Our train journey from Istanbul (Turkey) to Sofia (Bulgaria)
I explained to you in this article how to buy a train ticket for the Istanbul – Sofia route. It’s actually not possible to book online; you have to go to the station in person.
First tip: allow plenty of extra time for getting to the departure station (Halkalı). It’s located 30 kilometers from Istanbul’s center. And since the train departs at 8 PM, that’s when traffic is insane in Istanbul. We had deliberately booked a hotel the night before just 15 minutes by car from the station. But the trip took over 30 minutes due to traffic jams. Worse, we almost couldn’t find a taxi! All our Uber requests failed. Luckily, we were at a big hotel where taxis regularly drop off guests. Plan ahead generously to avoid stress!
Second tip: bring some snacks. You’ll see that the bare minimum is provided, but it won’t be enough for such a long journey. We had planned to buy supplies at the station, but there wasn’t a single shop within a 10-minute walk! Fortunately, I found a street vendor and was able to stock up.
The departure platform is not clearly marked (actually, not marked at all), so don’t hesitate to ask an employee. You should also be able to spot your fellow passengers easily – they look much more like tourists than local train riders. You can also look for the entrance with the X-ray machine for baggage screening (like at the airport): that’s where you need to go!
Right after baggage control, there’s a ticket check, then you can access the platform.
Once on the platform, show your ticket again to an attendant who will point you to your car.
We discover our private cabin and are pleasantly surprised: there’s plenty of room and it’s quite comfortable! There are several categories, but we opted for the most luxurious one for some peace and quiet.
Here’s what it looks like in ‘seated’ mode.
We have:
- A small fridge with a small snack and a bit of water (not enough for the whole trip, and there won’t really be chances to restock, so plan ahead!)
- A tablet (you can even work if needed!)
- Adjustable air conditioning
- A sink
- Two sets of clean bed linens and blankets
Each car has two toilets, clean (at least at the start of the trip). Non-Turkish toilets for those wondering. Bring your own toilet paper if needed – there’s only one roll and no refills during the journey.
There’s even a shower cabin, but I don’t think it was usable.
Note that your cabin door locks, so you can sleep safely.
Once the bunk bed is set up, here’s what it looks like (the bottom bunk is not set up in this photo).
The train leaves on time but makes many stops.
The cabin attendant tells us that the border crossing and passport control happen between 1 AM and 2 AM.
It actually ended up being 3 AM! Feel free to sleep – the attendant will knock on your door to alert you.
We have to get off to present our passports to Turkish immigration officers. When exiting, make a mental note of where your car is. Since they aren’t numbered, it’s not obvious, and several people struggled to find their cabin. At 3 AM, the last thing you want to do is search for your spot 😀 After getting back on, officers go cabin by cabin to check passports. The whole process takes about an hour.
The train departs and stops a few kilometers later for the Bulgarian side. No need to get off this time – officers collect our passports and return them once checks are done. This also takes about an hour. But at least you can stay lying in your bed!
The bed is comfortable and the length is just right for my height (185 cm). If you’re taller, you’ll need to bend your legs a bit.
We finally arrive in Sofia at 11 AM, after 15 hours of travel and 1.5 hours late. We’re tired, but it was a great experience!
