Strymonas-Kulata replacement bus

[Watershed]

I understand there is a rail replacement bus currently in operation between Strymonas (Greece) and Kulata (Bulgaria), as the extant line is not currently served. Does anyone know the timings of this bus? And does anyone know whether it's an official rail replacement bus (where rail tickets/passes are likely to be accepted)?

I can see that there is a train from Thessaloniki (600A) which arrives into Strymonas at 08:10, and a train from Kulata (50102) which departs at 09:45. This does seem to match up with a rail replacement connecting between the two (Google Maps says it's only 31 minutes by car) but I simply can't find any trace of it online.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Alfonso]

I understand there is a rail replacement bus currently in operation between Strymonas (Greece) and Kulata (Bulgaria), as the extant line is not currently served. Does anyone know the timings of this bus? And does anyone know whether it's an official rail replacement bus (where rail tickets/passes are likely to be accepted)?

I can see that there is a train from Thessaloniki (600A) which arrives into Strymonas at 08:10, and a train from Kulata (50102) which departs at 09:45. This does seem to match up with a rail replacement connecting between the two (Google Maps says it's only 31 minutes by car) but I simply can't find any trace of it online.

Thanks in advance.

According to the rather confused trainose website , the connecting bus is a trainose bus, but the whole service is currently suspended, if the website is up to date. https://www.trainose.gr/en/passenger-activity/international-services/international-railway-services/

 

[Watershed]

According to the rather confused trainose website , the connecting bus is a trainose bus, but the whole service is currently suspended, if the website is up to date. https://www.trainose.gr/en/passenger-activity/international-services/international-railway-services/

Yes, I'd seen that site but the messages rather seem to contradict each other:

There is no train services at the current period of time

*Please note that until further notice, the line section Strimon to Kulata and Kulata to Strimon is substituted by bus.

The stated departure time of 05:50 also matches up with the departure of train 600A from Thessaloniki. Which would tend to suggest that the itinerary is still possible.

Unfortunately neither TrainOSE nor BDZ have got back to me yet.

 

[burns20]

I've done this, Thessaloniki to Sofia and yes it all works, longish waits at Strymonas and Kulata from memory

You may have to change trains again at Blagoevgrad even tho it shows as a through train

Loco hauled carriage from Kulata to Blagograved then a Desiro EMU to Sofia

There is a cafe in the basement of the building next door to Kulata Station it is clean and does good coffee.

 

[Watershed]

I've done this, Thessaloniki to Sofia and yes it all works, longish waits at Strymonas and Kulata from memory

You may have to change trains again at Blagoevgrad even tho it shows as a through train

Loco hauled carriage from Kulata to Blagograved then a Desiro EMU to Sofia

There is a cafe in the basement of the building next door to Kulata Station it is clean and does good coffee.

Thanks, roughly how long ago did you do this journey?

 

[burns20]

3 or 4 years ago

 

[Caboose Class]

I understand there is a rail replacement bus currently in operation between Strymonas (Greece) and Kulata (Bulgaria), as the extant line is not currently served. Does anyone know the timings of this bus? And does anyone know whether it's an official rail replacement bus (where rail tickets/passes are likely to be accepted)?

I can see that there is a train from Thessaloniki (600A) which arrives into Strymonas at 08:10, and a train from Kulata (50102) which departs at 09:45. This does seem to match up with a rail replacement connecting between the two (Google Maps says it's only 31 minutes by car) but I simply can't find any trace of it online.

Thanks in advance.

Alfonso's reply to you is also confirmed by BDZ

Актуална информация за движението на международните влакове на границите с Румъния и Сърбия | БДЖ - Пътнически превози

Поетапно ще бъде възстановено движението на международните влакове, които преминават през граничните пунктове между България, Румъния и Сърбия. Движен...

www.bdz.bg

There are no trains running at the moment.

 

[superalbs]

Alfonso's reply to you is also confirmed by BDZ

Актуална информация за движението на международните влакове на границите с Румъния и Сърбия | БДЖ - Пътнически превози

Поетапно ще бъде възстановено движението на международните влакове, които преминават през граничните пунктове между България, Румъния и Сърбия. Движен...

www.bdz.bg

There are no trains running at the moment.

To be fair, that page is over a year old. Is it still current?

 

[Caboose Class]

To be fair, that page is over a year old. Is it still current?

Die Bahn shows no international trains passing through Kulata. Maybe there is a bus connection with Strymonas - but certainly no trains.

 

[MarcVD]

I had the chance to do this entire line in Spring 2015. The train was made of 2 run down BDZ carriages and two IC TrainOSE ones. That consist ran behind a BDZ electric loco to the last BDZ station. Wonderful scenery along this line, by the way. Then there the loco and two BDZ cars were detached and a diesel TrainOSE loco took over non stop to Strymonas where we waited in a siding for about 2 hours, with no hotel power, until an IC from Alexandropoulis finally arrived. Then more maneuvers to join our two cars to that train and on the way to Thessaloniki. The border crossing is still like it was during the could war, with flood lamps to examine the bottom on the train still present and powered up. But no more border guards...

Some greek guy in another forum told me that both loco and driver on those trains are very poorly used. As they have a shortage of drivers, and serviceable locos, those available can be better used elsewhere so bustitution was the answer.

Ah Yes, and also, I think I was the only one paying passenger aboard those two cars. That also might have influenced the decision...

 

[Watershed]

I had the chance to do this entire line in Spring 2015. The train was made of 2 run down BDZ carriages and two IC TrainOSE ones. That consist ran behind a BDZ electric loco to the last BDZ station. Wonderful scenery along this line, by the way. Then there the loco and two BDZ cars were detached and a diesel TrainOSE loco took over non stop to Strymonas where we waited in a siding for about 2 hours, with no hotel power, until an IC from Alexandropoulis finally arrived. Then more maneuvers to join our two cars to that train and on the way to Thessaloniki. The border crossing is still like it was during the could war, with flood lamps to examine the bottom on the train still present and powered up. But no more border guards...

Some greek guy in another forum told me that both loco and driver on those trains are very poorly used. As they have a shortage of drivers, and serviceable locos, those available can be better used elsewhere so bustitution was the answer.

Ah Yes, and also, I think I was the only one paying passenger aboard those two cars. That also might have influenced the decision...

Thanks - it's a shame but understandable if it tied up a loco plus 2(?) drivers a day for a 20km odd round trip. Would make more sense to have the Bulgarian operation extended to Strymonas but I'm sure that would come with its own complications.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

In pre-covid summers, I thought there was a through portion (inc couchette) from Bucharest to Thessaloniki?
It ran in the Bucharest-Ruze-Sofia day train (which also carried the Bucharest-Istanbul sleeper to Gorna Oryakhovitsa), and then overnight to Thessaloniki.
Fridays southbound, Sundays northbound.

 

[MarcVD]

Thanks - it's a shame but understandable if it tied up a loco plus 2(?) drivers a day for a 20km odd round trip. Would make more sense to have the Bulgarian operation extended to Strymonas but I'm sure that would come with its own complications.

The problem is that the line is electrified till the greek border so a loco change is required anyway.

 

[dutchflyer]

Afaik as for NOW-and yes, due to covid, what else, there is NO over the border connection. There may be still limited coaches=BUses going all the way and likely even coming from Athinai, but without the intermediate stops.

 

[Watershed]

Afaik as for NOW-and yes, due to covid, what else, there is NO over the border connection. There may be still limited coaches=BUses going all the way and likely even coming from Athinai, but without the intermediate stops.

Thanks - I will report back as to what I find!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Nov 2021 ==

Edit: new post below

I can confirm there is no replacement bus. I took a "rail replacement taxi" (booked in advance from a taxi company in Neo Petritsi) to the border, which cost €25. The border officials were somewhat bewildered to see me arriving on foot! It's a 15-20 min walk through the various border/customs stations until Kulata station.

Incidentally, the train from Kulata was exactly as per the Vagonweb listing - a slightly decrepit electric shunting loco plus three very comfortable compartment coaches. It's a very scenic journey down to Sofia!