How To Take A Coach From Romania To Turkey
Last Updated on: 11th September 2023, 03:00 pm
The plan was to take an overnight train to Romania, and then spend a few days there. Then we were going to take an overnight train from Bucharest to Istanbul. But like the best plans, things can go wrong at the last minute. That happened to us, and we ended up having to take a coach from Romania to Turkey.
There is only one train a day that goes from Bucharest to Istanbul. And that train is only one carriage long! And that train is full of sleeper carriages, so there are very few seats or places on that carriage. So we had to find another way to get to Turkey – and fast! We travelled to Constanta by train for a day out and then took the coach from there.
Choosing A Route For A Coach From Romania To Istanbul
These places fill up fast like the train tickets. This is because everyone falls back on the coach when their first option changes. You can take a coach from Bucharest, Strada Valea Cascadelor. It leaves at 10 p.m. and gets into Istanbul at 9 a.m. the following morning. There is only one coach a day, like the train.
Or you can take a coach from Constanta, on the Romanian coast. This coach leaves every other day at 7 p.m. and arrives at the coach station in Istanbul at 7 a.m.
The coach goes through a couple of border controls on the journey and these are so time-consuming, especially as you are travelling through the night. You go through the Romania – Bulgaria one, where you surrender your passport to the authorities.
TOP TIP – Use this time to go to the toilet! You need to keep some Romanian Lei back to pay for the toilet. Although you can pay in Euros and Bulgarian Lev. But they will not accept Turkish Lira or USD. The man operating the toilet is scary and will shout at you if you have the wrong currency.
Our Experience On The Coach To Turkey
I can honestly say that there was only one negative about having to take a coach from Romania to Turkey. That was that there was no toilet! 12 hours is a long time to travel without a toilet on board. But the positives of this trip absolutely outweighed the negatives. I have never been on a coach trip where you were treated like first-class passengers the whole way.
The coach was at the bus station an hour earlier than expected and we were able to choose our seats and sort our bags out ready for the trip. There were no onboard toilets so we popped to the loo at the bus station too. Our large backs were put underneath, but as the door was kept open, we sat outside and watched them until the door closed. But other than that it was nice to be able to relax before we were going to take a coach from Romania.
There were 3 or 4 members of staff on the bus. Two of them were drivers and two were there to make sure you were comfortable along the journey. They would walk up and down with snacks and drinks throughout the journey. They also bought sanitiser and wipes along too.
As this coach was half empty we were able to spread out and sleep on the seats. This made it more comfortable and we were able to cat nap. We stopped about 6 hours into the journey for a toilet and coffee stop. I know I was desperate at this time! Overall it was one of the best overnight journeys I have done between major cities and I would take a coach from Romania to Turkey again.
The Border Control, When You Take A Coach From Romania
Obviously, there are border controls, as I said earlier. But the one that takes the time is the Bulgaria to Turkey Border. Turkey has always had strict border control, even if you fly into the country. The road is busy and the traffic queues for miles. Eventually, you go through the Bulgarian border and then you slowly go through the Turkish border. There are toilets here to use.
The downside is that this all happens at about 3 a.m.! So if you had ideas of sleeping, that is not happening.
TOP TIP – When you arrive at the coach station in Turkey, do not get in a cab. They will scam you and try to extort as much money as they can from you. You can get a bus or Metro into the centre of Istanbul.
