Ankara to Sofia by train
Travel from Ankara (Turkey) to Sofia (Bulgaria) by train (853km): schedule and information to the train connection. Compare fares and buy your ticket.
To travel by train from Ankara in Turkey to Sofia 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.
853 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 Ankara to Sofia, 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
Sofia - Ankara / Istanbul - Burgas / Istanbul - Plovdiv / Istanbul - Ruse / Istanbul - Varna / Ankara - Burgas / Ankara - Plovdiv / Ankara - Varna / Izmir - Sofia1 Ankara (Turkey) - Istanbul (Turkey) - Sofia (Bulgaria)
The route consist of more than one step. You have to buy several train tickets.
1a Travelling from Ankara (Turkey) to Istanbul (Turkey)
Travel from Ankara to Istanbul by direct high-speed-train. The journey time is 4:30 hours. The train ticket prices start from 75 TRY (9 EUR) in 2nd class and 105 TRY in 1st class (12 EUR).
On the train journey from Ankara to Istanbul you will travel by a "Yüksek Hızlı Tren" (YHT) high-speed-train with a top-speed of 250 km/h. There are at least six train connections daily. The travel distance is 530 kilometres. You have to be at the train platform at least 15 minutes before departure due to X-ray scan of your luggage.
The deparutre station is Ankara central railway station.
The arrival train stations are "Istanbul Pendik" and "Istanbul Söğütlüçeşme". You reach "Sirkeci" station by Marmaray suburban train from "Söğütlüçeşme" station. Frequent trains every 10 minutes. The journey time is 10 minutes for a ticket fare of less than 1 EUR.
"Istanbul Haydarpaşa" is under construction and maybe the YHT will start from there as well one day.
Find the exact train schedules and book your train ticket via the given booking links.
Where to buy a ticket from Ankara to Istanbul?
Check times&prices 
The following links could be interesting for you.
train types: Train types you are likely to travel with.
Yüksek Hızlı Tren (YHT)
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Istanbul - Ankara
1b Travelling from Istanbul (Turkey) to Sofia (Bulgaria)
Travel from Istanbul to Sofia by direct overnight train. The daily train has a journey time of 12 hours. Train tickets start from 29 EUR.
The train departure time in Istanbul Halkali station is at 21:40 and the arrival time in Sofia is 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 for the overnight train at Istanbul Sirkeci railway station and get by Marmaray suburban train directly to Istanbul Halkali 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 come by train from Ankara, the Marmaray suburban train station is "Söğütlüçeşme". From there you get directly to "Istanbul Sirkeci" (buy the overnight train ticket) and on to "Istanbul Halkali" (departure of the overnight train).
Where to buy a ticket from Istanbul to Sofia?
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.
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
Sofia - Istanbul
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Do you have questions about the connection between Ankara and Sofia? 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.
