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Retro Train Tours in Bulgaria

Retro Train Tours in Bulgaria

Tours for railway fans and enthusiasts, Photography tours and Nostalgic tours

For the railroad lovers and fans and for our friends with adventurous spirit, who want to discover the beauties of Bulgaria in a unique way, we offer our retro train tours with different kinds of compositions of retro trains.

Travelling with retro steam or diesel locomotives or in the retro comfort of “Corona Express”, “Vitosha Express” and the French retro-coaches one can become familiar with the beauty and the variety of the Bulgarian nature as well with the cultural-historical inheritance of our nation. There is an ample opportunity to take photographs of the beautiful scenery by turning the locomotive cruise into a photo safari. Every adventurous guest will be completely satisfied.

Here is some information about Bulgaria’s active steam locomotives and heritage compositions:

  • Steam locomotive 609.76 lets out its steam on Bulgaria’s last remaining narrow-gauge line from Septemvri to Dobrinishte – the Rhodope Railway. The 125 km line with a gauge of 760 mm takes the passengers on a truly attractive 5 ½ hour journey through the Rhodope and Pirin mountain ranges.
  • One of the most impressive Bulgarian steam locomotives, 46.03, was constructed in 1931 in Poznan and represents a significant achievement of European locomotive building in the 1930s. The phenomenal monster 2-12-4 46.03 was nicknamed “(Grand-) Mother Bear”, as it is one of the largest and most powerful steam locomotives ever built – an engine, that has no competitor all over Europe. Designed to haul heavy coal trains on the mountainous railways, this remarkable heritage loco was restored and brought back to life in 2015.
  • Steam locomotive 16.27 was produced by Wiener Lokomotivfabrik Floridsdorf in 1948. This large 2-10-0 German Kriegslok class 42 belonged to the Lokomotivfabrik WLF till 1952, when it was sold to Bulgaria together with another 32 locomotives of the same series. It was rebuilt and operating since 2015 as part of a number of heritage charter railtours, as well as day trip steam trains on the major Bulgarian national holidays.
  • Steam locomotive 01.23 was built in Switzerland in 1935 in SLM Winterthur locomotive plant. It is a representative of the most numerous series of fast steam locomotives in the history of the Bulgarian Railway Company (BDZ). Nowadays the railway workers call it “star”, because it is extremely interesting from technical point of view and mainly because there are few preserved locomotives from this series around the world. In the summer of 2003 01.23 became part of BDZ’s the museum collection “Railway Inheritance” and since then it has been operating on many attraction journeys around Bulgaria.
  • Steam locomotive 03.12 is a machine produced in Henschel-Kassel, Germany. It is the latest jewel in the museum collection of BDZ. After a 2-year restoration 03.12 did its first attraction journey in May 2011.
  • Steam locomotive 05.01 is a representative of probably the most beautiful series of locomotives that BDZ has ever possessed. It was fully restored in the end of 2010 and now the retro train admirers can enjoy its unique steam sound during a picturesque entertainment tour. Currently out of operation.
  • Steam locomotive 26.26 - the newest addition to the operating retro locos of BDZ, is also the oldest among the steam flotilla. This little gem took part in the Balkan War and in the First World War. Produced in 1908 by Henschel u.Sohn – Kassel, the 26.26 was put back on tracks in 2022 after long-term restoration at the Sofia depot.
  • The unique diesel railcar 19001.7 (original number 29-01) is the only heritage railcar of its kind left in Europe. Built in 1960 in SGP-Wien, Austria, the railcar has two separate compartments – first class and second class. The luxurious original furniture is completely preserved, offering 37 comfortable seats in total. In order to ensure passengers’ maximum comfort and pleasant trip, this heritage railcar also has a luxurious and fully equipped bar, where different kinds of drinks, cold and hot food could be served.
  • The luxury train Corona Express consists of coaches specially produced for Tsar Boris III, Tsaritsa Ioanna and Price Kiril in 1938 in Germany, a salon-coach with 40 seats, a kitchen wagon, a dining car, a wagon for transporting cars and salon-coaches. The authentic furniture from the period before World War II has been preserved. With its perfect running potential, the train offers maximum traveling comfort.
  • The Vitosha Express luxury train offers: two luxury sleeping cars combined with a salon for accommodating and servicing 10 passengers; two coaches of the apartment type with a kitchen salon and the necessary equipment; a coach with special apartments with in-built bathrooms and toilets and a separate bed compartment for two people; a dining car with 36 seats with a working kitchen; a switchboard wagon for telephone conversations. The train has an autonomous electric power system, an air-conditioner, audio-video equipment and a wagon for the carriage of cars.

The Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) possesses another two interesting steam locos, which have been restored and operated on attraction journeys for some years. Unfortunately, at the moment both locos are out of order:

Steam locomotive 15.215 was produced by Schwartzkopff locomotive plant in Berlin in 1943. It is a representative of the most large-scale produced war type locomotives during the Second World War. It has been operating in BDZ since 1962. In 2002, after about 9 years of inaction, 15.215 was restored and operated several steam train tours.

Steam locomotive 16.01 is a representative of the first freight locomotives in Bulgaria. It was restored in 2005 and for a few years it was a real photo attraction for tourists and railway fans.

We can proudly boast that Ulpia Tours has been a part of the organization of the most interesting heritage rail adventures with 46.03, 16.27, 01.23, 15.215, 609.76 and the rest of the Bulgarian steam flotilla!

Please feel free to contact us with any requests for information and tours you might have!

Yours,

Maya and the team of Ulpia Tours

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