Istanbul to Plovdiv by train
Travel from Istanbul (Turkey) to Plovdiv (Bulgaria) by train (374km): schedule and information to the train connection. Compare fares and buy your ticket.
To travel by train from Istanbul in Turkey to Plovdiv in Bulgaria, there is only one rail connection between both countries via the border crossing at Kapikule/Svilengrad.
Your travel route could be like that.
374 km
How to use the following information: we show you the best routes and where to buy tickets. On longer routes you may need more than one ticket. Book your tickets step by step as explained. If you have questions about the route from Istanbul to Plovdiv, please ask in our forum. Of course, sometimes there are as well other travel routes possible.
The following links could be interesting for you.
train connections : popular connections travelled by other users
Plovdiv - Istanbul / Istanbul - Burgas / Istanbul - Ruse / Istanbul - Varna / Ankara - Sofia / Ankara - Burgas / Ankara - Plovdiv / Ankara - Varna / Izmir - Sofia1 Istanbul (Turkey) - Plovdiv (Bulgaria)
1a Travelling from Istanbul (Turkey) to Plovdiv (Bulgaria)
Travel from Turkey to Bulgaria by direct overnight train. The daily overnight train from Istanbul to Sofia has a journey time of 12 hours. Train tickets start from 29 EUR.
Istanbul is well connected by train with other Turkish cities. If you travel from Istanbul in direction of Varna or Burgas, a direct bus might be the faster travel option for you.
The direct overnight train Istanbul to Sofia departs at Istanbul Halkali station at 21:40 and arrives in Sofia at 08:40. Buy your train ticket locally at the Istanbul Sirkeci train station (ticket window 4). This is not the departure station Istanbul Halkali. The ticket price is 19 EUR plus a supplement of 10 EUR for a 4-berth couchette or 15 EUR for a 2-bed sleeper. The private sleeper compartment for one single traveller is 28 EUR plus a supplement of 35 EUR. In the middle of the night there is a control at the border.
The departure station Istanbul Halkali is located 25 kilometres outside of the historic city centre. Buy your ticket at Istanbul Sirkeci railway station and get by Marmaray suburban train directly to Istanbul Halkali. These suburban trains run every 15 minutes with a ticket fare of less than 2 EUR. The journey time is 35 minutes.
Where to buy a ticket from Istanbul to Plovdiv?
Check times&prices 
Buy the train ticket at a railway station. Note: in some countries you have to pay a service fee at the ticket counter. The ticket can be purchased at a station in the country of departure, also sometimes in other countries.
The following links could be interesting for you.
train types: Train types you are likely to travel with.
Standard (TCDD)
night train: Night trains that might be suitable for this trip.
Bosfor Istanbul - Bucharest / D 81032 Istanbul - Sofia
train company:
TCDD Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryolları / BDZ Български държавни железници
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Plovdiv - Istanbul / Istanbul - Sofia / Istanbul - Varna / Istanbul - Burgas / Ankara - Sofia
search for train schedules here: Online timetable information, on which you can find relevant, up-to-date connections.
rail.cc Deutsche Bahn
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Do you have questions about the connection between Istanbul and Plovdiv? Does something not work as it should? Just ask in our forum and get competent answers from our rail travel experts.
Eurail: if you want to travel this route by Eurail instead of train tickets, have a look here for reservation fees and further information.
