Whilst the concept of a train ticket that doesn’t resemble the price of a small mortgage may seem fairly mind-blowing to us Brits at the moment; it turns out that cheap-and-cheerful train travel does, in fact, still exist. You might just need to head to a different country to experience it. Or in this case, three different countries.
That’s right, folks. Prepare to performatively gaze out of a train window (a la 90s music video) as you hurtle through the sweeping scenery of Romania, Bulgaria, and Türkiye. Because I come bearing a rail-y great train route that’s just made a comeback for the sunny season. And it’s ready to transport travelers between all three of those countries – without breaking the bank.
This recently-returned rail route comes courtesy of CFR Călători (Romania’s national rail) – and has been created in a bid to provide a ‘comfortable and affordable travel option’ for those visiting Europe this summer. Despite the fact that we’re already pretty for choice when it comes to continental cross-border train travel, we’re always happy to budge up and make room for one more – because finding cost-effective and eco-friendly alternatives to flying has, quite frankly, never been more important.
The route in question will begin in the ravishing Romanian capital city. Departing Bucharest North at 10.46am, the train will then head over to Bulgaria, arriving in Varna (the largest city on the Black Sea Coast) at 7.56pm – 9 hours and 10 minutes later. The train will then carry on to the Bulgarian capital, reaching Sofia at 8.41pm, before setting off on the final (and heftiest) leg of the journey. The last stop of the route is Istanbul in Türkiye. The full journey from Bucharest to Istanbul takes a whopping 23 hours and 10 minutes (arriving at 9.56am on the morning after the departure from Romania). Ticket prices start at just €27 (around £23.50).
The seasonal service offers an old-school style adventure, with sweeping scenery and dreamy backdrops aplenty. It’s worth noting that there is no dining cart on board, so you will need to bring drinks and snacks. A lot of them if you’re doing the full stretch.
This summery service is already back on the track, and will run until October 12. Tickets can be booked up to 90 days in advance. You can find out more and plan your journey here.
