Hello,
I am travelling to Istanbul, Bucuresti and Sofia this summer with my girlfriend and have a question about the Bosphorus night train.
If I am correct the interrail planner does not give the correct data for the Bosphorus train from Bucuresti Nord (Romania) to Halkali (Turkey) and from Halkali to Sofia (Bulgaria), and you have to buy the seat reservations at the train station itself.
We’ll arrive in Bucuresti on August 4th and want to take the train to Halkali the next day. We also want to take the train from Halkali to Sophia on August 10th. I was wondering if we can buy both reservations in Bucuresti on the 4th. And is there a big change that the train will be sold out already? (the 4th is on a Monday).
Thank you in advance!!
Floris
Answer
Bosphorus Express Reservations
Best answer by thibcabe
Bucharest-Istanbul has a single couchette carriage. With a single day notice, it is very risky in peak season. I'd buy a regular ticket online on the CFR website: 57.50€ per person, fair price.
Otherwise you could follow the couchette carriage on seating carriages (no AC!) and board a couchette or sleeper in Dimitrovgrad, where the Sofia carriages are attached. These can be purchased by asking the carriage attendant (cash only afaik). No availability guarantee but there are more carriages.
The return journey to Sofia is only available at a TCDD international ticket counter. There's one in Sirkeci. Availability 4 days in advance should be good.
Bucharest-Istanbul has a single couchette carriage. With a single day notice, it is very risky in peak season. I'd buy a regular ticket online on the CFR website: 57.50€ per person, fair price.
Otherwise you could follow the couchette carriage on seating carriages (no AC!) and board a couchette or sleeper in Dimitrovgrad, where the Sofia carriages are attached. These can be purchased by asking the carriage attendant (cash only afaik). No availability guarantee but there are more carriages.
The return journey to Sofia is only available at a TCDD international ticket counter. There's one in Sirkeci. Availability 4 days in advance should be good.
Reservations Bucharest-Istanbul should also be possible at a DB ticket office, but you need experienced staff, since they need to book using the train number search method.
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