seanaine
Traveller
0 comments
Posted 4 years ago
I will be purchasing a 5 day interrail ticket. Starting the trip in Munich, to -Budapest to -Bucharest to-Istanbul. I probably have read too much & am confused. Will my Interrail ticket do on all trains from Munich to Istanbul? I will need to buy double sleepers on leg 1, 2,& 4
(1) Munich to Budapest,
(2) Budapest to Bucharest, and as the last leg Bucharest to Istanbul is too long for one journey I propose
(3)Bucharest to Dimitrougrad staying in Dimitrougrad overnight & getting train next day from
(4) Dimitrougrad to Istanbul.
Will my Interrail ticket do between Bucharest & Istanbul & where do I purchase double sleepers for the leg (1( (2) & (4) My research tells me train leaves Bucharest at 11.00 a.m. & gets into Dimitrougrad at 21.50 LONG DAY. Next day leaving Dimitrougrad at 22.40 & gets into Istanbul at 7.00 a.m. I would appreciate any advice & clarification of booking sleepers. I am new to this & hope to make it a feature of train travel from now on in Europe.
nltrainer
Traveller
1334 comments
You do not NEED to pay for fairly expensive sleepers, if you are content with less luxury (and sometimes also less graft or corruption exactly in countries there) you can just go for the seats or the liegewagen/couchette. Even though the beds may be old but fine, often the tracks on which those trains there run are not both (old yes, fine not) and whatever you choose-you wake up like a fruitshake.
Your ticket should cover the whole route and now the bad news: IF you have everything preplanned, like most new users tend to (too afraid to wing it or with out anything on your fone?) youve paid way to much compared with prebooked cheap singles. Also for the REServations-most of these can only be done in local station whilst there. I will not recheck times for you, but I would say: dont bother with overnight stay in Dim.grad-just change right away. OR make a detour and visit Sofia or perhaps Plovdiv-there at least you get something to see and do.
Scroll down further and see all countries covered for further infos or go to interrail.eu. If its not there, then the indeed very simple oldfashioned answer is: can only be done in person in a station of the countries concerned. You do NOT have to fear that trains are sold out weeks before, this is utter nonsense. Also with IR you are NOT tied into using just 1 train/day, you can use as many as you can cram in or feel to.
BTW- 3+4 CAN be done with direct change with 1 travelday-read the rules in the sites mentioned: valid on that day including any through train overnight starting before 24.00 till end of trip on THAT train. MOst likely you have a 2nd cl IR=in that case you will be tied, if you insist on those sleepers, to 2nd cl=3 beds on top of one another. Warning (thats why I said corruption); there are alas many. many reports about cheating sleepercar guards who will want extra money from you as superrich westerner, as they think they are too poorly paid.
In short too: just for this trip you will not see the finest of railways/trains, but many claim its an unforgettable experience.
Flo
Traveller
10723 comments
Hi!
Online reservation for the night train Munich - Budapest should be available at ÖBB website at http://rail.shop/oebb - select "Global Pass" or "Interrail" as discount.
Night train: https://rail.cc/en/interrail-night-train/munich-budapest-en-463/55
Online reservation for Budapest - Bucharest is not available but you can ask travel agency Wasteels in Budapest: https://rail.shop/wasteels
Night train: https://rail.cc/en/interrail-night-train/budapest-bucharest-en-473/120
During the summer months there will be a direct couchette car (four bed compartments) from Bucharest to Istanbul. Online reservation is not possible but maybe Wasteels can make a reservation in advance (see link above). Otherwise you have to get the reservation locally. It makes no sense to stop overnight in Dimitrovgrad.
Blog post: https://rail.cc/en/blog/bucharest-sofia-istanbul-train
Your Interrail pass will be valid on all these trains.
Flo