How much does it cost?

From £1,450 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $1,959 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is the train travel included?

Yes, train tickets for all the rail journeys in the itinerary are included, in first class where available, though several days use coach transfers instead of trains.

Is it escorted or independent?

Escorted, with a Tour Manager throughout and an accompanied tour bus.

Which trains are used?

Regional Bulgarian trains including the Sofia to Karlukovo route through the Iskar Gorge, the line to Tryavna over the Balkan Mountains, and the 'Rhodope Caterpillar' from Stara Zagora to Podkova, the country's southernmost station.

What hotels are used?

Hotel Legends in Sofia, the Diplomat Plaza in Lukovit, the Sevlievo Plaza, and the Alexander Spa Hotel in Zlatograd; hotels in Plovdiv and the return night in Sofia are not named in the evidence.

How do you get to Bulgaria?

The Ground Only price of £1,450 is for travellers who make their own way to Sofia; a Flight Inclusive option from Stansted or Luton costs from £1,725, and rail travel from the UK is possible with overnight stops in Munich, Budapest, and Bucharest.

One departure is listed, in October 2026, priced from £1,450 for Ground Only.

Railtrail Tours · Escorted tour

Undiscovered Bulgaria – Autumn Whispers 2026

Escorted 9-day autumn rail tour through rural Bulgaria

Railtrail Tours runs this 9-day escorted tour through Bulgaria in October, starting and ending in Sofia and travelling by a mix of regional trains, coach, and flight. A Tour Manager accompanies the group throughout, with an accompanied tour bus. After a day in Sofia, the tour rides the train through the Iskar Gorge to Lukovit, then visits Prohodna Cave by jeep and the covered bridge over the Osam River in Lovech before a train to Troyan for rakia tasting. Later days include the Pumpkin Festival in Sevlievo, the medieval capital Veliko Turnovo, a train over the Balkan Mountains to the museum town of Tryavna, and the Rhodope Caterpillar train to Podkova, Bulgaria's southernmost station. The route continues through Zlatograd and Plovdiv to the museum town of Koprivshtitsa before returning to Sofia by train. The trip suits travellers interested in Bulgaria's regional railways and rural heritage away from the main tourist routes.

What to know before you look closer

The lead price of £1,450 is for the Ground Only option, joining and leaving at Sofia; the Flight Inclusive option from Stansted or Luton costs from £1,725. A Rail Inclusive option is referenced in the deposit terms, but its price is not given in the evidence.
Several days rely on coach transfers rather than train, including day 4's visit to Veliko Turnovo and day 7's journey from Zlatograd to Plovdiv.
The stop at Bachkovo Monastery on day 7 is marked 'TBC' in the itinerary, so it is not guaranteed.
Only one departure is currently listed, for October 2026.

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Sofia
Arrival in Sofia
UK flight departures direct from UK to Sofia, transfer to your hotel, dinner and overnight. It is possible to reach Sofia by train from the UK with overnight stays in Munich, Budapest and Bucharest.
Day 2railovernight: Lukovit
Sofia to Lukovit
Morning tour of Sofia, free time for lunch. Transfer to the railway station and take the afternoon train from Sofia to Karlukovo (via Iskar gorge). Arrival at Karlukovo train station, transfer to Lukovit. Dinner and overnight at your hotel. If time permits - possible short walk in the 'Golden Park' of Lukovit.
Day 3railovernight: Sevlievo
Prohodna Cave, Lovech and Troyan to Sevlievo
Jeep tour to Prohodna cave (The Eyes of God). Transfer from Lukovit to Lovech. Walking tour in the centre, see the covered bridge over the Osam River. Transfer to the train station for train to Troyan. Time in the centre of Troyan for lunch and visit to a local rakia factory. Transfer to Sevlievo, dinner and overnight at your hotel.
Day 4overnight: Sevlievo
Pumpkin Festival and Veliko Turnovo
Visit the Pumpkin Festival in Sevlievo, an annual celebration blending local agricultural pride with cultural festivities. Late afternoon visit to Veliko Turnovo - the medieval capital city of Bulgaria. Back to Sevlievo, dinner and overnight.
Day 5railovernight: Stara Zagora
Tryavna and Stara Zagora
Coach transfer from Sevlievo to Debelets. Take the train to Tryavna museum town, crossing the Balkan Mountain range. Time in Tryavna for sightseeing and visit the museum of woodcarving. In the afternoon, take the train to Stara Zagora. Check in at the hotel, dinner and overnight.
Day 6railovernight: Zlatograd
The Rhodope Caterpillar to Zlatograd
Transfer to the train station, take the morning train from Stara Zagora to Dimitrovgrad and then Podkova, the southernmost train station in Bulgaria, known as the 'Rhodope Caterpillar'. Transfer to Zlatograd, the southernmost town in Bulgaria. Check in at your hotel and relax, time to enjoy the spa complex.
Day 7overnight: Plovdiv
Zlatograd to Plovdiv
Morning visit of Zlatograd Ethnographic Areal Complex, an open-air living museum. Transfer with the coach to Plovdiv, with stops for sightseeing en route - Smolyan, Asenovgrad, Bachkovo Monastery (TBC). Arrival in Plovdiv. Check in at your hotel. Evening walking tour of Plovdiv or free time.
Day 8railovernight: Sofia
Koprivshtitsa and return to Sofia
Transfer from Plovdiv to Koprivshtitsa museum town. Walking tour and free time for lunch. Train from Koprivshtitsa to Sofia. Farewell dinner with folklore program.
Day 9
Departure
Free time and departure transfers for flights to Stansted, Birmingham and Luton. For Heathrow you have a post-tour night in Sofia and fly back on Friday 16 October. For Liverpool you have two post-tour nights in Sofia and fly back on Saturday 17 October.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 2The train from Sofia to Karlukovo runs through the Iskar Gorge.
Day 3A jeep tour to Prohodna Cave, known as 'The Eyes of God,' followed by a walking tour in Lovech past the covered bridge over the Osam River.
Day 5A train crosses the Balkan Mountain range en route to the museum town of Tryavna.
Day 6The Rhodope Caterpillar train runs from Stara Zagora through Dimitrovgrad to Podkova, the southernmost train station in Bulgaria.
Day 8A walking tour of the museum town of Koprivshtitsa, followed by a farewell dinner with a folklore program back in Sofia.

Included

8 nights bed, breakfast & evening meal
All travel and excursions as per itinerary
Arrival and departure airport transfers
Train tickets (First Class, where available)
Jeep tour to Prohodna cave
Rakia tasting
Train tickets for all the journeys listed in the itinerary
Activities and entrances for the visited sites as per the itinerary
Accompanied tour bus (bus size depends on group size)
Use of spa centres at the hotels in Lukovit and Zlatograd (mineral water pool)
Services of experienced Tour Manager

Not included

Optional activities, souvenirs, laundry etc.
Meals not mentioned in the itinerary
Additional hotel services (e.g. minibar, spa)

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £1,450 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $1,959 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is the train travel included?: Yes, train tickets for all the rail journeys in the itinerary are included, in first class where available, though several days use coach transfers instead of trains.
Is it escorted or independent?: Escorted, with a Tour Manager throughout and an accompanied tour bus.
Which trains are used?: Regional Bulgarian trains including the Sofia to Karlukovo route through the Iskar Gorge, the line to Tryavna over the Balkan Mountains, and the 'Rhodope Caterpillar' from Stara Zagora to Podkova, the country's southernmost station.
What hotels are used?: Hotel Legends in Sofia, the Diplomat Plaza in Lukovit, the Sevlievo Plaza, and the Alexander Spa Hotel in Zlatograd; hotels in Plovdiv and the return night in Sofia are not named in the evidence.
How do you get to Bulgaria?: The Ground Only price of £1,450 is for travellers who make their own way to Sofia; a Flight Inclusive option from Stansted or Luton costs from £1,725, and rail travel from the UK is possible with overnight stops in Munich, Budapest, and Bucharest.
When does it depart?: One departure is listed, in October 2026, priced from £1,450 for Ground Only.