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eymen
Traveller
1 comments

Posted 15 years ago

Hi,
we are planning to use the train in our journey from Istanbul to Berlin, but we are not sure if such a travel will be safe and comfortable for two girls (both 20). Firstly we don't know how we are going to be protected from thefts during the night when we are both sleeping and how much the rate of thefts in Bulgaria and Serbia is.
Something we'd also like to learn is if it is possible to choose a non couchette train and how to do it. Can we also pay an axtra fare and get a two-bed sleeper? Is it possible to do it in all night trains and how much does it cost?
The last question is if the trains in Bulgaria and Serbia are really on time and how much the delays are. A friend told that it takes much more than it is written on the timetable.
this is really the next question:): If we miss the train we'll have to wait in the train station maybe for hours and at night. Is the train station in Beograd a safe place at night?

Thank you,
Eymen

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eymen
Traveller
1 comments

replied 15 years ago

correction: This is really the last question instead This is really the next question

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Cazman
Traveller
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replied 15 years ago

Hi !
I've just came back from my Interrail trip and i've been in Sofia (Bulgaria) and Beograd (Serbia) so i could try to answer you (even if my english isn't very good)

So for the delays time, i took an overnight train between Thessaloniki and Sofia and it had about 3 hour late.
I took also an overnight train between Sofia and Beograd and i had about 4 hours late... During my trip, others bagpackers told me that these delays are usual in these country unfortunatly...
I missed my train connection between Beograd and Budapest so i stayed one day in Beograd. I think that the train station in Beograd could be safe at night if you don't plan to stay in the waiting room (i don't know if it's the good word in english...)...

As i said, i took an overnight train between Thessaloniki and Sofia. It cost me nothing even i had to make a reservation. I slept in a non couchette train with 3 bulgarian people (2 women and 1 man) and i had no problem with thefts.
Between Sofia and Beograd, i slept in a couchette train and i cost me about 11€. I slept with 2 slovakian people and i had no problem too.

To choose between a non couchette train and a couchette train, you have to ask how much does it cost to travel on seats. If they answer you that there are non seats, you have to take a couchette train. So if you want something like a two-bed sleeper or a non couchette train, just ask for it and you'll see because it depends on each train connection :)

I hope you can understand what i've written

Bye

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Cazman
Traveller
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replied 15 years ago

i forget something to say : i met some young girls travelling alone in Serbia and Bulgaria, so it's possible to travel in these countries if you're a girl :)