Rail Services Bulgaria -> Romania

Sofia-Bucuresti N via Ruse

Train 460, the 0700 departure from Sofia, is the only international train that links the capital cities of these two countries.

As Train 460 crosses the border, it is made up of one Turkish sleeping carriage from Istanbul, one BDZ carriage from Sofia, and one Romanian seated carriage from Varna. Seat reservations for this train are mandatory.

Border checks were abolished in 2025, meaning that passport checks on both sides of the border are no longer necessary.

The border crossing occurs at 'The Bridge of Friendship' over the river Danube. The bridge links Ruse with the town of Giurgiu in southern Romania. It is a road and rail bridge, with the single track railway line being underneath the public highway. The bridge opened in 1954, designed by Soviet engineers and financed with aid from the Soviet Union. It is only one of two bridges between Romania and Bulgaria despite their shares 292 mile long border along the Danube river.

Current travel time between Sofia BG and Bucuresti RO is just shy of 10 hours.

Locomotives:

Sofia-Ruse: BDZ 44/BDZ 80 'Smartron'

Ruse-Bucuresti N: CFR Class 64

Sofia-Craiova via Vidin

Alternatively, there is an international service provided by CFR of Romania in the north west. Linking the town of Vidin BG with Craiova RO once per day in each direction. Due to the trains timings, connection to/from Sofia via this route is possible but does require changing trains.

From Sofia North, Train 2611 runs to Mezdra arriving at 0844 where you can change for Train 7620 at 0905 to Vidin arriving at 1220.

The cross border service starts here. At 1300, the 2 carriage Romanian Diesel unit (CFR Class 96) departs headed for the 'New Europe Bridge' to cross the border into Romania. this relatively new bridge opened in 2013 and has a single track railway that runs adjacent to the road.

The train to Craiova takes around 3 hours and 15 minutes, and from there you can connect on to trains to Bucuresti and other destinations. Departure board here.

Seat reservations on this train are not possible. Second class travel only, first come first served. 

Locomotives:

Sofia to Mezdra: BDZ 80 'Smartron'

Mezdra-Vidin: BDZ 44/45

Vidin-Craiova: CFR Class 96 Desiro DMU

Rail Services Romania -> Bulgaria