A train ticket from Sofia to Burgas no longer tells you everything you need to know about where to board. From 2 November 2026, rebuilding work at Sofia Central Railway Station means some Burgas-bound trains still leave the main station while others begin at Poduyane Passenger or Iskar. For a smooth journey to Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, check the train number before choosing the station on your map.
Before you travel: Sofia–Burgas rail checklist. Check your travel date and train number in the official BDZ timetable. Confirm whether the long-distance train starts at Sofia Central, Poduyane Passenger or Iskar, and identify any connecting train. Recheck the return journey separately; the two directions may use different terminals.
Why the departure station changes in November
Bulgaria’s railway infrastructure manager says through tracks 1–11 at Sofia Central will be taken out of regular use from midnight on 2 November 2026 until the end of 18 March 2027. The passenger operator BDZ describes the temporary arrangements as lasting until 19 March. This is not a total station closure: other tracks remain available, but the familiar habit of arriving at Central for every long-distance departure is risky. Read the infrastructure manager’s original announcement before assuming older station advice still applies.
Which trains to Burgas start at Sofia Central?
BDZ’s 20 October service notice identifies two Burgas-bound trains that continue to depart directly from Sofia Central. Train 3621 is announced at 06:00, ten minutes earlier than before. Train 8627 is announced at 22:20, thirty minutes earlier than its previous departure. Those numbers are useful for orientation, not a promise that a particular service will operate unchanged on every future date.
Neither the route name “Sofia–Burgas” nor a familiar arrival time is sufficient to establish your boarding station. Match the complete train number on the ticket with the live journey search, particularly if you are heading to Central after a flight or an overnight stay.
Poduyane and Iskar: four different departures
For the same route, BDZ lists train 8611 from Iskar at 06:55 and train 3625 from Iskar at 17:05. It places train 8613 at Poduyane Passenger at 13:02 and train 3623 at Poduyane Passenger at 13:30. These published details show why a generic “Sofia railway station” direction can be misleading. Ask where the train itself begins, not simply where you can buy a ticket.
BDZ says rail transfers will connect Sofia Central with affected services at Poduyane and Iskar. However, it does not make every connection interchangeable. Use the official dated journey planner to identify the feeder train, your actual interchange and the time needed between them. Do not assume a taxi or metro journey is required if BDZ provides an appropriate rail connection.
For travellers with large suitcases, pushchairs or reduced mobility, a feeder connection deserves particular attention. Contact BDZ in advance to confirm the boarding arrangements at each station on your itinerary; do not assume the interchange will be step-free or effortless just because it is included in a journey search.
Plan the return separately
The disruption also changes where some services from Burgas finish. BDZ says train 8626 and train 8612 remain among the arrivals at Sofia Central; other Burgas services terminate at Iskar or Poduyane instead. A round trip can therefore involve different stations in the two directions. Before paying for accommodation or a tight onward connection, check both journeys as individual itineraries.
Use BDZ’s official ticketing site once you have checked the route. If a station name or connection is unclear, the operator lists a 24-hour information line, including international contact details. Keep your train number accessible on travel day; it is more actionable than a screenshot of a timetable published before the works.
What happens when the December timetable changes?
There is a second date to watch. BDZ says its proposed national timetable for 2027 is intended to take effect on 13 December 2026, while the Sofia reconstruction is still under way. The September announcement also discusses potential additional Sofia–Burgas services, but proposed trains should not be treated as confirmed departures until they appear in the applicable timetable. Check again close to the journey, even if you planned weeks earlier.
Build flexibility into a Black Sea itinerary
If your visit includes time in Sofia before the coast, an extra afternoon can be useful rather than wasted: our Sofia National Gallery walking guide covers two central art stops. For wider context on the station project, SofiaCityGuide’s separate winter station guide explains why other intercity routes are affected too. Neither replaces BDZ’s train-specific itinerary.
Above all, build time around the actual boarding station and your return connection, rather than planning the day around a single advertised departure. The railway remains an option for reaching Burgas; the important new travel skill is verifying exactly where each leg begins.
