New high-speed train will link Europe to Turkey in just 3 hours by 2028

From the Eurostar to a new high-speed rail service that connects Paris to Turin (Milan), it’s easy to travel around Europe via train. Interrailing continues to grow in popularity, with a record-breaking 1.2 million Eurail and Interrail passes sold worldwide in 2023 — a 25% growth from the year before. But one country that’s no so well connected to the rest of the continent, is Turkey. Turkey is home to many holiday destinations, with Istanbul, Kusadasi, Bodrum and Marmaris among the areas British tourists flock to every year.

But if you want to get there via train, it’s not so easy. Currently, it takes a staggering 12 hours to travel the 330 miles between Istanbul, which famously straddles Europe and Asia, to the nearest capital city, Sofia, in Bulgaria (excluding Turkey’s own capital, Ankara). Some European destinations are offering incentives to visitors arriving by train, including free spas and £50 off hotel rooms.

Tourists who choose to explore Switzerland by public transport can enjoy free entrance to over 500 museums with a Swiss Travel Pass, while Alpine ski resorts are offering discounts on lift passes and other services for visitors who arrive by train. Read the full list of European destinations giving freebies for travelling by train here. To put that into perspective, that’s the same distance from London to Edinburgh, which takes around 4 hours and 30 minutes via train.

But now, the Turkish government is testing a new high-speed rail link, for easier travel between Istanbul to the border of the European Union. According to Railway Supply, the train route, named Halkali-Kapikule, will connect Halkali (a region of Istanbul) and Kapikule, on the border of Bulgaria, via an upgraded railway, which began construction in 2017. The expected journey time is around three hours.

The project also includes extending the line to Sofia. Also known as the Silk Railway, authorities say that by 2028, nearly 3.4 million people will benefit from this link. The line will belong to the Trans‐European Transport Network (TEN‐T) that connects member countries of the European Union. Founded in 6000 BC, history buffs should head to Plovdiv, in Bulgaria. The Old Town, which mixes medieval and 19th Century architecture, is where you’ll find historic architecture as well as the city’s museums.

And the Ancient Theatre of Philippopolisiconic, a Roman amphitheatre, which was only discovered after a landslide in the 70s, is one of the world’s best-preserved ancient theatres. A trip to the Ethnographic Museum will reveal more about the city’s history, where you’ll find folk costumes, musical instruments, and tools related to traditional crafts. Kapana, the city’s bohemian quarter, has become the cultural heart of Plovdiv in recent years, boasting boutique shops, galleries, wine bars, restaurants, and beer halls.

Do you have a story to share?. Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk. Set sail to the Mediterranean in 2025 – here's all you need to know. Arrow MORE: ‘Mugged off at every turn’: New European train route leaves UK travellers bitter. Arrow MORE: London commuter train station named one of the best in Europe. Arrow MORE: 11 holiday destinations you can fly to for less than a UK train ticket.