What is like to travel 10 hours between Bulgaria and Romania onboard BDZ trains ?

EUROPEAN TRAIN TRIP #10
Hi everyone, welcome to this trip report bound to Bucharest in Romania onboard BDZ train, this one is the famous Bosphorus Express
Don't hesitate to leave a comment
- TRIP INFORMATION -
Railway company: BDZ / TCDD / CFR
Train type : Bmz (BDZ), Acbcmee (CFR), TVS2000 (TCDD)
From : Sofia to Bucharest
N° of train: 460
Duration : 10h
Price : 25€
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[@moonrider997]

Sofia Central received a much needed renovation in 2015 if I remember clearly, before that it was a nightmare. Our most beautiful stations are Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas, all of which managed to preserve their 19th-century elegance.

[@BgBulgaria]

В Русе е най-красивата гара.

[@moonrider997]

@@BgBulgaria Не е лоша и тя, но Варна и Бургас повече ми харесват заради цвета. Лично мнение разбира се :)

[@antonarset]

Мен ако питаш, 90-те беше малко по-добре, тогава в подземието имаше магазинчета, сега като слезеш имаш чувството, че всички са се евакуирали, става за филм. Освен това след 9-и е съборена старата гара и е построена новата, но снимки отвътре на старата не съм намерил все още, а и отвън са зор.

[@dandavid9983]

Poor and dirty Bulfaria 🍅🤮🖕🇧🇬

[@georgizlatinov1792]

В Горна Оряховица също е много хубава

[@g_9010]

Amazing train, low prices, nice atmosphere, stunning old engines... This is a train trip!

[@edystvumdb]

Totally agree, this Eastern Europe trains have quite a special feeling.

[@alex_adb]

But in Bulgaria we have owd trains

[@RocketJSykes]

@@alex_adb You meant "old".

[@gokceaydin3324]

Soulless flights are good only for business trips...

[@RocketJSykes]

@@gokceaydin3324 heck yes fuck flying and driving

[@johnnyboy3949]

Love trains like this. Eastern Europe is awesome.

[@Bobrogers99]

Some elements of this trip are like traveling back in time.

[@irvingandralphandchester5220]

I took this trip, in the opposite direction from Bucharest to Sofia, around 1990 when both Romania and Bulgaria were "hard-core" Communist countries. Back then there were two Romanian 2nd class coaches coupled to the front of a Soviet "Empire Builder" train. I remember the dining car cook, who was very fat, leaning out to catch a glimpse and a whiff of the Bucharest morning. No camera unfortunately, but no threat of incarceration. Bought the ticket to Ruse (very inexpensive, a princely sum) in Bucharest from an agent who proudly spoke only English from the list of foreign languages. No problems crossing the border at Ruse (Speaking Russian helped a lot, though had an enemy passport at the time) and there was the obligatory money exchange (the excess of which I gave to my colleague in Sofia). Bought the ticket to Sofia with my newly exchanged money, also inexpensive. I spent most of the time in the air-conditioned Soviet dining car, had some very nice food, plus the same cook offered to sell me a kilo of caviar. As it was the hottest day of the year so far, I declined as it would spoil. Fantastic scenery in Bulgaria, as good as if not better than that of places in Switzerland or Austria. I went back to Sofia around 2018. Sofia station was extensively rebuilt what I remember from around 1990. That whole tram stop complex wasn't there, plus there was some sort of international hotel right across the street (had a very nice rolled beef and cheese filet, ate outside) which is gone now. Looking back, this was one of my very best train trips. As far as I could determine, a trip from Sofia to Thessaloniki (just "Saloniki" in Bulgarian) was possible but only a few days a week, with an interruption filled in by OSE (Greek railways) replacement bus service. I hope the presence of the Thessaloniki couchette car is an indication that the route is fully functional. Otherwise a nice modern station in Sofia, however I would like to see more trains.

[@vikram1278]

So BRUTAL! 😏 But I LOVE small, isolated, quiet stations, unchanged with times, and the few minutes of pure silence there before the train starts again. There are fewer and fewer of these remaining everyday 😥

[@iamthestig1]

You should see most British stations. The brutalist look seems to be a favourite of National Rail...

[@Friek555]

I love how this train changes its composition every few hours. You have travellers from Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria all in the same train!

[@ki5739]

15-20 years ago when there were much more international trains, you could end up with people from 3-4 different countries in one compartment.

[@ricktownend9144]

You're right! - that's an excellent effort towards international reconciliation

[@Emanuil97]

I'm Bulgarian and I live in Sofia. The train station was renovated 3-4 years ago. The space in front of it will be completely changed within a few years.

[@ricktownend9144]

Sofia has great trams and trolleybuses too

[@thebj2701]

Weird, but as a Bulgarian I travelled with a train from Varna to Sofia and my train was so much more modern. Also about food on the train... You should buy yourself food from the station where you catch the train. Pretty much all stations, either have a shop inside, or a vending machine at least. Each year BDZ gets more modernised so by 7-8 years we should be pretty much up to date with normal EU transport. But yeah, I acknowledge that the train services quality on most trains is very bad. Just use the highways if possible.

[@antonarset]

Me too from 1994 travelling a lot Varna-Sofia until 2013. Things were going from bad to worse.

[@antonarset]

Преди години пътувах от Враца с някакъв влак за Пловдив май и останах изумен, защото изглеждаше както бяха влаковете преди години - имаше килимче, калъфки на седалките, завеса на джама и огледала... А Варна-София заприличва на товарен влак все повече.

[@lihwak9181]

That mentality of 'drive highways if possible' is what has doomed balkan railway

[@alexcargo3267]

The passenger cars on that train that are operated by BDZ are former DR Bm second class coaches. The one which is first class is a former DR Am coach. These have been brought to Bulgaria in two batches - the first in the late 1980s and the second batch arrived in the mid 1990`s after DB and DR united and there was plenty of redundant rolling stock in Germany. The first batch has already been fased out and scrapped. These cars are from the second batch and are designated in series 40 of the BDZ with top speed of 140-160 km/h. They can be seen on all kinds of passenger trains in Bulgaria - local, regional, fast service. BDZ has sleeper cars similar to those of TCDD which are used for domestic traffic and a certain number of passenger cars with automated doors and climate control most of which are undergoing repairs at the moment in three different factories. The small number of passengers on the international trains made BDZ use its best coaches on fast domestic services connecting usually the capital Sofia with the seaside cities Varna and Burgas through Plovdiv. Some of these services also have a restaurant/bar car but due to poor management on these you can buy a limited amount of products from them. Graffiti on trains in Bulgaria is also another problem which ruins the looks of the trains. There are many teenagers which draw ungly graffiti on everything because the police does not bother to chase them. Sometimes a refurbished car can be all drawn within just a few days after arriving back from the factory. Interior on these is kept more basic and outdated because it`s easy to repair it or replace it if necessary. Almost all cars coming back from refurbishment have new ambient lights and electric plugs although there is plenty to do on them. The trains in Bulgaria are categorized as the social type of transportation therefore the costs have to be as low as possible and due to that the state gives money to the national railways every year in order to cover the losses.

[@vladislavvalev8186]

You should come to visit. Bulgaria again. Now, we have new carriages and locomotives and train journies here have become a lot more comfortable.

[@thegoldrickk]

As a Romanian, I'd like to correct that the GM locomotive is actually a 63 class, not 43, and the white-blue-white type you went with is pretty rare, I love it!! Very nice video though, I loved it! ❤️

[@pega17pl]

(1:30) Sofia Central Station: The main station and the square in front of the main station were completely overhauled after 2000, the architect was Milan Dobrew. A large tent roof structure in the style of the Munich Olympic Stadium with an area of 4500 m² and anchored with rope nets was erected above the forecourt of the station. The interior of the station has also been significantly modernized. The cost of the remodeling project was $ 3.5 million. In 2012, the tent roof construction was dismantled due to safety concerns. (Found in German Wikipedia and translated to Einglish by Google translator.)

[@brajamusti6212]

Best panorama along the way from sofia to bucharest.

[@expattraveler2654]

Love that Lada sitting there all alone in the station

[@SimplyRailway]

Right !!!

[@vilemvanhara3852]

8:32 This loco is still in use in Czechia as well (as Class 242) in the south of the country where there is 25kV AC catenary. It is nicknamed "plecháč" which means "chose en tôle" in French

[@anthonypeters8714]

Liking all your videos of all sorts of companies of the ever going Railways. A certain treat from you in going through all your journeys together in so many different countries with each of their railways. Loving them and thanks.

[@MMTB616]

I like the way you tell the story as well as catering hardcore railway enthusiasts.

[@ardianworld4129]

What an adventurous journey! Thanks for another great trip report!

[@gabriele_8816]

Thank you for your videos they are very helpful!

[@Colonel_Blimp]

Old school passenger railroading. Thank you from New Zealand🇳🇿👍

[@markwarwick2920]

Amazing that these carriages are from a variety of countries and differing destinations. Brilliant scenery.

[@pega17pl]

As you mentioned in your finally comments such trains remember to great interrail period at '70s to '80s. - Heinz

[@alandealcantara104]

the video was amazing! greetings from Brazil🇧🇷

[@YanikCrepeau1]

11:30 Thank you for this kind of map.

[@annettehadley9718]

Hello, we are two British ex-pats that live near Ruse, and occasionally have to catch the train from Ruse to Sofia... we always travel first class ( less crowded sometimes ) and the cost of one first class ticket is 23 Bulgarian lev ( thats about 12 Euros ) and the scenery is out of this world, plus you travel through two mountain passes, even better in the winter when its covered in Snow !

[@ricktownend9144]

As a British ex-pat living in Stara Zagora, I agree - line 4 (going north from SZ towards Ruse) is also spectacular scenery, and includes one of the loops (to gain/lose height) which are a feature of Bulgaria's railway routes when crossing mountains.

[@huskytail]

@@ricktownend9144 oh yes, I used to travel to Dryanovo on that one when bus travel was not yet so prevalent in Bulgaria. What a scenery and tunnels on that line. I want to do it again next time I'm in Bulgaria, especially in the autumn when the colors of the trees are changing 😍

[@robertrichter5949]

Great videos at your channel. Train enthusiasts never die. :D

[@shakeelahmed414]

interesting, last week i took train from Sofia to Yambol... it was good to know all about train travel in Bulgarian.

[@paulturner6524]

This review makes a person appreciate a nice train.

[@anastasiasheniloff2512]

Très bonne vidéo! J'adore tes vidéos de train! Merci!

[@FromtheWindowSeat]

I like the animated carriage diagrams. Nice touch. 👍

[@firetrixx00]

really nice train report !

[@TheMiko26]

looks like another great trip!

[@NGaugeVideo]

Very impressive. I liked the graphic of the train coaches so you can see what is what. Excellent Video.

[@penninetrains1398]

Wonderful journey and great review! I too enjoy travelling I'm the old-style corridor compartment coaches.

[@adotsuarez]

As a Spanish, I can confirm: yes, that station looked just like most HS terminals in Spain 😂

[@justsamoo3480]

As someone who’s not from Spain, why aren’t Spanish using it?

[@rubenabellanperez4272]

@@justsamoo3480 because most of the times these kind of stations are in well-unknown towns.

[@entroenbanda]

@@justsamoo3480 They're mostly built on the countryside and far far away from populated places so you have to go by car and leave it at the station or even get the bus/taxi to finally get there... So it's kinda boring and impractical. Here in Spain I think we don't really like having trains around... which I think it's so sad.

[@hermenegildoc3933]

Or like our new regional white stations

[@Xhum1]

It was different before the renovation, full of life with a hundred things to eat and a thousand trinkets to buy, but it was crowded and dirty ...

[@bwolper]

It was nice to see this example of train travel in Eastern Europe. I live for these videos.

[@user-mi4yc7pr3x]

Romania is central Europe

[@lihwak9181]

@@user-mi4yc7pr3x 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@user-mi4yc7pr3x]

@@lihwak9181? Are you gypsy or what

[@boyanyanakiev7090]

I am from bulgaria and the center is amazing! The national palace of culture is amazing! I even live close to it.

[@theobrattinga500]

Great video !!

6:55 I think the trains "drive" on the same side as the cars in most countries. Notable exceptions are France and Switzerland.

[@RositsaPetrovarjp7]

and Belgium

[@Lightning_Mike]

Italy too

[@belgiantrainspotter4886]

@@RositsaPetrovarjp7 we drive on the left with our trains, the roads are right side.

[@DanielsUKT]

Really enjoyed this trip report I like this train had compartments coming from and going to different countries the station in Sofia was rather big and spacious but maybe some adverts around the emptier part before you got to your platform and loads of scenery too on the journey I must try the railways in Eastern Europe

[@ki5739]

Adverts are not worthy as the trains are used mostly by students and retired people - tickets are cheap but the trains are slow. The only exceptions where you can enjoy 21st century comfort, are the sleeper cars on the night trains.

[@tudieu-qng6817]

Super video my friend!

[@manmeetsinghmahajan6183]

Really nice and enjoyed a lot

[@cocalero]

With all those different coaches, this truly is a “Frankestrain” hehehe... amazing trip, I love travelling by rail 👍🏼

[@zazanova7327]

Ahaha in the beginning there was a guy who was (in typical Bulgarian manner) semi complaining on the phone that he is, and I quote “I am traveling with 5 people, who don't get Bulgarian.” Classic Bulgarian old style, passive-aggressive talking about you in front of you because you don't understand me anyway. What a sad fella, sorry about our unfriendly folks. Yeah in Sofia there have been done renovations for years. I myself made once the trip out of curiosity from Craiova to my hometown Vidin, over the second Romania - Bulgaria bridge. It was the slowest train I ever rode! And I was surprised to see they repaired the station. The Trip Vidin - Sofia is nice to look as well. I have a fond memory of it since my childhood. The trains didn't change that much since the 90ies. But you go to the Vraca Balkan and it is a pleasant view.

[@danieleraguseo2471]

Amazing videos keep it up and stay safe

[@mitko359]

Hi from Bulgaria. Great trip report! Feel free to contact me next time you visit Sofia! There is a lot about our trains I can tell you. Maybe you should consider reviewing a trip in the Rhodopes narrow gauge train or a short ride with our great steam locomotives.

[@jimkeith3633]

Your videos are fun to watch! I would have so much trouble keeping track of what trains to use while traveling in Eastern Europe e

[@brutalmaster]

Wonderfull, classic comfort, made in East Germany in the 70s/80s. I love it :)

[@Striking_Salmon]

I'm from romania,berzovia and honestly this video seem cool ngl

[@preslav8021]

I am from Bulgaria (even from that town of Gorna Oryahovitsa, a major station in northern Bulgaria) and I love travelling by train, although I’ve used them only 3 times in my life. BDZh is very disliked here, people have the impression that our trains are dirty and never on time. They truly aren’t modern (although I think there are some new trains in southern Bulgaria), but at least when I used them, they were on time. People blame BDZh because of accidents on the tracks, which weren’t their fault. Also they are cheap and you get unique views, like the Iskar gorge. Have fun on trains! :)

[@ricktownend9144]

I have rarely been on a train running late in Bulgaria. It's certainly the best way to see this beautiful country

[@mihaelaedreva]

I came to this video from the video about Santa train where you mentioned Bulgaria and I was like wait what, let's see that... :D Not that I don't know what our trains look like . That was fun video to watch! I've done this trip about 15? years ago during the night in a sleeper cabin :)) I must say that during the day it looks much nicer, you can watch the landscapes :)

[@MichaelDBahnverkehr]

Very nice video!!! 👌👌👌

[@gravelking2.071]

>10 hours >long Passengers of RZD 002М train Moscow - Vladivostok: (visible confusion)

[@flopunkt3665]

Dude, this is 400 km It's all relative ;)

[@user-ix8ph7pd3i]

35 y ago my grandpa and grandma traveled a couple of times from Sofia to Leningrad (today- St Peterburg). The trip was 3-4 days with just one stop on the border Romania-Soviet Union to transfer to different tipe of rails.

[@ki5739]

I've heard Russians consider a train ride long if it is over 3-4 days. :)

[@MrGeforcerFX]

@@ki5739 In comes Merica :D I did the California zephyr - Cardinal on Amtrak from San Fransico to NYC, took 87 hours with the switch and the freight delays.

[@BruscoTheBoar]

They'd be like "Hold my calender"

[@tractorsmachinesro1405]

Great work

[@Mr_casaralta]

Really curious train trip!

[@user-nr8uo4op3d]

Very interesting

[@michaelf7093]

I caught a Turkish train here, in 2019, to go to Istanbul. Earlier, I had arrived here, from Belgrade. Very different trains.

[@vladimirterziev3119]

Great trip report. About the Sofia railway station....Yes, i think that inside is recently renovated,but don't know exactly when it happened.

[@kanggandachannel4214]

Very good views

[@daraka1754]

I love the 6 seats compartments

[@thomlyvee6788]

best video ever

[@bastianyan715]

You’re doing something that I really want to do. It is my dream to be able traveling around the world using train. Have subscribed your channel.

[@nic4obg]

I think you kinda missed out - we have a narrow gauge train track in southern Bulgaria that still uses a steam locomotive. It's a scenic route and I think you'd love it.

[@samtrak1204]

Thank you.

[@lyr1953]

Thanks so much! I love train journeys like this. Have you thought of taking the Bucharest-Kiev train or Bucharest-Chisinau (Moldova)?

[@sunilnerkar1197]

Excellent 👌 video

[@toony4984]

The BDZ cars are from the former GDR and most of them DO have power sockets. The hygiene is a problem, but things are getting better slowly but surely.

[@CisumAPRAT]

Yey, you passed through my city (Giurgiu) :)

[@cornells.1367]

I love Giurgiu... Best wishes to you.

[@TheMargean]

Greetings from Giurgiu, Romania! The long journey time is also due to CFR Romania, because normally from Giurgiu Nord, to Bucharest North, it should have lasted somewhere at 1 hour, 1 hour and 20 minutes, but .... near Gradistea , a bridge (on which the train passed) has been collapsed for more than 20 years. This is how it bypasses from Giurgiu Nord, through Videle, then Bucharest North, and this whole road lasts 3 hours!

[@varain87]

the bbridge collapsed 15 years ago,not 20

[@TheMargean]

@@varain87 more correctly, let's say the year of the crash, namely, 2005!

[@Abnerbandanovotempoinscrito1mi]

Boa viagem simply lindo tren gostei Show

[@lz1clr806]

super video ..................100%

[@RocketJSykes]

You should do more trip reports in this breathtaking country.

[@RocketJSykes]

btw i live like 3km away from the main railway station (i rarely take a train) {i get extreme motion sickness}

[@davideboschi5716]

Nice video bro

[@lavishravan]

So good =)

[@M.Tsabet]

amazing 👍👍👍

[@suriramu1481]

Nice video exposing rare sites

[@user-tv6kb6oo3c]

Very nice video. I am from Bulgaria and didn’t ride on a train for more than 15 years! Although I am working for the only railway turnout producer in Bulgaria. Maybe I should hit on a trip soon ☺️

[@TrainsInRomania]

Great video, thanks for sharing!! I hope you spent good time in Bucharest!

[@jmsmilfajt]

Yeah, Bulgarian railway trips are really cheap and enjoyable and Romanian coaches are well known here, some were made in Astra for Regiojet. 👍 Btw, still waiting for another Central European report 😇 - namely between PL/CZ/AT/HU. My tip is a new Regiojet connection Prague-Budapest via Wien starting 31/7. Or, CD Railjet newly between Berlin-Prague (super scenic route). 🏞️

[@bruno_mm_goncalves]

Bom video excelente parabéns

[@CFRTrainSpotter]

the CFR Couchette coach is a former DB "Touropa" couchette that was built around 1967-1968 from what i remember. the CFR's sleeper fleet is mostly composed of former DB sleeeping carriages and such brought second hand and refurbished locally. pretty nice but the should get a bit more up to date. think they were made by Waggonbau Hansa in Bremen. as for the Bulgarian coaches, they are either purchased in ~1985 to 1990 or purchased second hand (as you mentioned) from the DB/DR and refurbished locally at Septemvri, if you want to know. pretty cool vids btw!

[@TravelTourTaste]

Hello we hope your well and keeping safe. we are going to Bulgaria in just over 2 weeks thanks for putting up this video is there any tips you can give us while we are there? Kind Regards Sarah and Glenn

[@VellfireChauffeurGafa]

Love to do this trip someday 🥰👍, love from Kuala Lumpur 🇲🇾🌺❤️

[@ki5739]

You can try the night train Sofia-Istanbul. The sleeper coaches of TCCD are new-built and quite comfortable. There are some trip reports in youtube.

[@scottyerkes1867]

Interesting review!! Sorry your battery died. Thanks Thibault😀

[@simovtransportmedia1137]

Yes, Sofia central station was refurbished between 2015 and 2018.

[@gokceaydin3324]

12:27 TCDD uses a different couchette numbering scheme than the European scheme for domestic journeys. So, when the car is used for a European trip, they write the numbers on the compartment walls with a ballpoint pen. As almost always, the badly maintained TCDD car has wheel flats, although the BDZ one has the same here.

[@eviedoingthings3269]

Recommend overnight to Istanbul, border stop is early morning but if you can get a bed it’s a great experience!

[@Vaa0162]

you can travel 3 countries at once within 10 hours train trip in EU but this means Jakarta to Surabaya in my country Indonesia. Now I know why the price of plane ticket here is quite expensive lol

[@ellebelle8515]

12:14 Awesome :)

[@DieselPowerFinland]

I think older trains like this are better and more comfortable than modern trains, also in Finland where I live... New trains have so hard seats and boring interior colors and they don't have the same feeling/ambience like these 1970/1980s trains...

[@spasnikolov1238]

Very nice! Actually you can buy this for 18€ if you buy separate tickets Sofia - Ruse (10€, also available online) and Ruse - Bucharest(8€, bought at Sofia or Ruse)! :) About Sofia central station, it was reconstructed in 2016 for 70 mln lv, however, the yellow stairs and the statue in front of the station are not considered part of it and were not refurbished.

[@ag6371]

In some consists the CFR WLABmee coach looks really modern from the outside

[@pega17pl]

(7:43) I agree to your assumption coaches are from Germany. Usually express coaches (D-Züge). - - Heinz (from Germany)

[@ricktownend9144]

Great video, great collection of international comments! - Google translate got a lot of use...

[@RailfanTurner]

Terrific catches! Terrific trip you had! I like how they had signs in English besides their native language to direct people where they are going!

[@jonmodicare2096]

Blurred ending of SNCF train 😂 Nice Video 👍🧡🤍💚 from India 🇮🇳🙏

[@timko4975]

I really like the station how they put their name on the top of the station. White background, big black font.

[@andreimaidan5931]

11:56 the locomotive is a class 63 diesel electric, it is a prototype, only 2 were made, class 43 is the same as BDZ 444 built by Rade Koncar