# Friendship Express
> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Friendship_Express
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Friendship_Express.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship_Express
> Source revision: 1345102433
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{Short description|Train service in Turkey}}
{{for|the train service between Delhi, India and Lahore, Pakistan|Samjhauta Express}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox rail service
| box_width =
| name = Friendship Express
{{lang|tr|Dostluk Ekspresi}}
{{lang|el|Εξπρές Φιλίας}}
| logo =
| logo_width =
| image = OSE 220-027, Dostluk-Filia Express, near Filadelphia, 2005.jpg
| image_width = 300
| caption = [OSE 220-027](/source/OSE_Class_220) pulls the westbound train near [Filadelphia](/source/Nea_Filadelfeia%2C_Thessaloniki), [Greece](/source/Greece), consisting of [all-Turkish equipment](/source/TCDD_TVS2000).
| type = [InterCity](/source/InterCity)
| status = Discontinued
| locale = European [Turkey](/source/Turkey), northern [Greece](/source/Greece)
| first = {{start-date|July 2005}}
| last = {{end-date|February 2011}}
| operator = [TCDD](/source/Turkish_State_Railways), [TrainOSE](/source/TrainOSE)
| start = [Sirkeci Terminal](/source/Sirkeci_Terminal), [Istanbul](/source/Istanbul)
| stops = 10
| end = [Thessaloniki railway station](/source/Thessaloniki_railway_station), [Thessaloniki](/source/Thessaloniki)
| distance =
| journeytime = 13h03' (westbound),
12h19' (eastbound)
| frequency = Daily each way
| trainnumber = 444/445, 81021/81022
| line_used = [Istanbul–Pythio railway](/source/Istanbul%E2%80%93Pythio_railway),
[Alexandroupoli–Svilengrad railway](/source/Alexandroupoli%E2%80%93Svilengrad_railway),
[Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli railway](/source/Thessaloniki%E2%80%93Alexandroupoli_railway)
| class =
| access =
| seating =
| sleeping = 5 TCDD Sleepers, 3 OSE Sleepers
| autorack =
| catering = yes
| observation =
| entertainment=
| baggage =
| otherfacilities=
| stock =
| gauge = {{RailGauge|sg}}
| el = Istanbul to [Pehlivankoy](/source/Pehlivankoy)
| speed =
| map = {{Amity Express RDT}}
| owners = [OSE](/source/Hellenic_Railways_Organisation) Thessaloniki–Pythion,
[TCDD](/source/Turkish_State_Railways) Istanbul–Hudut
| map_state =
}}
The '''Friendship Express''' ({{langx|tr|Dostluk Ekspresi}}, {{langx|el|Εξπρές Φιλίας}}, ''Exprés Filías''), was an international [InterCity](/source/InterCity) train jointly operated by the [Turkish State Railways](/source/Turkish_State_Railways) (TCDD) and [TrainOSE](/source/TrainOSE) from July 2005 to February 2011, linking [Istanbul](/source/Istanbul)'s [Sirkeci Terminal](/source/Sirkeci_Terminal), Turkey and [Thessaloniki](/source/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.[{{Cite web |url=http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/trans/Train/dostluk_filia_sked.html |title=Dostluk/Filia Express Train Timetable|access-date=6 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101026085143/http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/trans/Train/dostluk_filia_sked.html |archive-date=26 October 2010 |url-status=dead }}]
There were two trains on this service, one provided by TrainOSE and the other by TCDD. TrainOSE used OSE former [SNCF](/source/SNCF) type T2 sleeping cars while TCDD used TVS2000 type cars. The trains changed locomotives and crew at [Pythio](/source/Pythio_railway_station).
This train service was terminated on 13 February 2011.[{{cite web| website=TCDD| title=02/13/2011 (inclusive) From the date of DOSTLUK/FILIA EXPRESS trains will be canceled until further notice| url=http://www.tcdd.gov.tr/tcdding/avrupa_ing.html| access-date=18 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110912093507/http://www.tcdd.gov.tr/tcdding/avrupa_ing.html |archive-date=12 September 2011 }}] This is due to cost cutting by Greek state-owned company [TrainOSE](/source/TrainOSE).[{{cite web| url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQQ/is_3_51/ai_n57192123/| title=Greece severs international links| work=International Railway Journal| date=March 2011}} {{dead link| date=January 2020}}]
On 8 March 2016 Greece and Turkey signed an intergovernmental agreement for reconnecting the line Istanbul to Thessaloniki with an enhancement to [Igoumenitsa](/source/Igoumenitsa) (a town facing towards Italy) with the goal to create the [Egnatia Railway](/source/Egnatia_Railway)[{{cite web| url=http://voria.gr/index.php/article/ntavoutoglou-prochora-i-aktoploiki-sindesi-thessalonikis-smirnis| title=Επιταχύνονται οι διαδικασίες για την ακτοπλοϊκή σύνδεση των λιμανιών Θεσσαλονίκης και Σμύρνης. Οι δηλώσεις των δύο πρωθυπουργών| trans-title=The procedures for the ferry connection of the ports of Thessaloniki and Izmir are accelerated. The statements of the two prime ministers| date=8 March 2016| language=el}}] As of late 2026, the Friendship Express was still not running.
== See also ==
* [Budapest–Belgrade–Skopje–Athens railway](/source/Budapest%E2%80%93Belgrade%E2%80%93Skopje%E2%80%93Athens_railway)
* [Balkan Express (train)](/source/Balkan_Express_(train))
* [Bosphorus Express](/source/Bosphorus_Express)
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{TCDD Routes}}
Category:Named passenger trains of Turkey
Category:Named passenger trains of Greece
Category:International named passenger trains
Category:Railway services introduced in 2005
Category:Railway services discontinued in 2011
---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Friendship Express](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship_Express) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship_Express?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.