Constanta Travel Forum

I am a Travel Consultant and - much to my shame - I have been unable to find the schedule of the ferries from Constanta to Istanbul in May 2005.
I sent e-mails to the Romanian and Turkish Tourist offices, but nobody answered. My clients need to frame their itineraries asap....Could you PLEASE help me? THANKS A LOT! Marilena

According to this web page that ferry is no more.
http://aegeantourtravel.com/transferries.html#NOT%20AVAILABLE

The ferry line run by Med Lines (http://www.medlines.ro/) has been cancelled indeed due to "technical" problems (i.e. the ferryboat did not comply with the new safety regulations imposed by Constanta Harbour). The alternatives are as it follows:

1. there are two-three coaches a day from Bucharest to Istanbul. The route they take is Bucharest - Giurgiu RO - Ruse BG - Svilengrad BG - Kapikule TK - Istanbul. They start in Bucharest at 04.00 PM every day and reach Istanbul Eminyet Garage (5 minutes walking from Laleli Center, respectively 15 minutes walking from the Blue Mosque), depending on customs, at 04.00 AM - 07.00 AM. They have average coaches (usually 5-6 years old Mercedes with A/C) and they are clean. A one way ticket costs EUR 35, a return ticket costs EUR 70.

2. there is a daily train from Bucharest to Istanbul running like this:

Bucuresti Nord 14.00 - Giurgiu Nord RO 15.32/16.10 - Ruse BG 16.40/17.25 - Svilengrad BG 01.17/02.15 - Kapikule TK 02.40/04.00 - Istanbul Sirkeci 08.27 R499 Bosphorus

I have mentioned the time of staying in customs so that you realize the time the train officially stops in every customs station. Actually the train is usually late 1-2 hours in Istanbul because of customs delays and therefore it usually arrives in Istanbul at 10.00 AM or so. The station of Istanbul Sirkeci lies just at the foothill of Sultanahmet, the hill hosting many of the sightseeing places and hotels in the city. Aya Sofia lies 10 minutes walking upwards. Also, I have given you the time the train stops in Kapikule because there, differently from most other railway frontier stations in Europe, passengers have to get off the train with their passport and go to the border police office in the station and border police officers do not come on the train. Luggage can be safely left on the train during this. This trip is also safe, but - given the long journey - I would recommend a sleeping wagon. In both cases, the Turkish visa can be bought upon the border check.

The price for this trip is as it follows: for the return trip: EUR 73 in a second class seats wagon, EUR 77 in a couchette wagon (6 beds / berth, mixed genders), EUR 89 in a 2nd class sleeping wagon (3 beds / berth, separated genders), EUR 127 in a 1st class sleeping wagon (2 beds / berth, separated genders), EUR 147 in a 1st class sleeping wagon (berth used as single, 1 bed). For the one way trip, it is like this: EUR 41 in a second class seats wagon, EUR 43 in a couchette wagon (6 beds / berth, mixed genders), EUR 49 in a 2nd class sleeping wagon (3 beds / berth, separated genders), EUR 75 in a 1st class sleeping wagon (2 beds / berth, separated genders), EUR 85 in a 1st class sleeping wagon (berth used as single, 1 bed).

The other option is a Turkish Airlines flight Bucharest - Istanbul, at about EUR 140-160 (O/W). They have daily flights on this route.

Best regards and have a nice trip,
Alex
alex@futurevox.com

"The ferry line run by Med Lines (http://www.medlines.ro/) has been cancelled indeed due to "technical" problems (i.e. the ferryboat did not comply with the new safety regulations imposed by Constanta Harbour). "

I guess the discontinuation is a consequence of Romania's alignment with EU legislation.

I was in Constanta in August...and...my suggestion (if you would like to travel via Ferry) is to first travel by land to Varna, Bulgaria--and take the ferry to Istanbul from that port.
Varna isn't far from Bucharest...maybe 4 hours?

Paul
drpaultravel@yahoo.com

Varna isn't far indeed, but - unless you have a car or are willing to pay someone to take you there by car - the "fastest" way from Bucharest to Varna is by train and, starting in Bucharest at noon, you get in Varna at about 8 PM after switching trains in Ruse.
Alex
alex@futurevox.com

It seems you really have the best information.
Do you have any idea if it is possible to crosstie border from the delta era to Odessa without crossing Moldova?
Is it final: no ferry Istanbul constansa? Is there ferry Istanbul - delta?
Thanks

Unfortunately the answer is no for all your answers. From Odessa to Romania, unless you go around via Chernivcy, you have to cross teh Republic of Moldova, as the main road Odessa - Galati crosses Moldova at least once (at Giurgiulesti, between Reni and Galati). There is no crossing open to international traffic (except for local RO and UA citizens, even I cannot cross there bearing residence in Bucharest) in the Danube Delta area. The only one is Galati RO / Giurgiulesti MD / Reni UA and this involves crossing Moldova for 3 km. There is no ferry from Odessa to Constanta or to any other harbour on the Romanian coast. There used to be a ferry line from Constanta to Istanbul, but it failed to comply with the new (EU imposed) regulations at Constanta harbour and it is over. From Odessa, if you want to avoid Moldova at all costs, you can get a train to Chernivcy / Ternopil and then get on the regular train to Romania. Just be careful to ask that the train Odessa / Chernivcy does not cross Moldova itself, as one of the two trains does. Timetables at http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/d and, for the Ukrainean segment, at the very good (Cyrillic typing needed though) http://www.uz.gov.ua/?m=services.transppl.schedule&lng=uk
Best regards,
Alex