There are 9 ways to get from Istanbul to Balkan Peninsula by bus, train, car, or plane
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Bus
best- Take the bus from Istanbul Büyük Otogari to Sofia Serdica Bus Stationbus Citylines 19 / ...
- Take the bus from Sofia Central Bus Station to Vidinbus
14h 16mTrain
cheapest- Take the train from Halkalı to Sofiatrain
- Take the train from Sofia to Vidintrain Ic
21h 39m$21–32Drive 758.9 km
- Drive from Istanbul to Balkan Peninsulacar 758.9 km
8h 29m$121–175Fly Istanbul to Sofia Airport, train
- Fly from Istanbul (IST) to Sofia Airport (SOF)plane IST - SOF
- Take the train from Sofia to Vidintrain
11h 29m$88–272Bus via Stara Zagora
- Take the bus from Instabul to Stara Zagora Central Bus Stationbus
- Take the bus from Stara Zagora to Vratsabus
- Take the bus from Vratsa to Vidinbus
19h 2mFly Istanbul to Bucharest Otopeni, bus
- Fly from Istanbul (IST) to Bucharest Otopeni (OTP)plane IST - OTP
- Take the bus from Bucharest Otopeni Airport to Calafatbus
10h 47m$93–280Fly Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport to Sofia Airport, train
- Fly from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) to Sofia Airport (SOF)plane SAW - SOF
- Take the train from Sofia to Vidintrain
11h 49m$118–362Fly Istanbul to Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport, bus, drive
- Fly from Istanbul (IST) to Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (BEG)plane IST - BEG
- Take the bus from Beograd, Autobuska stanica to Negotinbus
- Drive from Negotin to Balkan Peninsulacar
11h 50m$158–347Fly Istanbul to Niš Constantine The Great Airport, bus, drive
- Fly from Istanbul (IST) to Niš Constantine The Great Airport (INI)plane IST - INI
- Take the bus from Niš, Autobuska Stanica to Selačka Rekabus
- Drive from Selačka Reka to Balkan Peninsulacar
9h 7m$105–336
Istanbul (IST) to Sofia Airport (SOF) flights
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Istanbul to Balkan Peninsula is to train which costs $21 - $35 and takes 21h 39m.
The fastest way to get from Istanbul to Balkan Peninsula is to drive which takes 8h 29m and costs $120 - $180.
No, there is no direct bus from Istanbul to Balkan Peninsula. However, there are services departing from Istanbul Büyük Otogari and arriving at Vidin via Sofia Central Bus Station. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 14h 16m.
No, there is no direct train from Istanbul to Balkan Peninsula. However, there are services departing from Yenikapi and arriving at Vidin via Halkalı and Sofia. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 21h 39m.
The distance between Istanbul and Balkan Peninsula is 816 km. The road distance is 758.9 km.
It takes approximately 14h 16m to get from Istanbul to Balkan Peninsula, including transfers.
Istanbul to Balkan Peninsula bus services, operated by Citylines, depart from Istanbul Büyük Otogari station.
Istanbul to Balkan Peninsula train services, operated by Turkish Railways (TCDD), depart from Halkalı station.
The best way to get from Istanbul to Balkan Peninsula is to bus which takes 14h 16m and costs . Alternatively, you can train, which costs $21 - $35 and takes 21h 39m.
Istanbul to Balkan Peninsula bus services, operated by Citylines, arrive at Sofia Serdica Bus Station.
What companies run services between Istanbul, Turkey and Balkan Peninsula, Romania?
You can take a bus from Istanbul Büyük Otogari to Balkan Peninsula via Sofia Serdica Bus Station, Sofia Central Bus Station, and Vidin in around 14h 16m. Alternatively, you can take a train from Yenikapi to Balkan Peninsula via Halkalı, Sofia, and Vidin in around 21h 39m.
- Website
- turkishairlines.com
Flights from Istanbul to Sofia Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 18m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $75–250
Flights from Istanbul to Bucharest Otopeni
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 28m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $55–230
Flights from Istanbul to Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 46m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–340
Flights from Istanbul to Niš Constantine The Great Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- When
- Tuesday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $80–300
- Website
- tarom.ro
Flights from Istanbul to Bucharest Otopeni
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $55–230
Flights from Istanbul to Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport via Bucharest Otopeni
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–270
- Website
- airserbia.com
Flights from Istanbul to Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 46m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–340
Flights from Istanbul to Niš Constantine The Great Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- When
- Tuesday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $80–300
- Website
- flypgs.com
Flights from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport to Sofia Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $30–230
- Website
- animawings.com
Flights from Istanbul to Bucharest Otopeni
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $90–170
- Website
- interjet.com
Flights from Istanbul to Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport via Tivat
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 50m
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- $160–320
- Phone
- +90 444 8 233
- [email protected]
- Website
- Turkish Railways (TCDD)
Train from Halkalı to Sofia
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 40m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $14–20
- Website
- Turkish Railways (TCDD)
- Phone
- +359 2 931 11 11
- [email protected]
- Website
- Bulgarian Railways (BDZh)
Train from Sofia to Vidin
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 11m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $4–6
- Website
- Bulgarian Railways (BDZh)
- 2nd Class
- $4–6
- 1st Class
- $4–6
Train from Sofia to Vidin
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 11m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $4–6
- Website
- Bulgarian Railways (BDZh)
- 2nd Class
- $4–6
- 1st Class
- $4–6
Train from Sofia to Vidin
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 11m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $4–6
- Website
- Bulgarian Railways (BDZh)
- 2nd Class
- $4–6
- 1st Class
- $4–6
- Phone
- +359 0885700870
- [email protected]
- Website
- Citylines
Bus from Istanbul Büyük Otogari to Sofia Serdica Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 9h
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- $35–50
- Website
- Citylines
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- [email protected]
- Website
- Flixbus
Bus from Istanbul Büyük Otogari to Sofia Serdica Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 30m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $55–85
- Website
- Flixbus
- Phone
- +359 700 20 544
- Website
- Arda Tur
Bus from Istanbul Büyük Otogari to Sofia Serdica Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 9h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $82
- Website
- Arda Tur
- Phone
- +90 212 658 00 61
- [email protected]
- Website
- Huntur
Bus from Istanbul Büyük Otogari to Sofia Serdica Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 10h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $25–40
- Website
- Huntur
- Phone
- 02/813 33 98
- [email protected]
- Website
- aleksiev-91.com
Bus from Sofia Central Bus Station to Vidin
- Ave. Duration
- 4h
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Schedules at
- aleksiev-91.com
- Phone
- +359 82 82 81 51
- [email protected]
- Website
- avtogararuse.org
Bus from Instabul to Stara Zagora Central Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 37m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $19–27
- Schedules at
- avtogararuse.org
- Website
- planinite.info
Bus from Stara Zagora to Vratsa
- Ave. Duration
- 5h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Schedules at
- planinite.info
Bus from Vratsa to Vidin
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Schedules at
- planinite.info
- Phone
- +40 768 922 512
- [email protected]
- Website
- bbilantravel.ro
Bus from Bucharest Otopeni Airport to Calafat
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 30m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- $32
- Schedules at
- bbilantravel.ro
- Phone
- 019 435 045
- [email protected]
- Website
- nikolicprevoz.rs
Bus from Beograd, Autobuska stanica to Negotin
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 24m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- $17–21
- Schedules at
- nikolicprevoz.rs
- Phone
- +381 19 542 888
- [email protected]
- Website
- polazak.rs
Bus from Beograd, Autobuska stanica to Negotin
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 17m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Schedules at
- polazak.rs
- Phone
- +381 18 255 177
- Website
- Niš-ekspres
Bus from Niš, Autobuska Stanica to Selačka Reka
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 28m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $8–12
- Website
- Niš-ekspres
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Booking & Getting There
Balkan Peninsula is 1h behind Istanbul. It is currently 6:47 AM in Istanbul and 5:47 AM in Balkan Peninsula.
Istanbul to Balkan Peninsula train services, operated by Turkish Railways (TCDD), arrive at Sofia station.
Yes, the driving distance between Istanbul to Balkan Peninsula is 759 km. It takes approximately 8h 29m to drive from Istanbul to Balkan Peninsula.
There are 72+ hotels available in Balkan Peninsula.

































