Bosphor Express, the overnight train between Istanbul and Sofia will start direct service tonight from Halkali.
The train service was being given by connected bus service in Turkish stretch (Istanbul-Kapikule) due to engineering works. Starting with tonight, the trains will depart directly from Istanbul, Halkali Station.
Furthermore, the new service offers a faster service (travel time is 10 hrs) and more comfortable with sleepers and couchettes.
The timetable is announced as follows:
| Halkali-Sofia | Sofia-Halkali | |
| Departure | 22:40 | 21:00 |
| Arrival | 08:30 | 07:00 |
Turkey’s new train operator, TCDD Tasimacilik, has also announced new train travel destinations to Europe from Turkey. Train services to Bucharest and Belgrade will start by summer. These services will be given by coaches attached to Bosphor Express.
There are bus connections to city center from Halkali Station.
Bosphor Express details, fares and timetable
Cover Photo: Onur Uysal ©
Categories: Passenger
Rail Turkey En 
Ever so glad ! My last trip back from Istambul was horror: nobody knew where Halkalı station was, a hard diskussion with the police and an taxi driver over it, then no train, no bus, nobody at Halkalı station, … and for the first time in my life a plane to București. Does the trough yatakli vagon to Bükresh run ?
Anyway you made my day
The additional good thing is that TCDD provides a daily bus shuttle Sirkeci – Halkali v.v.
@Gommer: not an easy trip from Istanbul! https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Istanbul,+İstanbul,+Turkey/İstasyon,+Halkalı,+34303+Küçükçekmece%2Fİstanbul,+Turkey/@41.0154243,28.7734445,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x14caa7040068086b:0xe1ccfe98bc01b0d0!2m2!1d28.9783589!2d41.0082376!1m5!1m1!1s0x14caa401e3e359ab:0xaa355abae4e0af22!2m2!1d28.7661661!2d41.0184876!3e3
It’s one bus from Eminonu (old city in European side) and Marmaray+bus from Asian side. Check this: https://travel.railturkey.org/2016/10/13/halkali-train-station/
Great news! A really convenient way to travel -especially if we fly in Istanbul from North America and then transfer to Bulgaria. Good job people! Thank you