The Pamukkale Express, train number 71322, departed from Haydarpaşa railway station in Istanbul for Denizli with 298 people on board at 17:35 local time (15:35 UTC) on 26 January 2008.

At around 02:00 local time on 27 January, five cars of the night express train derailed and overturned about 2.5 km (1.6 mi) after departure from Çöğürler railway station in Kütahya.

The Turkish Red Crescent and disaster management agencies sent in total 300 blankets and food for the relatives of the passengers, who came to the accident site.

The report, delivered to the Chief prosecutor of Kütahya Province on 24 April 2008, stated that the rails were imported from the Republic of South Africa in 1987 satisfying the conditions prescribed by the TCDD.

The report concluded further that the express train did not exceed the prescribed speed limit of 65 km/h (40 mph) at the accident site, and the railroad engineer was so free of any gult.