Romania’s CFR Călători resumes direct train services to Varna, Sofia and Istanbul

Romania's national passenger rail operator CFR Călători announced that it will resume direct international train services linking Bucharest with Varna, Sofia, and Istanbul this summer. The seasonal routes will operate daily between June and October, providing rail connections to popular destinations in Bulgaria and Turkey.

The company announced that the international train "România" will run between June 12 and October 12, 2026.

Direct services to the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Varna will resume on June 12, while direct connections to Sofia and Istanbul/Halkalı will begin operating on June 13.

The Bucharest–Varna service will depart Bucharest North station at 10:46 a.m. and arrive in Varna at 7:56 p.m. A second-class one-way ticket costs EUR 27.

Passengers traveling to Sofia will also depart Bucharest at 10:46 a.m., arriving in the Bulgarian capital at 8:41 p.m. A second-class ticket on the route costs EUR 33.6.

For Istanbul, the international train will leave Bucharest North at 10:46 a.m. and arrive at Istanbul's Halkalı station at 9:56 a.m. the following day. A ticket in a four-berth couchette compartment costs EUR 57.8.

Tickets for international journeys can be purchased up to 90 days in advance at CFR Călători ticket offices that handle international traffic, as well as online through the company's international booking platform.

For destinations in Bulgaria and Turkey, tickets can be collected at railway stations or delivered by courier within Romania. Travelers heading to Bulgaria also have the option of receiving their tickets electronically in PDF format, according to CFR Cǎlǎtori.

The company noted that Interrail passes can also be used for journeys to Bulgaria and Turkey, both in continuous and flexible travel formats.

(Photo source: Facebook/CFR Calatori)