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Bulgaria Interrail Pass
Eurail is now Interrail
Eurail and Interrail were two versions of the same pass, and which one you could buy depended on where you lived. That split has gone. There is now one name, Interrail, and it is available wherever you live. Your pass, bookings and account stay the same.
Overview
The Interrail Bulgaria Pass is the ultimate pass to explore Bulgaria, giving you unlimited travel on the days you choose at a fixed price.
Most journeys start in Sofia. Plovdiv is two and a half to three hours away with seven or eight trains a day, which makes it an easy first stop and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe. Carry on east and the lines run down to the Black Sea at Burgas and up to Varna, and north to Veliko Tarnovo, changing at Gorna Oryahovitsa.
The best thing on the network is the narrow-gauge line from Septemvri to Dobrinishte. It runs 125 km through the Rila, Pirin and Rhodope mountains on 760 mm track, takes about five hours end to end, and calls at Avramovo, the highest railway station in the Balkans at 1,267 m. It also reaches Bansko, which makes it useful as well as beautiful. Septemvri is on the main Sofia to Plovdiv line, so it is easy to fold into a wider trip, and it is run by BDŽ so your pass covers it.
You can take as many trains as you like and there is no limit on the distance you can travel within a travel day. Hop on and off trains as your plans change. Just show up at the nearest station and get ready to explore somewhere new.
The coast is a long way from Sofia, six to eight hours depending on where you are heading, so it is worth knowing that Bulgaria runs night trains east from Sofia to Varna and Burgas with couchettes and sleepers. You will need a berth reservation, but it turns a full travel day into a night's sleep.
Reservations are needed on the faster Expresen services between Sofia and Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas, and they cost very little, typically around €0.50 for a domestic journey. You can book at station ticket offices, and on many trains from the conductor. On slower regional services you can usually board with your pass and take any open seat.
Your pass covers BDŽ trains. It is not valid on the Sofia metro, city buses or trams, so getting around town is separate.
Your pass is a mobile pass, added to the Rail Planner app, so there is nothing to print or collect.
Whether you are the adventurous traveller or the avid planner, the Interrail Bulgaria Pass is your pass to freedom and the key to an unforgettable trip.
What is included?
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How does it work?
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1. Pick the right rail pass | 2. Reserve your seats | 3. Activate and travel |
Rail passes can be booked for travel in one specific country or you can choose one of a few pre-selected country/region combinations. Extensive travel plans? Try the Interrail Global Pass, offering train travel in 33 different countries. Once you've selected your pass, its price will depend on the class of service selected, passenger type, and the number of rail travel days. | Taking local and regional trains allows you to explore at will. Simply board with your Interrail Bulgaria Pass and choose any open seat. On the faster Expresen services between Sofia and Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas you will need a seat reservation, and the fee is small, typically around €0.50 for a domestic journey. Book at a station ticket office, or on many trains from the conductor. Overnight trains with couchettes or sleepers need a berth reservation. We recommend always checking your journey for any specific seat reservation requirements. | Your paper-free rail pass needs to be activated in the Rail Planner app before your first train journey or first use of a pass benefit. You have up to 11 months from buying your pass to activate it, and once a pass is activated it cannot be refunded. Don't forget to download the app before you travel, in case you do not have good internet access when you arrive. |
Comparison
Rail Passes vs. Train Tickets
Rail Passes | Train Tickets | |
|---|---|---|
Best for discovering more than 3 cities | ✔ | ❌ |
Children usually travel free | ✔ | ❌ |
Often includes travel bonuses | ✔ | ❌ |
Seat reservations included for most trains | ❌ | ✔ |
FAQs
Eurail and Interrail were two versions of the same pass, and which one you could buy depended on where you lived. That split has gone. Since 10 September 2026 there is one name, Interrail, so the Eurail Bulgaria Pass is now the Interrail Bulgaria Pass. The pass works like it did before, and you can buy it wherever you live outside Bulgaria. One Country Passes are not sold to residents of the country the pass covers, and we will tell you at checkout if a pass is not available where you live.
If you bought a Eurail Bulgaria Pass before 10 September 2026, it stays valid for its full period and nothing you have booked needs changing.
On the faster Expresen trains between Sofia and Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas, yes. The fee is very small, typically around €0.50 for a domestic journey, and you can book it at a station ticket office or on many trains from the conductor. Overnight services with couchettes or sleepers need a berth reservation. On slower regional trains you can board with your pass and take any open seat.
Yes. The Septemvri to Dobrinishte line is operated by BDŽ and included in your pass. It leaves the main Sofia to Plovdiv line at Septemvri and runs about five hours through the mountains, calling at Avramovo, the highest railway station in the Balkans, and at Bansko. There are only a few trains a day each way, so check the timetable before you plan around it.
A rail pass is a travel document that entitles you to travel on European trains in a specific geographic area (country/countries), for a specific number of days.
Be mindful that having a rail pass doesn’t necessarily mean that you can hop on any train at will, within the geographical area covered by your rail pass. Depending on the country, the type of train and the route, you may need to purchase seat reservations at an additional cost.
Lastly, rail passes are packed with additional benefits, also known as rail pass bonuses which can range from discounted shopping in retail stores, to preferential rates on other modes of transportation like ferry or bus, to rebates on hotel nights, reduced admission at museums attractions, and more.
A rail pass and a train ticket are two completely different types of travel documents.
A train ticket is valid for a single journey between two cities. Many tickets also include a reservation, which mean that they are valid only for a specific train, on a specific date and at a given time. To learn more about tickets, read our article: tickets explained.
A rail pass, on the other hand, is good for travel in an entire geographical area (1 country, 2 countries or more). With it you can take as many train trips as you want within that geographical area, for as many travel days as you purchased, within a set period of time (the pass validity period).
A flexi pass is valid for a specific number of travel days to be used within the overall validity period of that rail pass. For example, 15 days of unlimited train travel to be used within a 2-month period. With this kind of rail pass, you can pick and choose any days (they don’t have to be consecutive) to travel within the rail pass’ validity period.
Continuous (or consecutive) rail passes such as the Interrail Global Pass, are valid for unlimited train travel during the whole duration of the pass’ validity period. In other words, with a 15-day Interrail Global Pass, you can travel for 15 consecutive days by train. Even if you don’t take the train each and every day, those days will be considered used.
A travel day on a rail pass is a 24-hour period, from midnight to midnight, during which you can take as many train journeys as you desire. Since rail passes use calendar days, journeys within 24-hours of each other but on different days will count as two travel days.
The validity period of a rail pass is the time period in which you must complete your travels with your rail pass. This period is calculated from the date stamped on the rail pass by the railway official.
With a flexi pass this period is defined as a certain number of calendar months – typically one or two.
With a continuous day pass the validity period equals the number of travel days.
In general, yes, but there are some exceptions and a few rules to keep in mind.
First, be mindful that some trains (such as high speed, scenic, and night trains) require rail pass holders to purchase reservations at an additional cost.
For international train journeys, be sure that your rail pass covers the country of departure, country of arrival, and any countries through which your train will travel.
Lastly, some private rail lines in certain countries don’t offer reservations for rail pass holders and don’t accept rail passes. In these cases, you can purchase a train ticket locally for the desired journey.