Skip to content

Night train İstanbul – București
(TCDD/BDŽ/CFR 12503/460 + 461/12504 “Bosphor Express”)

    İstanbul Halkalı – Edirne – Kapıkule – Svilengrad – Dimitrovgrad – Stara Zagora – Veliko Tarnovo – Gorna Oryahovitsa – Ruse – Giurgiu Nord – București Nord

    Statistics

    799 km route distance

    Average travel speed of 36 km/h

    Greenhouse gas emissions per km by mode of transport
    (in gCO2e per passenger)

    this night train: 22

    bus: 22 (1 times as much)

    car (1 person): 192 (9 times as much)

    plane: 389 (18 times as much)

    book here

    12503/460

    • İstanbul Halkalı
      20:00
    • Edirne
      00:52
    • Kapıkule
      02:20 – border control
    • Svilengrad
      03:25 – border control
    • Dimitrovgrad
      06:00
    • Stara Zagora
      08:31
    • Veliko Tarnovo
      11:00
    • Gorna Oryahovitsa
      11:10
    • Ruse
      13:32
    • Giurgiu Nord
      14:42
    • București Nord
      16:56

    İstanbul to București

    Trip duration 20:56

    461/12504

    • București Nord
      10:46
    • Giurgiu Nord
      13:13
    • Ruse
      14:25
    • Gorna Oryahovitsa
      16:45
    • Veliko Tarnovo
      17:50
    • Stara Zagora
      20:45
    • Dimitrovgrad
      23:30
    • Svilengrad
      01:00 – border control
    • Kapıkule
      03:00 – border control
    • Edirne
      03:33
    • İstanbul Halkalı
      09:56

    București to İstanbul

    Trip duration 23:10

    Train information

    Couchette

    book here

    Night train İstanbul – București

    Take the night train on your next trip to İstanbul or București!

    Have you ever travelled by night train to İstanbul or București? It's probably the most relaxing, fun, and eco-friendly way to get to your destination. The 799 km long train journey emits approximately 18 times less compared to a flight. Read more on the global warming reduction potential of night trains in our study on the topic.

    When travelling with the 12503/460 + 461/12504 train, you can choose between the following categories:

    • Couchette compartment: Simple, shelf-like beds in a cabin shared by usually 4-6 persons

    Travel by night train – timetable information

    Please always verify timetable information with the operator when booking the train, and also prior to your departure.

    12503/460 İstanbul Halkalı – București Nord

    Night train 12503/460 departs from İstanbul Halkalı at 20:00, and arrives at București Nord at 16:56. It has intermediate stops in Edirne, Kapıkule, Svilengrad, Dimitrovgrad, Stara Zagora, Veliko Tarnovo, Gorna Oryahovitsa, Ruse and Giurgiu Nord. The total trip duration is 20:56 hours. The train runs daily.

    461/12504 București Nord – İstanbul Halkalı

    The return trip, night train 461/12504, departs from București Nord at 10:46, and arrives at İstanbul Halkalı at 09:56. It has intermediate stops in Giurgiu Nord, Ruse, Gorna Oryahovitsa, Veliko Tarnovo, Stara Zagora, Dimitrovgrad, Svilengrad, Kapıkule and Edirne. The total trip duration is 23:10 hours. The train runs daily.

    Buy tickets for the night train from İstanbul to București

    This night train line is operated by TCDD Taşımacılık A.Ş., БДЖ - Пътнически превози ЕООДand C.F.R. Călători S.A. and you can book tickets on their official website. We also recommend you read our tips and tricks page for booking international train tickets.

    Do you find it too difficult to book night train tickets? Is your favourite line often sold out or are tickets way too expensive? You could think there is little to be done about that – but actually this can be solved politically: By improving conditions for both operators and travellers. Learn more on how we get more night trains in our General Position Paper, or join your local Back on Track group right away.

    Night trains similar to this İstanbul – București train