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In 2024, the direct Belgrade to Sofia train remains suspended |
Belgrade to Sofia by train
The train ride between Belgrade and Sofia by train was a fascinating adventure across the Balkans on a route taken by the famous Orient Express until 1977.
The sorry state of this once-great line
The Belgrade-Sofia route has had its ups and downs in recent years, the result of limited resources and poor management. There used to be a daytime train and overnight train between these European capitals all year round, but by 2013 this had dwindled to an overnight train consisting of one Serbian couchette car. They then reinstated the day train, briefly restoring two trains per day before discontinuing the night train. In 2018 the remaining direct day train was made summer-only, with a 3-train combo the rest of the year. All service was discontinued in 2020 for the duration of the pandemic, after which a train service Belgrade-Niš and a cross-border Dimitrovgrad-Sofia train remained, with a 104 km gap in the middle.
In 2024, even the Dimitrovgrad-Sofia train has been discontinued, and taking a train from Belgrade to Niš then a bus from Niš to Sofia is now the best way to avoid flying or half a day in a long-distance bus. Let's hope these two capital cities get a better train service in future years.
Incidentally, Niš is pronounced Neesh. In the days of the Orient Express (or indeed of my own late-teens interrailing days) Niš was the major junction where the line to Sofia/Istanbul and the line to Skopje/Thessaloniki/Athens diverged.
Belgrade ► Sofia 2024
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Day 1, travel from Belgrade to Niš by Serbian train, leaving Belgrade Centar at 07:25, arriving Niš at 13:42.
This is a comfortable air-conditioned Serbian regional electric train with 1st & 2nd class. There's no catering, so bring supplies. You'll be travelling over a route once used by the Orient Express.
You can check Belgrade-Niš train times at w3.srbvoz.rs/redvoznje.
In Niš, rail and bus stations are a 28-minute 2 km walk apart, see walking map, or short taxi ride.
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Day 1, travel from Niš to Sofia by bus, leaving Niš bus station at 16:00, arriving Sofia bus station at 21:00.
Check bus times at www.nis-ekspres.rs. Niš bus station = Niš AS. Sofia bus station is next to Sofia railway station
Sofia ► Belgrade 2024
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Day 1, travel from Sofia to Niš by bus, leaving Sofia bus station at 16:00 and arriving Niš bus station at 19:00.
Check bus times at www.nis-ekspres.rs. Niš bus station = Niš AS. Sofia bus station is next to Sofia railway station
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Stay overnight in Niš. The best place to stay is the excellent Hotel Ambassador, a 1.3 km 19-minute walk from the bus station, see walking map, and from where it's a 1.8 km 25-minute walk or short taxi ride to the station, see walking map. The Ambassador is 5 star but it's cheaper than most western 2-stars and located next to Milan Square in the centre of the old town. The Garni Hotel Boutique 25h is cheaper and only 16 minutes walk from the station (see walking map), but check-out is shown as 'from 07:00' so make sure they're OK with you leaving before 7am.
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Day 2, travel from Niš to Belgrade by Serbian train, leaving Niš at 07:10 arriving Belgrade Centar 13:04
This is a comfortable air-conditioned Serbian regional electric train with 1st & 2nd class. There's no catering, so bring supplies. You'll be travelling over a route once used by the Orient Express.
If you're an early riser, there's an earlier train leaving Niš at 05:05 arriving Belgrade Centar 10:56. Or there's a later train at 12:18. You can check Niš-Belgrade train times at w3.srbvoz.rs/redvoznje.
How much does it cost?
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Belgrade to Niš by train costs 914 dinars (€8).
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Niš to Sofia by bus costs 2,060 dinars (€18).
How to buy tickets
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Buy the Belgrade-Niš train ticket at the station on the day, this is easy. Or buy online at the Serbian Railways website webapi1.srbvoz.rs/ekarta/. This is in Serbian but easy to work out with a little help from Google translate.
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Buy the bus ticket at www.nis-ekspres.rs.
What's the journey like?
The modern air-conditioned Serbian electric train at Niš. 1st & 2nd class with accessible toilet, interior seen from the small 1st class section at one end. Courtesy of @AndyBTravels, DiscoverByRail.com.
Nis railway station, a throwback to the communist era. I always remember the airport-style control tower on top of Nis station's main building as I passed through several times on the Munich-Athens Hellas Express between 1984 & 1990. Courtesy of @AndyBTravels, DiscoverByRail.com.
The Nis Express bus between Nis & Sofia, a larger or smaller bus may be used. Courtesy of @AndyBTravels, DiscoverByRail.com.