Baghdad-Istanbul land link reopens after 5-year-break

The Iraqi Company for Passenger and Delegate Transport has announced that the land link between Baghdad and Istanbul has reopened after a break of 5 years, Anadolu has reported. The move has been made in coordination with Turkey’s ETA Company.

The bus route between Baghdad and Istanbul was suspended five years ago because of the unstable security situation in many areas in northern Iraq.

According to the Director of the international department of the Iraqi company, Israa Sabah, new VIP-style buses are being used for the twice-weekly journey between Iraq and Turkey. The service started on 20 June and costs $75 per person; children aged two and under travel free.

“The service starts at the International Transport Office in the Alawi area of Baghdad,” he added. “The route passes through Samarra, Tikrit, Mosul and Zakho in Iraq, before crossing the border into Turkey and going through Gaziantep, Ankara, Polo, Sakarya and Yuzha, ending in Istanbul.”

The reopening the land link will not only help passengers by having lower fares, but is also expected to see an increase in the number of people travelling between the two countries.

This is expected to be the first of a number of land link services connecting Baghdad and all of Iraq’s neighbouring countries.