World Borders: How to Get From Romania to Bulgaria (Train from Bucharest to Veliko Tarnovo)

World Borders: How to get from Romania to Bulgaria.

World Borders: How to get from Romania to Bulgaria.

Another of my Eastern European world borders series now as I write about my trip from Romania to Bulgaria. Having loved my time in Bucharest, I decided to head south and check out the medieval city of Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria. Having used train to cross from Romania to Moldova (and back the same way) and the bus from Moldova to Transnistria, this time I went for the train again – but a day train. Here’s how to get from Romania to Bulgaria using the train route.

romania bulgaria border safety

World Borders: How to get from Romania to Bulgaria (by train)

Buying Your Train Ticket
OK as far as buying your ticket is concerned, I recommend one of two options:
1. Buy it the day before in advance
2. Buy it just before the train leaves (but arrive at the station an hour early)
For once in life I decided to buy my ticket the day before, just as I had more time that day and was near the train station in Bucharest so I just popped in and bought my ticket. You buy the ticket from Casa 1 – which is for international departures from Bucharest’s Gara de Nord.

Casa 1 - the international ticket office in Bucharest Gara de Nord.

Casa 1 – the international ticket office in Bucharest Gara de Nord.

I decided to head from Bucharest in Romania to Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria. There is no direct train on this route so you need to change, unless you are heading to either Ruse, Gorna Oryakhovitsa or Sofia. Those three stations in Bulgaria (and a few others), you can reach without having to change trains.

My tickets from Romania to Bulgaria.

My tickets from Romania to Bulgaria.

My ticket from Bucharest to Veliko Tarnovo cost me 89 Lei in total (around $25 US). The ticket was in two parts – my train from Bucharest to Gorna Oryakhovitsa and my second train of the day which would leave from Gorna Oryakhovitsa and go to Veliko Tarnovo. You need your passport and the payment (in card or cash – I used cash). I got issued with two tickets – one for each leg of the journey.

A cafe at Bucharest Gara de Nord.

A cafe at Bucharest Gara de Nord.

Bucharest Gara de Nord is full of great cafes, bars, restaurants (even brand name ones if you mis your McDonalds etc.) and takeaway coffee for $0.20 from the dispensers.

Leaving Bucharest at Gara de Nord
My train was heading for Sofia at 12.55 pm and so I boarded around 12.35pm and found my seat.

My train to Bulgaria.

My train to Bulgaria.

In my 6 seat compartment was one other backpacker – Mine from Turkey and a local Romanian couple. The train was delayed slightly but we pulled out of Bucharest Gara de Nord around 13.10 pm and headed south towards the border.

The train from Bucharest to Bulgaria.

The train from Bucharest to Bulgaria.

I chatted to Mine all about travel – she was heading to Varna in Bulgaria next (which requires a change at Ruse – just across the border). I was heading to Veliko Tarnovo (which requires a change at Gorna Oryakhovitsa).

World Borders: Getting the train to Bulgaria.

World Borders: Getting the train to Bulgaria.

Mine, from Turkey who shared a carriage with me.

Mine, from Turkey who shared a carriage with me.

At 2.05 pm we arrived at the station in Videle and a few more people got on. I opened my last Romanian beer here which I had bought at the station.

The stop at Videle.

The stop at Videle.

Final Romanian beer - Ursus.

Final Romanian beer – Ursus.

Leaving Romania at Giurgiu Nord
At 4pm we were at the border to leave Romania – it’s a place called Giurgiu Nord. You stay on the train. At the start you can get off to have a walk (mostly smokers get off). The guards came on board and checked my passport on the train. I travel on an Irish and a British passport and both passports do not require a visa for either Romania or Bulgaria.

Giurgiu Nord - leaving Romania.

Giurgiu Nord – leaving Romania.

Giurgiu Nord - leaving Romania.

Giurgiu Nord – leaving Romania.

The guards simply checked my passport and handed it straight back to me. No questions, no stamps. That was the exit from Romania. Once everyone on the train had been checked, we rolled into Bulgaria. The Romanian departure point station is called Giurgiu Nord.

Crossing the bridge from Romania into Bulgaria.

Crossing the bridge from Romania into Bulgaria.

You then cross a bridge over a few massive rivers. On the other side, the writing has changed and you are now in Bulgaria. There is a border point for HGVs and cars which you can see out the left hand window. It has the Romania, Bulgaria and European Union flags flying.

romania bulgaria border safety

The flags together at the border

After this we stop at Ruse in Bulgaria. Those not heading to Sofia, Veliko Tarnovo or Gorna O (and a few other minor stations), need to change here. I double checked with the guards this and they confirmed that after the Bulgarian passport check, I would remain on the train and would need to change at Gorna Oryakhovitsa.

Our train compartment.

Our train compartment.

Arriving at Ruse, Bulgaria
Arrival at Ruse is simple. The train stops and you get your passport checked on board. Again my passports are EU and don’t require a visa to enter Bulgaria. It was a quick check and handed back to me. No forms to fill in, no stamps and no bag check. This all took place between 4- 4.20 pm.

Border control at Ruse, Bulgaria.

Border control at Ruse, Bulgaria.

After that we headed off from Ruse onwards towards Gorna Oryakhovitsa. One thing I forgot to do was change some Euros or Dollars over for Bulgarian Levya at the border. You can get off the train and do this but make sure you rush – as the train doesn’t signal an obvious departure – it just goes when it goes. I said goodbye to Mine at Ruse – as she changed trains for Varna on the Black Sea/east Coast of Bulgaria.

Ruse, Bulgaria

Ruse, Bulgaria

Darkness then fell as we headed south to Gorna Oryakhovitsa.

Darkness falls after leaving Ruse.

Darkness falls after leaving Ruse.

Changing Trains at Gorna Oryakhovitsa, Bulgaria
It was 6pm when we arrived in Gorna O. When I got out at Gorna Oryakhovitsa, it was all a bit eerie. I was dumped off in darkness, in a kind of dry cold nothingness in a station which reminded me of Minsk in Belarus and Chisinau in Moldova.

Gorna O train station times...

Gorna Oryakhovitsa  train station times…

Suddenly, I was the only foreigner in sight. All the writing was in Bulgarian and I couldn’t understand a thing. I had absolutely no idea what train was going to Veliko Tarnovo!! It felt like I was properly backpacking again – this is a really obscure spot.

Gorna O station.

Gorna O station.

It was now 6.30 pm and I frantically asked the only people around at the station for help. Nobody of course can speak a word of English but at least two of them knew what I meant by “train to Veliko Tarnovo” and so it was – platform 4 I was told and the train would leave at 19.10 pm.

Trying to make sense of the departures from Gorna O.

Trying to make sense of the departures from Gorna O.

In the meantime I still had no Bulgarian Levya and searched for a money changer. It was dark, everything was shut. It was eerie and there was no chance. I felt like a proper traveller again, this was so off the beaten track there wasn’t even any track.

The only backpacker on the train just before it left Gorna O.

The only backpacker on the train just before it left Gorna O.

I got a lot of odd looks and it didn’t seem so welcoming. I thought I’d better just head to platform 4 and wait for the train. I was the only backpacker on the platform. I was the only travellers on the platform. I was the only person on the platform!! I waited for 10 minutes, the train driver showed up and I was let on the train. The only passenger, crazy! OK then just one minute before the train left I was joined by two others and off we went!

The train ready to leave Gorna O.

The train ready to leave Gorna O.

The Train from Gorna Oryakhovitsa to Veliko Tarnovo
We left Gorna A around 19.13 pm, just three minutes after schedule. Just after leaving Gorna Oryakhovitsa the lady conductress checked my ticket and I double checked with her I was on the right train to Veliko Tarnovo (always better to be sure!) and asked her what time we would get to Veliko Tarnovo.

All alone on route to Veliko Tarnovo.

All alone on route to Veliko Tarnovo.

Astonishingly it was to be the next stop! I only had to wait about 20 minutes and there we were – a few others were now on the train and I had arrived by night in Veliko Tarnovo station.

Night time arrival in Veliko Tarnovo.

Night time arrival in Veliko Tarnovo.

Arrival in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
The train station in Veliko Tarnovo is again non-descript and old school. I simply marched past the screaming taxi drivers and decided to walk it myself as a backpacker to the city centre and my hotel, the Family Hotel Comfort. It was around a 2-3 kilometre walk through dark streets but you could feel the magic in the air now.

Veliko Tarnovo by night.

Veliko Tarnovo by night.

Veliko Tarnovo by night.

Veliko Tarnovo by night.

Veliko Tarnovo is a special place and I made a good choice stopping off here on route to Plovdiv (and later Sofia) on my Bulgarian adventure. In less than an hour I had checked in and showered and was ready to go out and eat and have my first beer in Bulgaria! It had been a long but exciting border crossing and I had a really cosy home for the night at the Family Hotel Comfort Veliko Tarnovo.

Backpacking to my hotel in Veliko Tarnovo.

Backpacking to my hotel in Veliko Tarnovo.

Here are my videos from the border crossing from Romania to Bulgaria by train:

9 thoughts on “World Borders: How to Get From Romania to Bulgaria (Train from Bucharest to Veliko Tarnovo)

  • Thanks for your post. Interesting as I expect to be going from Veliko Tarnovo to Bucharest in April. I know the VT area a little so know that it’s not a good idea to go from Gorna Oryahovitsa to VT by train as there’s a regular minibus from the station to the center of VT, takes half an hour, for about 50 cents. I hope you enjoyed VT, currently my favorite city.

  • Aiming to do the similar trip this week. Had fun reading yours. I’ll keep my fingers crossed hope I’ll meet nice people! Happy travels!

  • Hi Ed, Thanks for the comment and I am extremely sorry for the huge delay in replying to you. I have been going through problems with depression and wasn’t checking the comments or messages that much. The Danube certainly gets around! Stay safe. Jonny

  • Hi Anna, Thanks for the message and apologies for the long delay. I have been suffering from depression and didn’t check my comments or emails as much. I was there in 2014 so things might have changed. Good luck with your trip. Jonny

  • Hi Mike, thanks for the comment and apologies for the delayed response. I have been suffering from long term depression caused by liars. I am glad you enjoyed my post on Bulgaria. When I travelled, I had no other option but to go via Gorna Oryahovitsa but I love the adventure. Stay safe. Jonny

  • Hi Johnny Harshith here – well written and nice adventure. Did you face any problems while you were walking for 2-3 kms in night after reaching Veliko Tarnovo to your Family Hotel Comfort ?
    I enjoyed reading your post. Where can I read about your other travelling destinations.

  • Hi Harshith – it was a dark cold night and I am paper map loyal so I think it was difficult to find. But these days many people are Google Maps loyal so it would be easier. It was certainly a magical beautiful walk though in deep darkness in glory days loyal. Safe travels. Jonny

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