Veliko Turnovo Travel Forum

Hi,my partner and I hope to take a return train journey from Istanbul to Veliko.I have tried to find prices and how to book on www bdz-rila.com but with no success.I am from Whitehaven,Cumbria and my idea to get to Veliko by the most economic ,and interesting route is to fly from Luton to Istambul via Easyjet and then catch the train to Veliko.I can get a return flight to Istambul for £125 but have no idea how much and how easy it is to travel onward by train.
Thanks
Steven

Hi Steven

as I can see at
http://www.bdz-rila.com/index.php?page=prices

there is no price for ISTANBUL - VALIKO
there is price for SOFIA - ISTANBUL this price shuld be more or lass
same as VALIKO - ISTANBUL [personaly opinion].

return tickets cost 67.80 euro for 2-nd class and 101.42 euro for 1-nd clss
additional for this you shuld pay:

* 2.44 euro for reserved seat
* 15.65 euro for sleeping car second class [I think it's cushetta] 3or4or6 bed
* 21.51 euro for sleeping car with double bed [only first class]
* 39.12 euro for sleeping car with single bed [only first class]


as I can see at:
http://www.tcdd.gov.tr/tcdding/avrupa_ing.htm

the price ISTANBUL - SOFIA is 18 euro for one way at 2-nd class and 26.80 euro for 1-st class
ADDITIONAL COUCHETTE FARES:

· For couchette cars on Istanbul - Belgrade / Bucharest / Budapest route;
· Additional couchette fare per passenger and night in a couchette car for 6: 9,40 EURO
· Additional couchette fare per passenger and night in a couchette car for 4:14,00 EURO
· Additional couchette fare per passenger and night in a couchette car serving on Istanbul-Sofia route: 5,00 EURO

ADDITIONAL FARES FOR SLEEPING CARS:

. Tourist (2/3) - 8 euro
. Double (2/2) - 11,00-Euro
. Single (1/1) - 20,00-Euro

all the best
david

p.s. hope that some bulgarian person will tell if it's correct

You don't have to go to Sofia if you want to reach Veliko Turnovo quickly. Catch the 10 pm Balkan Express from Istanbul, get off at Dimitrovgrad at 6:10 am and catch the train to Veliko Turnovo leaving at 6:19 am. You'll be in Veliko at 10:37 am.

Sorry, the 10 pm train from Istanbul is called BOSFOR EXPRESS 499/498, and you don't even have to change at Dimitrovgrad, see http://www.bdz-rila.com/index.php?lang=en&page=timetable. About the fare, see http://www.tcdd.gov.tr/tcdding/avrupa_ing.htm.

You can't find a way on-line because it can't be done. There are no trains in VT!

So...

I recommend:
Fly into Istambul; when you're heading for Bulgaria, catch a train- or a big "GRUP" bus (they're the big commercial bus line here). The busses are hot in the summertime sometimes, but they DO have air conditioning, which the driver will usually turn on ONCE the bus is moving (so get on last). In the summer the trains are OVENS; but most have heaters under one of the seats in the compartments for winter traveling- the open seating ones do NOT have heat though... so winter sucks on the train.

You can't get INTO VT by train- once in VARNA (either by bus or train) aim for "Gorno Oryakovitz" by bus or train about 3-4 hours tops from Varna area. Gorno ORyakovitx is about a 20 minute drive from VT and about 8-9lv one way for cab fare, or take a bus, though you might wait around an hour or two sometimes for a bus.

Not a lot of english speakers here (but the Taxi drivers will understand "Veliko Turnovo").

OH, there ARE trains (UI Iwas wrong) but they are VERY inconveneint, dirty and only come by like once or twice a day, and even the locals frown at the train conditions... take the bus if you can.

I've been here for some time and had no IDEA there was a train station here, the locals don't even MENTION it and almost NEVER use it. It is THAT bad according to them. LOL!!!

The busses leave all the time and are similarly priced and more conveneint and comfortable x100!!!!!