How to book our trip from Amsterdam to Instabul?

  • 29 January 2023
  • 4 replies
  • 153 views

hello, we want to travel this summer from Amsterdam to Istanbul with stops in Berlin, Budapest, Zagreb, Belgrado, Sofia with final destination Istanbul. Is is possible to do this now? I can only find a ticket from Amsterdam to Berlin and the rest is only 90 days or 60 days before departure and the train from Budapest to Zagreb I can’t find?


4 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +7

Voor de meeste treinen ben je veel te vroeg om zitplaatsen te reserveren, voor velerlei treinen ook te vroeg om überhaupt de uren op te zoeken.

Voor de meeste treinen in Centraal-Europa zijn zitreservaties ook optioneel, dus in principe niet nodig (behalve voor nachttreinen en dergelijke). 

Als je in een klein groepje reist in de zomer is reserveren wel aangeraden, als je geschikte zitplaatsen wil veroveren natuurlijk. 

Verder biedt deze pagina waarschijnlijk ook hopen inspiratie en ideeën: https://www.seat61.com/Turkey.htm#london-to-istanbul-via-belgrade-and-sofia

En vind je hier de gemakkelijkste en goedkoopste manieren om bepaalde reservaties te scoren, eens beschikbaar:

 

hello, we want to travel this summer from Amsterdam to Istanbul with stops in Berlin, Budapest, Zagreb, Belgrado, Sofia with final destination Istanbul. Is is possible to do this now? I can only find a ticket from Amsterdam to Berlin and the rest is only 90 days or 60 days before departure and the train from Budapest to Zagreb I can’t find?

It's not clear if you are looking for a ticket (as written) or for a reservation. I assume: reservation?

For Budapest to Zagreb, there is one direct train at 15.35. Reservation for this one is optional. Other (longer) options with changes are available. 

But there are no trains from Zagreb to Beograd or from Beograd to Sofia. Just Sofia to Istanbul is possible. 

If you'd like to go that route, you'd need to take a bus at least on part of the route. There's just one train going to Turkey via Zagreb, Beograd and Sofia, but this one isn't included with interrail and has no stops in between (but might be interesting if you are really looking for a ticket). 

Otherwise, Istanbul can just be reached (on rails) via Romania (best via București; also possible via Craiova and Videle to Sofia (no good connection)).

But it would be possible to do it that way: Germany - Zagreb - Budapest - București or Sofia - Istanbul. Of course, there are other possibilities, too. But for Beograd, you'd need to take a bus.

Userlevel 7
Badge +5

Komt er gewoon op neer dat je een heel oud advies hebt gezien dat achterhaald is, omdat in wat eens Yugoslavija was alles over de grens fini is. Zaols je in seat61 kan lezen, is de route via HU-RO-BG de enig overgebleven. Dus of plannetjes wijzigen of als je echt perse dat Hrvatska (nu met € en in Schengen) en Serbije wilt bezoeken, naar de bus moet uitwijken.

Seat61 is zo pro-trein dat het ook uitlegt hoe je toch stukjes per trein en dan ertussen met bus kan-dat is niet aan te raden en enkel voor die-hard railfans die op hun eigen kaartje alle lijnen willen afstrepen oid.

En ja-die eeuwenoude treinenregel: RES pas mogelijk vanaf 2 mnd tevoren. Zeker in die gebieden. Vaak ook nog enkel ter plekke-om de angst voor vol erin te houden.

Userlevel 6
Badge +4

If you'd like to go that route, you'd need to take a bus at least on part of the route. There's just one train going to Turkey via Zagreb, Beograd and Sofia, but this one isn't included with interrail and has no stops in between (but might be interesting if you are really looking for a ticket). 

This is the Optima Express - it's in fact a private charter train and runs without stopping from Villach (Austria) to Edirne (Turkey). Interrail is not accepted. See https://www.optimatours.de/ for more details (they already sell tickets for this summer). It doesn't stop anywhere other than in Villach and in Edirne, so I don't think it suits your plan.

If you want to follow this route with stops, you will have to travel bits by bus, unless surprises appear in the summer timetable of the Serbian railways. Otherwise, opt for the route via Hungary and Romania.

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