Tickets for Seasonal Trains from Sofia to Seaside Cities of Burgas and Varna Are Now on Sale

During the summer season, BDZ (Bulgarian State Railways) will operate additional daily fast trains with mandatory seat reservations on the routes Sofia – Burgas – Sofia and Sofia – Varna – Sofia. The trains will consist of three air-conditioned German salon-type carriages and a bistro car, providing added comfort for passengers.

The seasonal trains will run from June 15 to September 15, with optimized schedules designed to ensure the fastest possible travel times between the capital and the two largest seaside cities, given current infrastructure conditions, the company reports.

To the Sea by Train: Bulgarian Railways Launch Express Trains from Sofia to Varna and Burgas

Train No. 3601 from Sofia to Burgas will depart from Sofia Central Station at 6:15 AM, arriving in Burgas at 11:40 AM. En route, it will stop at Iskarsko Shose, Karlovo, Kazanlak, Dabovo, and Sliven. In the opposite direction, train No. 3602 from Burgas to Sofia will depart at 5:05 PM and arrive at Sofia at 10:25 PM.

Train No. 2601 will depart from Sofia North Station at 7:55 AM and arrive in Varna at 2:27 PM, with stops in Mezdra, Pleven, Gorna Oryahovitsa, and Shumen. In the return direction, train No. 2602 will leave Varna at 4:35 PM and arrive at Sofia Central Station at 11:12 PM.

The price of a one-way second-class ticket between Sofia and Burgas is 38 BGN, including a mandatory reserved seat (1 BGN), and 47 BGN between Sofia and Varna. BDZ customers can benefit from a 20% discount when purchasing a round-trip ticket. In this case, the second-class round-trip fare between Sofia and Burgas is 57.30 BGN, including reserved seats both ways, and 66.90 BGN for travel between Sofia and Varna.

The bistro car offers 18 first-class seats, with fares of 47.30 BGN one-way between Sofia and Burgas (including seat reservation), and 70.40 BGN for a round trip. For the Sofia – Varna – Sofia route, the one-way fare is 58.50 BGN, and 84.40 BGN for a round trip, with seat reservations included.

Tickets can be purchased at railway station ticket offices, specialized railway booking offices, and through the online ticketing system.

The National Railway Infrastructure Company reminds passengers that during the summer season, hourly temperature measurements are carried out across the entire rail network. If rail temperatures exceed 55°C, speed restrictions are introduced temporarily on certain sections. This is a mandatory safety measure to prevent accidents caused by track instability and may result in minor schedule deviations on the affected routes.