Bulgarian railways organising Christmas steam train excursions in December 2023
Bulgarian state railways BDZ has announced special Christmas steam train rides in December 2023.
The Christmas trains will travel on December 16 from Sofia to Pernik and back, and on December 17 from Sofia to Bankya and back.
On December 16, the train will depart from Sofia Central Railway Station at 9am on a route through Razmenna, Voluyak and Hrabarsko to Pernik, where it will arrive at 10.33am.
“The train will consist of three carriages for travellers and one a themed retro carriage where Father Christmas and Snow White will welcome all young and grown-up children,” BDZ said.
Before traveling back to Sofia on the Christmas train, everyone will have enough time to walk around, visit the Christmas market in Pernik and enjoy the festive programme organised by the municipality of Pernik, the announcement said.
The train will depart from Pernik at 2.35pm on a route through Vladaya and Gorna Banya and will arrive in Sofia at 3.45pm.
Round-trip ticket prices on the route Sofia – Pernik – Sofia are 58 leva for adults and 29 leva for children up to 10 years of age including reserved seats on the train.
On December 17, the Christmas train will travel twice on the route Sofia – Bankya – Sofia.
The first trip departs at 9.15am from Sofia Central Railway Station, and the train will arrive in Bankya at 9.45am. The train will depart from Bankya at 11.20am and arrive in Sofia at 11.49am.
The second trip will depart from Sofia at 2pm and arrive at Bankya at 2.30pm, from where the train will depart at 4pm and arrive in Sofia at 4.30pm.
The Christmas train will be made up of five passenger carriages and one specially decorated retro carriage which will once again house Father Christmas and Snow White for this journey as well. The train will remain in Bankya long enough for passengers to visit the Christmas Town in the centre of the resort town.
Ticket prices for travel in both directions on the Sofia – Bankya – Sofia route are 46 leva for adults and 23 leva for children up to 10 years of age, including reserved seats on the train.
Tickets for the Christmas trains can be purchased at ticket offices and railway offices in all stations in the country, as well as online at https://bileti.bdz.bg/.
(Photo: BDZ)
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