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

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

*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.