Sofia to Szolnok by train
Travel from Sofia (Bulgaria) to Szolnok (Hungary) by train (556km): schedule and information to the train connection. Compare fares and buy your ticket.
To travel by train from Sofia in Bulgaria to Szolnok in Hungary, the main route leads via Serbia or Romania. Please read the following information and blog posts.
There are two main routes. Compare them and decide which one feeds your needs best.
- 1Sofia (Bulgaria) - Belgrade (Serbia) - Szolnok (Hungary)
- 2Sofia (Bulgaria) - Bucharest (Romania) - Szolnok (Hungary)
556 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 Sofia to Szolnok, 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
Szolnok - Sofia / Burgas - Budapest / Plovdiv - Budapest / Varna - Budapest1 Sofia (Bulgaria) - Belgrade (Serbia) - Szolnok (Hungary)
The route consist of more than one step. You have to buy several train tickets.
1a Travelling from Sofia (Bulgaria) to Belgrade (Serbia)
Travel from Sofia to Belgrade by direct day train connection. In off-season (October to May) you have to change trains in Dimitrovgrad and Niš. Sometimes an overnight train is offered as well.
The journey time from Sofia to Belgrade by direct day train is 09:15 hours. Train tickets are available from 21 EUR in 2nd class. Buy your ticket locally at the railway station. The departure time in Sofia is 09:15. The arrival time in Belgrade (Topcider) is 18:30.
If no direct train is available, you have to travel in several steps:
1. Sofia to Niš.
2. Niš to Dimitrovgrad.
3. Dimitrovgrad to Belgrade.
Find the exact schedules via the booking links.
Where to buy a ticket from Sofia to Belgrade?
Check times&prices 
The following links could be interesting for you.
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Belgrade - Sofia
1b Travelling from Belgrade (Serbia) to Szolnok (Hungary)
Travel from Serbia to Hungary by direct train on the route from Belgrade, Novi Sad to Budapest.
There are saver fare tickets available from 15 EUR.
2021: the direct route Belgrade, Novi Sad to Budapest is under construction. The best option is to travel by train from Belgrade to Zagreb and from Zagreb to Budapest if you want to avoid changes and buses.
Find the exact train schedules and buy your train tickets via the given booking websites.
Where to buy a ticket from Belgrade to Szolnok?
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.
B340 Belgrade - Budapest
train company:
MÁV Magyar Államvasutak - MÁV START
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Szolnok - Belgrade / Belgrade - Budapest / Novi Sad - Budapest
search for train schedules here: Online timetable information, on which you can find relevant, up-to-date connections.
rail.cc Deutsche Bahn
2 Sofia (Bulgaria) - Bucharest (Romania) - Szolnok (Hungary)
The route consist of more than one step. You have to buy several train tickets.
2a Travelling from Sofia (Bulgaria) to Bucharest (Romania)
Travel from Sofia to Bucharest by direct train connection. The journey time is 9:40 hours. The ticket fare is 161 RON (33 EUR).
The departure time in Sofia is 07:20. And the arrival time in Bucharest is 17:00. In off-season (October to May) you have to change trains in Ruse (Bulgaria). Arrival time in Ruse is 13:20. Departure time in Ruse is 14:15. You can save money if you split your ticket booking: buy one ticket for Sofia to Ruse and a second ticket for Ruse to Bucharest.
Find the exact train schedules and buy your tickets via the given booking links.
Where to buy a ticket from Sofia to Bucharest?
Buy the train ticket at a railway station. Note: in some countries you have to pay a service fee at the ticket counter. The ticket can be purchased at a station in the country of departure, also sometimes in other countries.
The following links could be interesting for you.
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Bucharest - Sofia
2b Travelling from Bucharest (Romania) to Szolnok (Hungary)
To travel from Romania to Hungary by train, buy your ticket from international ticket offices at stations in Romania or online on the website of CFR. There are a number of offers available, including discounts on regular one-way or return tickets as well as advance saver fares.
You can also buy online tickets from Hungarian Railways MAV START, however online tickets from MAV START have to be printed from ticket machines at stations in Hungary!
International services run mainly from Bucharest either via Brasov - Sibiu/Sighisoara - Simeria or Craiova - Timisoara to Arad and then via the Curtici/Lököshaza border crossing to Budapest. Additional international express trains run from Brasov - Cluj Napoca - Oradea via the Episcopia Bihor/Biharkeresztes border crossing to Budapest.
Where to buy a ticket from Bucharest to Szolnok?
Buy the train ticket at a railway station. Note: in some countries you have to pay a service fee at the ticket counter. The ticket can be purchased at a station in the country of departure, also sometimes in other countries.
The following links could be interesting for you.
train types: Train types you are likely to travel with.
InterRegio (IR)
night train: Night trains that might be suitable for this trip.
EN 346 Bucharest - Vienna / IC 406 Brașov - Budapest / EN 472 Bucharest - Budapest
train company:
MÁV Magyar Államvasutak - MÁV START / CFR Căile Ferate Române
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Szolnok - Bucharest / Bucharest - Budapest / Brașov - Budapest / Timișoara - Budapest / Iași - Budapest / Cluj-Napoca - Budapest / Sibiu - Budapest / Sighișoara - Budapest
search for train schedules here: Online timetable information, on which you can find relevant, up-to-date connections.
rail.cc Deutsche Bahn
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Do you have questions about the connection between Sofia and Szolnok? Does something not work as it should? Just ask in our forum and get competent answers from our rail travel experts.
Eurail: if you want to travel this route by Eurail instead of train tickets, have a look here for reservation fees and further information.
