Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TICKETS
All tickets are printed in Cyrillic. Other than the place of departure and destination, tickets also contain other im-
portant details:
»-
klas
- '1' (1st class) or '2' (2nd class)
»-
kategoriya
- type of train, ie T (express), 255 (fast) or G (slow passenger)
»-
vlak
- train number
»-
chas
- departure time
»-
data
- date of departure
»-
vagon
- carriage number
»-
myasto
- seat number
Classes
First-class compartments seat six people, eight are crammed into 2nd class, and the inter-
city express has individual seats in an open carriage. Sleepers and couchettes are available
between Sofia and Burgas and Varna but must be booked in advance. Fares for 1st class
are around 25% higher than for 2nd class. The carriages won't be any cleaner, but it's al-
ways worth paying the extra just to have a bit more space.
Costs
Train travel within Bulgaria is cheap by Western European standards, with a 1st/2nd class
express cross-country trip between Sofia and Varna costing approximately 30/37 lv. If
you're travelling in a group (three or more people) you may get a small discount.
Reservations
For frequent train services between the main cities there is rarely a problem if you simply
turn up at the station and purchase a ticket for the next train (but be careful to allow at
least 30 minutes to queue up). Advance tickets are sometimes advisable on train services
such as the intercity express to the Black Sea during a summer weekend. Advance tickets
can be bought at specific counters within larger train stations and at Rila Bureaux in cities
and major towns. Staff at Rila are normally far more helpful, knowledgeable and likely to
speak English than anyone at a train station, so it's best to deal with Rila for advice,
schedules and advance tickets.
