MaMiWe
Traveller
0 comments
Posted 5 months ago
Hello,
We are planning a trip to Istanbul, by train from Paris.
We noticed that a trip was possible from Bucharest to Istanbul via Sofia. We would like confirmation that this trip will be possible in January. Also, for the return, we cannot find information on a route via Sofia.
Could someone tell us about this route or give us the sites and contacts of the railway companies from which we can obtain further information?
Thanks !
nltrainer
Traveller
1343 comments
1.best site for this: seat6.com
2.as such you do not really have to go via Sofia=big detour, but it may be easier, even moe if you also want to visit this -only mildly interesting- city.
3.what nowadays noone seems to know anymore-it was wide knowledge in the days of printed railway timetables: in DEC all railways change their schedules-or not, or a tiny bit. Often more for the workers and rosters as for pax. So they will not publish the new times untill very late. Do not expect any grave changes for this line. Strikes, works along the line, other mishaps can also happen and make nothing ever 111%-or even 100% sure. There is of course always the BUS, from Otogara Sofia-right beside the vlak=train to Otogar IST-much quicker, cheaper too.
Anyway- the tiny train Sof-Ist can only be booked with pass when in BG at a big station-so that leaves more room for panick and fears. But no-trains are not booked solid monthes ahead.
Be aware-again seat61!- that the classic train route-once even with through trains all the way from Deutschland -for the Turk Guestlabourers once-via Yugoslavija (thus now Serbije) is NO more-in fact parts of this line have no service at all=that means a fairly big detour via Romania-Hungaria.
argon
Traveller
353 comments
The Website is seat61.com , not seat6.com :)
MisterSteve
Traveller
916 comments
The official info of Bulgarian State Railways is at https://www.bdz.bg/en/a/sofia-istanbul-sofia but even they aren't sure whether the train will run! The link they give to check on the day of travel is in Bulgarian, the english verions is https://razpisanie.bdz.bg/en
But even then your problem isn't over because the train, when it runs, doesn't go to Istanbul - it ends at Halkali and you have to change to a local train to go further.
jeanclaude44
Traveller
1 comments
Bonjour, Je prévois le même voyage, et effectivement il n'y a plus de train entre Zagreb et Sofia, sauf un local entre Belgrade et Nis mais très peu intéressant , le passage par Bucarest est possible, je l'ai fait dans l'autre sens il y a deux ans, et il faut mieux aller jusqu'à Sofia même si le détour semble important, sinon de Bucarest il faut passer par Ruse, Velika Tornovo et Dimitrovgrad (Celui de la Bulgarie) , à Sofia, comme l'écrivait l'auteur précédent, il faut prendre un billet à la gare...pas possible de réserver. Le train arrive à Halkali, attention pour le train de nuit, le passage de frontière a lieu vers 3h du matin, avec descente sur le quai, contrôle en règle, fouille des bagages...
MagdaleneLustig
Traveller
1 comments
Die Zugverbindung Bukarest nach Istanbul-Halkali besteht nur aus einem Liegewagen an dem auch noch Wagen nach Burgas und Sofia angehängt werden. Der Zug verkehrt nur im Sommer! Ich bin im Sommer 2023 mit diesen Zug nach Istanbul gefahren. Zurück bin ich dann über Sofia gefahren. Von Sofia aus mit dem Bus nach Belgrad (1 Übernachtung) und dann mit dem Bus nach Budapest. Ab da wieder mit dem Zug nach Deutschland.