Seasonal trains have started running to Istanbul, Varna and Sofia, and the journey is not short at all: 19 hours to Istanbul and ten hours to Varna, via the Videle bypass, customs stops and many stops in Bulgaria.

Turkish wagon on the route Bucharest – IstanbulPhoto: Vlad Barza / HotNews.ro

The most comfortable is a TCDD (Turkish Railway Company) four-seater sleeper car, which however takes 19 hours for 803 km, and because it stops a lot, the car is attached to several slow regional trains in Bulgaria.

It takes ten hours to cross Bulgaria for 397 km from Ruse to Kapikule.

Bucharest – Istanbul (Halkali)

International train 461 (461/465/493/12504): Bucharest Nord (departure 10:50) – Istanbul / Halkali (arrival 06:34) and runs until October 9;

International train 460 (12503/492/464/460): Istanbul/Halkali (departure 20:00) – Bucharest Nord (arrival 17:08) operates until October 7.

A ticket for the route Bucharest-Nord to Halkali (or both ends) in a 4-seater sleeping car costs 54 euros, according to CFR Călători.

Bucharest – Varna

International train 461 (461/2613): Bucharest Nord (departure 10:50) – Varna (arrival 21:10) runs until October 8;

International train 460 (2602/460): Varna (departure 07:30) – Bucharest Nord (arrival 17:08) runs until October 9.

A ticket for the route Bucharest Nord – Varna (or there and back), in 2nd class, costs 29 euros.

Bucharest – Sofia

International train 461: Bucharest Nord (departure 10:50) – Sofia (arrival 20:22) operates until October 9;

International train 460 (2601/460): Sofia (departure 07:05) – Bucharest Nord (arrival 17:08) runs until October 9.

A ticket for the route Bucharest Nord – Sofia (or there and back), in 2nd class, costs 30 euros.