Sofia to Istanbul by train
Travel from Sofia (Bulgaria) to Istanbul (Turkey) by train (505km): schedule and information to the train connection. Compare fares and buy your ticket.
To travel by train from Sofia in Bulgaria to Istanbul in Turkey, there is only one rail connection between both countries via the border crossing at Svilengrad/Kapikule.
Your travel route could be like that.
505 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 Sofia to Istanbul, 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
Istanbul - Sofia / Sofia - Izmir / Burgas - Ankara / Burgas - Istanbul / Plovdiv - Ankara / Plovdiv - Istanbul / Varna - Ankara / Varna - Istanbul / Ruse - Istanbul1 Sofia (Bulgaria) - Istanbul (Turkey)
1a Travelling from Sofia (Bulgaria) to Istanbul (Turkey)
Travel from Sofia to Istanbul by direct overnight train. The daily train has a journey time of 11 hours. Train tickets start from 29 EUR.
The departure time in Sofia is 18:30 and the arrival time in Istanbul is 05:30. Buy your train ticket locally at the railway station of Sofia. 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 at the border, you have to get out of the train with all your luggage put it through an X-ray machine.
The arrival station is Istanbul Halkali which is located 25 kilometres outside of the historic city centre. Get by Marmaray suburban train in direction of the city centre, to the old Istanbul Sirkeci railway station. These suburban trains run every 15 minutes with a ticket fare of less than 2 EUR. The journey time is 35 minutes.
If you want to continue your journey in direction of Ankara, continue by Marmaray suburban train until the station "Söğütlüçeşme. Here is the departure of the high-speed-trains to Ankara.
Where to buy a ticket from Sofia to Istanbul?
Check times&prices 
The following links could be interesting for you.
night train: Night trains that might be suitable for this trip.
D 493 Sofia - Istanbul / D 81032 Istanbul - Sofia
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Istanbul - Sofia
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Find a cheap flight! Compare prices on Kiwi.com
Do you have questions about the connection between Sofia and Istanbul? 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.
