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Trains in Bulgaria

Bulgaria offers over 4000 km of rail track. The main rail hub is in the capital city Sofia, which has connections to Romania, Serbia and Turkey. Experience diverse scenic views onboard Bulgaria's trains. Bulgaria has an interesting historical and cultural heritage and attractive landscapes. Be sure to visit Sofia, nestled in the foothills of two mountains, and filled with exciting sights and sounds. Your Interrail Bulgaria Pass is your ticket to a true rail adventure.

Train types in Bulgaria

The train network in Bulgaria is operated by the Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ). You can look up train times on the Interrail train timetable or on the BDZ website.

Map with main train connections in Bulgaria

Domestic trains in Bulgaria

Expresen Vlak

  • ​Faster trains
  • Sofia to Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas and Ruse
  • Reservations are required (approximately €0.25, or BGN 0.50 in local currency)

Barz Vlak

  • Local 'rapid' trains

  • No reservation needed

Patnicheski

  • Slower local trains.

  • No reservation needed

Rhodope scenic railway

  • Septemvri – Dobrinishte
  • Narrow gauge trains

 

You can bring your bike on the train in Bulgaria. The fee is 2 BGN (Bulgarian lev, approximately €1) and you can pay this at the ticket desk. 

International trains in Bulgaria

At the moment, the only international daytime connections run to and from Romania. Connections to Serbia and Greece are currently suspended because of construction works and operational issues.

  • Sofia – Ruse – Bucharest
    • Runs from Sofia only from June 21st till October 9th
    • Between October and June, this train only runs from Ruse to Bucharest
    • Reservations are mandatory
  • Varna – Ruse – Bucharest
    • Runs from Varna only from June 21st till October 9th
    • Between October and June, this train only runs from Ruse to Bucharest
    • Reservations are mandatory
  • (Istanbul -) Dimitrovgrad – Veliko Tarnovo – Ruse – Bucharest 
    • Runs from Istanbul only June 21st till October 9th 
    • Between October and June, this train only runs from Ruse to Bucharest 
    • Reservations are mandatory
  • Vidin – Craiova
    • Local train, no reservation needed

Domestic night trains in Bulgaria

Bulgaria has a number of domestic night trains, all running from Sofia to the East. Especially the trains towards the Black Sea coastal cities Varna and Burgas are popular during summer.

  • Sofia – Plovdiv – Varna
    • Seats and sleepers
  • Sofia – Pleven – Varna
    • Seats and sleepers
  • Sofia – Karlovo – Varna
    • Seats and sleepers
  • Sofia – Plovdiv – Burgas
    • Seats and sleepers
  • Sofia – Karlovo – Burgas
    • Seats and sleepers
  • Sofia – Pleven – Ruse – Silistra
    • Seats and couchettes

 

International night trains in Bulgaria

Currently, the only international night train running in Bulgaria connects Sofia and Plovdiv to Istanbul in Turkey. Make sure to reserve some days in advance, especially in summer. This train can only be booked at the train stations.

  • Sofia – Plovdiv – Istanbul Halkali
    • Runs all year round
    • Comfortable modern Turkish couchette and sleeping cars
    • Reservations are mandatory
  • Bucharest – Ruse – Veliko Tarnovo – Dimitrovgrad – Istanbul Halkali 
    • Runs from Varna only June 21st till October 9th 
    • Comfortable modern Turkish couchette and sleeping cars 
    • Reservations are mandatory

 

Popular connections

The following routes using trains in Bulgaria don't require reservations:

Route

Travel time
Sofia to Varna 7h 30m
Sofia to Burgas 5h 30m
Sofia to Plovdiv 2h 30m
Sofia to Vidin 5h
Sofia to Ruse 6h 5m
Plovdiv to Burgas 3h 50m

Sofia has direct international train connections to several countries. Reservations are recommended.

Route Which train? Travel time Reservations
Sofia to Bucharest (Romania) International (INT 460) 10h 50m Required
Ruse to Bucharest (Romania) Intercity (INT 460) 2h 50m Required
Vidin to Craiova (Romania) Regional 3h 50m No
Sofia to Istanbul (Turkey)* International (INT) 13h Optional


*The train from Sofia to Istanbul ends at Istanbul Halkali station, from here you can take a metro/Marmaray train to the city centre and under the Bosphorus to the Asian side. Make sure to have Turkish Lira notes beforehand, as most metro-ticket machines do not take bank cards.

 

Reservations

Not possible through Interrail reservation self-service system

 

Locally at the train station in Bulgaria

 

How can I make reservations for trains in Bulgaria?

  • Local ticket desks at train stations
  • At Rila travel agencies, which you can find at train stations across Bulgaria.
  • Check locations on the BDZ website.
  • A reservation is called "zapazeno myasto" in Bulgarian.
 

Get your Pass for Bulgaria

Interrail Bulgaria Pass

 

  • Gives you access to the trains in Bulgaria and allows you to focus on the entire country

  • Youth, senior and family discounts available

  • Prices from € 58

 

View Bulgaria Passes →

Interrail Global Pass

 

  • Explore up to 33 European countries by rail including Bulgaria

  • Youth, senior and family discounts available

  • Prices from € 212

 

View Global Passes →

 

Tips and Tricks for Bulgaria

Bulgaria's main train station

  • Central station ("Tsentralna Gara") in Sofia.

  • Most international trains go through here.

  • Use the metro from Sofia central station to reach the airport and city centre.

Spelling of names in Bulgaria

The local spelling of Bulgarian cities can be found at train stations in Bulgaria and on timetables in the country.

Good to know:

  • Sofiya (written as "София") = Sofia

 

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