Moscow to Sofia by train
Travel from Moscow (Russia) to Sofia (Bulgaria) by train (1778km): schedule and information to the train connection. Compare fares and buy your ticket.
The train connection Moscow (Russia) - Sofia (Bulgaria) goes via Ukraine, Moldova and Romania. Please read the following travel information and blog posts.
There are two main routes. Compare them and decide which one feeds your needs best.
- 1Moscow (Russia) - Chisinau (Moldova) - Bucharest (Romania) - Sofia (Bulgaria)
- 2Moscow (Russia) - Warsaw (Poland) - Budapest (Hungary) - Bucharest (Romania) - Sofia (Bulgaria)
1778 km
How to use the following information: we show you the best routes and where to buy tickets. On longer routes you may need more than one ticket. Book your tickets step by step as explained. If you have questions about the route from Moscow to Sofia, please ask in our forum. Of course, sometimes there are as well other travel routes possible.
The following links could be interesting for you.
train connections : popular connections travelled by other users
Sofia - Moscow / Moscow - Burgas / Moscow - Plovdiv / Moscow - Varna / Saint Petersburg - Sofia / Saint Petersburg - Burgas / Saint Petersburg - Plovdiv / Saint Petersburg - Varna / Yekaterinburg - Sofia / Vladivostok - Sofia1 Moscow (Russia) - Chisinau (Moldova) - Bucharest (Romania) - Sofia (Bulgaria)
The route consist of more than one step. You have to buy several train tickets.
1a Travelling from Moscow (Russia) to Chisinau (Moldova)
Travel from Russia to Moldova by a direct overnight train. This daily train connection runs on the train route from Moscow via Kiev (Ukraine) to Chisinau (Moldova). Or from Saint Petersburg via Belarus and Ukraine to Chisinau.
Find exact train schedules and buy your ticket via the given booking websites.
Where to buy a ticket from Moscow to Chisinau?
The following links could be interesting for you.
train company:
RZD Российские железные дороги
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Chisinau - Moscow / Saint Petersburg - Chisinau
1b Travelling from Chisinau (Moldova) to Bucharest (Romania)
Travel from Moldova to Romania by overnight train on the route from Chisinau to Bucharest. The journey time is 13 hours. The train ticket price starts from 25 EUR. The train route runs via Ungheni (Moldova) and Iași (Romania).
The overnight train Chisinau to Bucharest offers the following service categories:
- 2nd class: 4-berth compartments. The ticket price 135 RON (28 EUR).
- 1st class: 2-berth compartments. The ticket price 290 RON (60 EUR).
The departure time in Chisinau is 17:00. The arrival time in Bucharest is 06:00.
Additionally there are local trains from Ungheni (Moldova) across the border to Iași (Romania). Regular train connections are available from Chisinau to to Ungheni.
Find the exact train schedules and buy your ticket via the given booking links.
Where to buy a ticket from Chisinau to Bucharest?
The following links could be interesting for you.
night train: Night trains that might be suitable for this trip.
105/401 Chisinau - Bucharest
train company:
CFR Căile Ferate Române / CFM Calea Ferată din Moldova
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Bucharest - Chisinau
search for train schedules here: Online timetable information, on which you can find relevant, up-to-date connections.
rail.cc Deutsche Bahn
1c Travelling from Bucharest (Romania) to Sofia (Bulgaria)
Travel from Bucharest to Sofia by direct train. The journey time is 9:10 hours. The ticket fare is 161 RON (33 EUR).
The departure time in Bucharest is 11:00. And the arrival time in Sofia 20:10. In off-season (October to May) you have to change trains in Ruse (Bulgaria). Arrival time in Ruse is 13:45. Departure time in Ruse is 14:15. You can save money if you split your ticket booking: buy one ticket for Bucharest to Ruse and a second ticket for Ruse to Sofia.
Find the exact train schedules and buy your tickets via the given booking links.
Where to buy a ticket from Bucharest to Sofia?
The following links could be interesting for you.
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Sofia - Bucharest
2 Moscow (Russia) - Warsaw (Poland) - Budapest (Hungary) - Bucharest (Romania) - Sofia (Bulgaria)
The route consist of more than one step. You have to buy several train tickets.
2a Travelling from Moscow (Russia) to Warsaw (Poland)
Travel from Moscow to Warsaw by direct train. The journey time is 15 hours. Train tickets are available from 150 EUR. The trains run overnight via Belarus and offer compartments with 1, 2 or 4 berths. They are very comfortable and high quality.
If you want to avoid Belarus, you can travel via Ukraine.
First travel from Moscow to Kiev by overnight train. The journey time is 13 hours, tickets are available from 70 EUR. Then travel from Kiev to Warsaw by day or overnight train. The journey time is 15 hours and tickets are available from 45 EUR.
Find train schedules and buy your ticket via the given booking links.
Where to buy a ticket from Moscow to Warsaw?
The following links could be interesting for you.
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Warsaw - Moscow
2b Travelling from Warsaw (Poland) to Budapest (Hungary)
Travel from Warsaw to Budapest by train. There exists one direct day train and one direct overnight train. More train connections are available with a change of trains. The journey time is 10:30 hours. The ticket price starts at 19 EUR.
1) Travel by day train connection.
The journey time is 10:30 hours. The departure time in Warsaw is 08:50. The arrival time in Budapest is 19:20. The ticket price starts at 19 EUR.
2) Travel by overnight train EN477.
The departure time in Warsaw is 19:45. The arrival time in Budapest is 08:30. The train offers the following service categories:
- standard seats from 19 EUR.
- shared compartments with 4 or 6 beds from 49/59 EUR.
- private compartments with 3, 2 or 1 bed (optional with private shower and toilet) from 69/89/129 EUR.
Where to buy a ticket from Warsaw to Budapest?
The following links could be interesting for you.
train types: Train types you are likely to travel with.
EuroCity (EC)
night train: Night trains that might be suitable for this trip.
EN 476/456/406 Budapest - Warsaw / EN 407/477 Warsaw - Budapest
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Budapest - Warsaw
2c Travelling from Budapest (Hungary) to Bucharest (Romania)
Travel from Budapest to Bucharest by overnight train or by day train. The journey time is 15 hours. Train tickets start from 29 EUR.
The overnight train is comfortable and the recommended way of travel. It offers couchettes for 4 or 6 persons per compartment with ticket fares from 39 EUR. And sleeper compartments for one to three travellers with ticket fares from 55 EUR. The departure time in Budapest is 19:10 and the arrival time in Bucharest is 12:30.
Beside the overnight train there is a comfortable air-conditioned Intercity train which run at daytime. Ticket fares start from 29 EUR. The departure time in Budapest is at 07:10 and the arrival time in Bucharest is 23:59.
As third option there is the overnight train "Dacia Express". It offers sleeper compartments as well with shower and toilet. The departure station of the train is Vienna (Austria), therefore the arrival time in Bucharest is very late the next day at 16:00. The departure time in Budapest is 23:10. You can board the train already one hour earlier. The ticket fares are the same like mentioned above.
All in all it is a recommended rail trip trough the beautiful scenery trough Transylvania and of the Carpathian mountains.
Find the exact train schedules and buy your ticket via the given booking links.
Where to buy a ticket from Budapest to Bucharest?
The following links could be interesting for you.
night train: Night trains that might be suitable for this trip.
EN 347 Vienna - Bucharest / EN 473 Budapest - Bucharest
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Bucharest - Budapest
2d Travelling from Bucharest (Romania) to Sofia (Bulgaria)
Travel from Bucharest to Sofia by direct train. The journey time is 9:10 hours. The ticket fare is 161 RON (33 EUR).
The departure time in Bucharest is 11:00. And the arrival time in Sofia 20:10. In off-season (October to May) you have to change trains in Ruse (Bulgaria). Arrival time in Ruse is 13:45. Departure time in Ruse is 14:15. You can save money if you split your ticket booking: buy one ticket for Bucharest to Ruse and a second ticket for Ruse to Sofia.
Find the exact train schedules and buy your tickets via the given booking links.
Where to buy a ticket from Bucharest to Sofia?
The following links could be interesting for you.
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Sofia - Bucharest
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Do you have questions about the connection between Moscow and Sofia? Does something not work as it should? Just ask in our forum and get competent answers from our rail travel experts.