every day from Aleppo to Gaziantep and it,s going on 4-5am
also there is route to Antakya same time and they take about 2 hours cost about 4-6$ . you can also take shared taxi from the same staion and it will cost you from 6-10$ .
Jawaher hotel is vry near from the staion that go to Antakya and gaziantep 2 min walking and the hotel is good , many VTer,s stay there i saw it , it,s nice and the stuff is helpfull , for the train there is 1 route per week from Aleppo to Istanbul and it costy about 70$ take 36 hours.
also there is buses go from Aleppo to Istanbul every day take about 17 hours cost about 30$ .

hope this info be helpfull for you

Thank you very much for your help! I think I'll stay at the Jawaher. Hopefully it is not so hard to find. Is it far away from the station?

Are the streets only labeled in Arabic or are there some English signs?

Do I have to wait a long time for a shared taxi?
How much is a "normal" (not shared) taxi?

If I start at 10 o clock with a taxi I should reach the 14:30 train in Gaziantep!?

Thank you all, Dirk

hi

you can find the hotel in very easy way . there is a big clock in ALeppo it,s name (bab al faraj o,clock) just be there and ask about for the hotel it will be in front of you . also as i menthin it,s 2 min walking from Turkey station
i think if you go on 8 o,clock morning it,s better to catch shared taxi with some travler .
if u need any more info let me know

best wishes

well you can see the details about trains on seat61.com.

i colud not find a bus from Aleppo to Antakya when i arrived in there last summer. however, there were regular buses between these cities every day, and many transportation companies operate these buses. i was unlucky since it was late and i missed the latest bus.

the bus compnay in the station told me that i could get to Antakya buy taxi. and i went from Aleppo to Antakya buy a taxi for 13 dollars. it is not a very long distance but you may have to wait a lot at the borders, because Turkish officers are very keen on detection of the cars.

you can find a bus to Istanbul in the Antakya bus station.

Thanks again for your answers. Especially to "fouads"!

Now my trip is completely planned and I'm looking forward to start travelling through Syria and Turkey by train.

Unfortunately I think I should cancel this trip. I'm very concerned about the situation in Serbia (I planned to go to Belgrad) and Turkey/Iraq.

I'm sad because I really like to see these countries but may be it's to dangerous at the moment.

What do you think? Does the train pass any dangerous parts of Turkey? I think especially Eastern-Turkey is not safe at the moment. Is the border between Syria and Turkey OK at the moment or is it closed?

Greetings from Germany, Dirk

hi

you are welcomed all time .

the border between Turkey and Syria is working 100% there isn,t any problem .
fot your trip cross srbia , you can take ship from Italy if u will cross it to Turkey , i know there is 2-3 route every day just try ask about it .

wish u all the best

I am not sure if this comes in too late, but I think you should definetly go through Serbia. Belgrade is rather amazing and the situation that is talked about is in Kosova. The people in Belgrade might be angry about the situation but not aggresive. But stop in Sarajevo as well. Both cities must be seen on a travel from Aleppo to Germany.
Zofka