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Interrail to Istanbul by train

  • April 12, 2026
  • 3 replies
  • 36 views
T

Dear all, 

We found a suggestion on the official Interrail website to travel to Istanbul. 

When planning in the trip planner, there is an error and a suggestion to split the journey (from Sofia or Bucharest) in two. Without further advice on how to do that. 

Could you please suggest how we could solve this.

Is it possible to travel to Istanbul with Interrail?

Best, 

Tiina and Hannu, travelling in June.

Best answer by zagmund

I’m just back from a trip from Bucharest to Sofia, so here’s my answer based on what I learned.

Can you get to Istanbul overland from Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria - absolutely.

Can you do it all on an Interrail - possibly, but it might be easier to buy regular fares.  You will need to do the maths.

As mentioned above, in Summer there is a single carriage attached to a couple of different trains which continues down all the way to Istanbul.  In Summer you can get on a train in Bucharest and step off it the next day in Istanbul.  There is no catering onboard.  It will be hot.  There may be air conditioning.  It will be a long journey.

The rest of the year you will get the same train from Bucharest, but it only goes as far as Ruse in Bulgaria.  From Ruse there are several options you can take, depending on your priorities.

  1. Take the connecting train from Ruse to Sofia (possibly changing at Gorna Oryahovitsa, but again this is effectively a connecting train).  Changing at Gorna Oryahovitsa has the advantage that you can get off and go to the cafe/snack shop in the station to resupply for the first time since Bucharest)
    1. You will arrive in Sofia too late to get the sleeper to Istanbul, so book a hotel, enjoy Sofia and get the sleeper to Istanbul the next evening at 1850.
  2. Or, from Ruse, take a combination of trains down to the south of Bulgaria and meet the sleeper that left Sofia earlier in the day.

We stopped for nights in both Ruse and Sofia and enjoyed both.  Apart from anything else, it allowed us to get off, see somewhere new, refuel and stretch our legs.  My preference would be to break the trip from Bucharest to Sofia rather than go end to end in 1 single trip.

In essence - there are 2 trains that you *must* take.  You have no option.  Leave Bucharest on the single daily train that crosses the Romanian/Bulgarian border.  Arrive into Istanbul on the single daily train that crosses the Bulgarian/Turkish border.  In summer there is 1 carriage that is attached to both of these trains, otherwise you have to change trains along the way.

3 replies

M
Railly clever
Forum|alt.badge.img+5
  • Marvin Heer
  • Railly clever
  • April 12, 2026

The train to istanbul can not be found it in the interrail timetable.

But it is running in June.

https://www.bdz.bg/en/a/sofia-istanbul-sofia

In the summer there might even be a direct train from Bucharest

I speak german 🇩🇪, english 🇬🇧, and i understand a bit of french
M
Railly clever
Forum|alt.badge.img+5
  • Marvin Heer
  • Railly clever
  • April 12, 2026

You can find information on the train from Bulgaria to Istanbul there: https://www.bdz.bg/en/a/sofia-istanbul-sofia The timetable till 11.06.2026 can be found at the bottom of the page.

That train is not in the timetable in the app, thats why id does not give you any suggestion.

But the Interrail pass is valid on that train. (reservations are mandatory if i interpret that website correctly)

Regarding reservations in general you can take a look at that guide https://www.seat61.com/interrail-and-eurail-reservations.htm#Romania (although it looks like the trains to istanbul can not be reserved online)

I speak german 🇩🇪, english 🇬🇧, and i understand a bit of french
Z
Engin-ius
Forum|alt.badge.img+9
  • zagmund
  • Engin-ius
  • Answer
  • April 13, 2026

I’m just back from a trip from Bucharest to Sofia, so here’s my answer based on what I learned.

Can you get to Istanbul overland from Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria - absolutely.

Can you do it all on an Interrail - possibly, but it might be easier to buy regular fares.  You will need to do the maths.

As mentioned above, in Summer there is a single carriage attached to a couple of different trains which continues down all the way to Istanbul.  In Summer you can get on a train in Bucharest and step off it the next day in Istanbul.  There is no catering onboard.  It will be hot.  There may be air conditioning.  It will be a long journey.

The rest of the year you will get the same train from Bucharest, but it only goes as far as Ruse in Bulgaria.  From Ruse there are several options you can take, depending on your priorities.

  1. Take the connecting train from Ruse to Sofia (possibly changing at Gorna Oryahovitsa, but again this is effectively a connecting train).  Changing at Gorna Oryahovitsa has the advantage that you can get off and go to the cafe/snack shop in the station to resupply for the first time since Bucharest)
    1. You will arrive in Sofia too late to get the sleeper to Istanbul, so book a hotel, enjoy Sofia and get the sleeper to Istanbul the next evening at 1850.
  2. Or, from Ruse, take a combination of trains down to the south of Bulgaria and meet the sleeper that left Sofia earlier in the day.

We stopped for nights in both Ruse and Sofia and enjoyed both.  Apart from anything else, it allowed us to get off, see somewhere new, refuel and stretch our legs.  My preference would be to break the trip from Bucharest to Sofia rather than go end to end in 1 single trip.

In essence - there are 2 trains that you *must* take.  You have no option.  Leave Bucharest on the single daily train that crosses the Romanian/Bulgarian border.  Arrive into Istanbul on the single daily train that crosses the Bulgarian/Turkish border.  In summer there is 1 carriage that is attached to both of these trains, otherwise you have to change trains along the way.

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