MichB
Traveller
1 comments
Posted 3 months ago
Please looking for help. I please need to know if It's even possible to book regular (not a pass) tickets for the overnight sleeper train from Istanbul to Sophia ? My husband and I are South African citizens. We will be travelling to Turkey this December 2024 into January 2025. We please have to know whether we can book online, or only in person in Istanbul? As this will alter our travel time table, flights, hotel bookings etc. to Cappadocia region.
When I actually attempt to book via various sites links, I can't.
Then please, a 2nd question: I am getting contradictory information from various sites. Many indicate that there is a direct overnight train from Istanbul to Sophia, Bulgaria. Yes, with border stops, nicely explained on this site. But Rome to Rio, says there is no direct overnight train. And says you have to change trains in Dimitrovgrad.
Please assist with either and/or both my questions. Thank you
MisterSteve
Traveller
1073 comments
There is a direct train, or at least some direct cars, but they swap around a few times in the journey and the train number may change. Rome2Rio (or Road2Ruin as I call it), is bot run website designed to sell tickets (and therefore suck in commision) which is not reliable for schedule information. They have possibly been confused by the Bukarest car of this train which does not run during the winter, despite being more useful to international travellers.
Booking online MIGHT have been possible until recently until Turkish Railways recently blocked it's website to foreign IP addresses, presumably after a cyber attack. The other options for bookings FROM Istanbul are about half way down this page https://www.seat61.com/Turkey.htm
Bear in mind this is not a grand European express train, it's barely better than a bus ride. Search Youtube for Istanbul Sofia train to see what others have found. Ironically one of them is sponsored by Omio, which is another booking agency that can't sell the tickets! Note that the train runs from Halkali at the north western fringe of Istanbul but the international ticekt desk is in the centre!
The question of why Sofia has to be asked. Nothing wrong with the place except tradtional rail connections onwards into Europe have been wrecked by malpractise and incompetence in Serbia. If you travelling deeper into Europe use www.bahn.com for schedules. And check the visa situation, Bulgaria and Romania are transitioning into the Schengen system and processes are changing.
MichB
Traveller
1 comments
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer. Okay, so it seems there is a direct train. In the sense that my husband and I can keep our same 2 berth private sleeper compartment throughout the journey. Even if we have to get on and off ourselves for passport, visa etc. checks. We still at least go back to our same compartment.
Thank you for the reminder of the sear 61, it seems we may be able to get a company/person through their links to book for us. I don't think we can actually book online ourselves. So, we just need to decide what to do in terms of our other flight bookings, itinerary and so forth.