# 2 – Istanbul – Sofia train (Sofia Express)
After bus connected service in Turkish section ended last year, this train has again become popular among train travelers.
The 560-km-long route lasts 11 hours. Passengers get on the train in the evening and arrive next morning. This makes daily visits possible.
There are sleeper and couchette options in this train. It’s easy to find tickets for now.
There’s no restaurant car, you need to be prepared for this in advance.
Istanbul train station (Halkali) is far away from city center, but there’s a connected bus service. Train station as at center in Sofia.
Train will depart from Sirkeci after Marmaray works are completed in Istanbul.
Istanbul-Sofia Express (Sofia-Istanbul) timetable, options and ticketing
Categories: Passenger
Rail Turkey En 
Excellent post. I love sleeper train travel and in the past often made the journey between Aleppo and Istanbul
wish we could do it soon
I would also suggest the routes serving Adana from Ankara and the (former? I hope it runs again!) one from Haydarpasa too: the section down from Ülükisla to Yenice especially is stupendous!
There’s only Toros Express on that route by now, between Adana and Kayseri.