Istanbul-Bucharest train service, which has been run during summer time, will start next week.
Istanbul-Bucharest-Istanbul overnight train service, which had started to run only during summer two years ago, will restart service on 7th of June, 2019.
The wagons to Bucharest will be attached to Sofia Express at Halkali, Istanbul, and then attached to Sofia-Bucharest train at Dimitrovgrad. Thus passengers will travel between Istanbul and Bucharest without need of interchange.
As also know Bosphor Express, Istanbul-Bucharest train as 2 and 3 berths sleepers of Romania State Railways (CFR). 2-berths compartments have WC and sink in the compartment.
Bucharest train will depart from Halkali with Sofia Express at 21:40 and will arrive at Bucharest at 18:55.
The train will depart from Bucharest at 12:40 on return, and arrive at Halkali at 07:40.
The shuttle service between Halkali and Sirkeci continues. Marmaray also provides an easy connection from Halkali to many destinations in European and Asian side of Istanbul.
TCDDT only sells Bucharest train tickets at some stations. Sirkeci and Halkali in Istanbul are the ones with international ticket offices. Thouht this train is listed in online sales system of CFR, buying ticket is not allowed.
Timetable, fares and other details of Bucharest train
Cover photo: Onur Uysal ©
Categories: Passenger
Rail Turkey En 
Good day Onur! Great news regarding the restoration of Halkali-Bucharest service! Three questions for you:
1. Is the Bucharest service planned for daily year-round?
2. The TCDD bus shuttle continues Halkali-Sirkeci even with Marmaray commuter in operation?
3. Is there a machine at Halkali for Marmaray tickets, or must you go to the regular ticket office for Marmaray tickets?
Hi. It’s during summer with daily departures. Shuttle continues. There’s machine for tickets at Halkali.
Thank you for this notice. Why are trains not running to Sirkeci (ground level) yet? The change in Halkalı is annoying since most people want to go to the centre or the asian side of İstanbul…
Dear Onur, we are planning to travel from Istanbul to Bucharest in July. Are there any travel agencies in Istanbul which could reserve/buy sleeper tickets for us? We are only a few days in Istanbul and I am a bit nervous that the train is fully booked (we are traveling with our children). Carola, Gothenburg, Sweden
Unfotunately there’s no way. Agencies only use online ticket system. However, most probably there’ll be no problem, it’s not very crowded, since it’s not sold online.
Dear Onur, Thank you for your quick reply. Carola
We are planning to travel from Istanbul to Bucharest on September 28 and return on October 3.
None of the international trains are working in Turkey.