QChaudhry
Traveller
0 comments
Posted 3 years ago
Hi! I'm looking to travel on the overnight train from Istanbul to Sofia in a few months, and just doing some research on this. However, I've come across an article which claimed this route is currently not running due to Covid-19. Is this true? Funnily enough it seems the Sofia to Istanbul route is okay but Istanbul to Sofia isn't clear.
Can someone please clarify this for me? I'm looking to travel in August 2022, and hoping things will improve by then anyway even if the route is currently closed.
Thank you,
Q.
Flo
Traveller
10725 comments
Hi Q,
the night train (Sofia - Istanbul and vv) still is suspended at the moment.
There is no information when it will run again, I recommend to check BDZ (Bulgarian Railways) website from time to time: https://www.bdz.bg/bg/c/international-lines
Flo
Peter
Traveller
9339 comments
Ande here is a blog post of Sofia which explains this journey:
https://raildude.com/blog/view?id=17
Peter :)
Peter
Traveller
9339 comments
Hi.
Official news:
Sofia-Istanbul restarts its service on 25 April 2022.
Bucharest-Istanbul restarts its service on 03 June 2022.
Peter :)
Graeme53
Traveller
4 comments
Hi Peter
Thanks for your comments on this previous post. we want to travel Ist to Sofia on 31 May 2023. Can you recommend the best time to buy tickets? We are in Australia.
andrewlorien
Traveller
2 comments
hello Graeme from Australia (if you're still out there). This is Andrew from Australia.
I'm also planning a trip on this train. The internet says you have to buy your ticket in Istanbul, and the train is often full in the summer. Did you end up buying your ticket in person? How long before the train left? were there many sleepers left?