Turkish Railways To Auction Unclaimed Items Left On Trains

The Turkish State Railways (TCDD) has announced plans to auction unclaimed items recovered from trains after the expiration of the legally required storage period.

The items were retrieved from high-speed trains (YHT), mainline and regional services, as well as urban rail systems including Marmaray, Baskentray and the Sirkeci–Kazlicesme line during routine inspections conducted by onboard staff at the end of trips.

According to TCDD, all recovered belongings are carefully documented with details such as train and wagon numbers, seat locations, item descriptions and distinguishing features before being transferred to lost property offices.

Under existing regulations, non-perishable items are kept for one year, while food items and other perishables are excluded from storage due to the risk of spoilage. Items that remain unclaimed after the retention period are disposed of through a public auction process.

TCDD said the auction will take place from May 20 to May 22 at the former Ankara Railway Station waiting hall.

The items will be grouped into three categories: electronics, mixed goods, and clothing and textiles.

Electronics to be auctioned include mobile phones, tablets, headphones and cameras, while the mixed goods category features umbrellas, books, watches and kitchenware. Clothing and textile items mainly consist of clean or unused garments.

The railway authority added that the full list of items scheduled for auction will be published on its official website between May 13 and May 15. The goods will also be displayed for public viewing ahead of the auction.

Official data released by TCDD showed that eyeglasses were the most commonly forgotten items on trains, with 1,066 recorded cases. Other frequently misplaced items included 783 headphone cases, 545 chargers, 294 headphones and 78 umbrellas.

The agency also disclosed that more unusual belongings such as drone equipment, food processors and glass cookware were among the recovered items.