There are 4 ways to get from Istanbul to Rakovski by bus, night train, train, or car
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 Esenler to Plovdiv
6h 1m$45–50Bus via Istanbul Esenler Otogari
cheapest- Take the bus from Istanbul Esenler Otogari to Plovdiv Bus Station SouthArda - Tur
8h 35m$33–42Night train, train
- Take the night train from Halkali to DimitrovgradBosphor Express
- Take the train from Dimitrovgrad to CheshnegirovoRe
9h 32m$43–63Drive 394.3 km
- Drive from Istanbul to Rakovski394.3 km
3h 50m$63–90
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Istanbul to Rakovski is to bus via Istanbul Esenler Otogari which costs $30 - $45 and takes 8h 35m.
The fastest way to get from Istanbul to Rakovski is to drive which takes 3h 50m and costs $60 - $90.
The distance between Istanbul and Rakovski is 447 km. The road distance is 394.3 km.
The best way to get from Istanbul to Rakovski without a car is to bus which takes 6h 1m and costs $40 - $50.
It takes approximately 6h 1m to get from Istanbul to Rakovski, including transfers.
Rakovski is 1h behind Istanbul. It is currently 2:08 AM in Istanbul and 1:08 AM in Rakovski.
Yes, the driving distance between Istanbul to Rakovski is 394 km. It takes approximately 3h 50m to drive from Istanbul to Rakovski.
There are 656+ hotels available in Rakovski.
What companies run services between Istanbul, Turkey and Rakovski, Plovdiv, Bulgaria?
Luks Yonca operates a bus from Istanbul Esenler to Plovdiv once daily. Tickets cost $24 and the journey takes 5h 30m.
Transport is disrupted due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Read more
- Phone
- +35929311111
- onlineticket@bdz.bg
- Website
- bdz.bg
Night train from Halkali to Dimitrovgrad
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 28m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- $10–17
- Website
- https://www.bdz.bg/en
- 2nd Class
- $10–14
- 1st Class
- $13–17
Train from Dimitrovgrad to Cheshnegirovo
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Every 2 hours
- Estimated price
- $2–5
- Website
- https://www.bdz.bg/en
- 2nd Class
- $2–4
- 1st Class
- $2–5
- Phone
- 0545 792 30 02
- info@luksyonca.com.tr
- Website
- luksyonca.com.tr
Bus from Istanbul Esenler to Plovdiv
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $24
- Schedules at
- polazak.rs
- Phone
- +359 700 20 544
- Website
- ardatur.bg
Bus from Istanbul Esenler Otogari to Plovdiv Bus Station South
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 40m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- $26–35
- Website
- https://ardatur.bg/en/
- Phone
- +359 0885700870
- support@citylines.eu
- Website
- citylines.eu
Bus from Istanbul Esenler Otogari to Plovdiv Bus Station South
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 30m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $30–40
- Website
- https://citylines.eu/
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- flixbus.fr
Bus from Istanbul Esenler Otogari to Plovdiv Bus Station South
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 45m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $32–33
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
- Phone
- +90 212 658 00 61
- info@huntur.com.tr
- Website
- huntur.com.tr
Bus from Istanbul Esenler Otogari to Plovdiv Bus Station South
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 25m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $28–32
- Website
- https://www.huntur.com.tr/
Want to know more about travelling around Bulgaria
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
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