The 8631 Plovdiv to Varna express

It was on my last night in Plovdiv I discovered that, here in Bulgaria, you cannot book a taxi in advance. Don't worry, reception will get you a taxi in the morning. My train was due to depart at 07:24, I hoped that this was the case.  This album consists of some 160 photographs taken from the train on my return journey aboard the 8631 Plovdiv to Varna express so I obviously made it.  I didn't take any photos at the station as I was too busy trying to grab a hot drink and cheese pastry to take with me. Not enough hands!




Why travel by train? It offers a fascinating view of the countryside, the activities and the changes taking place within the country. The number of tracks and the sidings full of redundant rolling stock, quickly overgrown by weeds, reminded me of the similar state of the South African railway. Both once mighty affairs hauling the produce and raw materials, transporting, businessmen, holiday makers and troops. Now superseded by the auto-mobile and truck but, as you can see, fighting back.n High speed links will eventually join the Black Sea to Paris.

This infrastructure has largely disappeared in the UK after the Beeching plan closed down many of the branch lines, the difference now is that we have moved on, creating bypasses, cycleways and walks along the old track lines. So to will Bulgaria change in time. Perhaps not, the fight back against global warming and the demise of the car may leave the country at an advantage as they revitalise this structure whereas we, in the UK, have to rebuild.


Looking out of the carriage window the backdrop of the Ropodi Mountains gives way to valleys, rivers and lakes.  Small holdings, farmers with their livestock, arable, vineyards and honey bees, the minutia of life and the vastness of a very historical landscape. Redundant industrial complex, cold war airfield, vibrant lake and port. Some of the photos look very similar, I have thinned out the album but left some sequences to give the impression of the journey especially when viewed as a slideshow.

I was amused at some of the halts when passengers dismounted along the track to stretch their legs and have a smoke. Life is very casual here. Approaching the lakes the rail track affords a marvellous view of the activities and the lakes themselves, the floating dry dock, tugs, huge ships and rowing boats. The Asparuhov road bridge across the Varna river looks very spectacular when viewed from this side of the lake.



I have made some comments and located some places especially the railway stations on the map so that you have an idea of the route. I shall be travelling to the capital shortly, it will be interesting to compare the journeys.

View my "8631 Plovdiv to Varna Express" photo album
Play as a slideshow



The 8631 timetable, I shall visit some of the intermediary stations in the spring.

PLOVDIV 07:24 > TRAKIJA 07:33 07:34
BELOZEM 07:55 07:56 > CHIRPAN 08:26 08:27
STARA ZAGORA 09:10 09:15
HAN ASPARUH 09:30 09:34
NOVA ZAGORA 09:48 09:49
JAMBOL 10:24 10:25
ZIMNICA 10:36 10:37
STRALDZHA 10:43 10:44
KARNOBAT 11:14 11:16 > KOMUNARI 12:31 12:32
DALGOPOL 12:40 12:41 > POVELJANOVO 13:16 13:17
BELOSLAV 13:22 13:23 > VARNA 13:42





Location: Southern Industrial Zone, Plovdiv, Bulgaria

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