Optima Express
The Optima Express is a privately operated car train connection from Optima Tours GmbH from Villach, Austria to Edirne, Turkey . Until 2009 the company also offered motorail trains between Villach and Thessaloniki in Greece .
route
The train runs up to three times a week in both directions from April to November. Loading docks are located at Terminal 2 of Villach East Railway Station and the Station of Edirne. The route runs from Villach through the Karawanken tunnel via Ljubljana , Zagreb , Belgrade , Niš and Sofia to Edirne. There are no ways to get on or off the route.
The driving time for the 1,400 km long route is around 35 hours, which corresponds to an average speed of 40 km / h. This relatively long journey time is due to frequent breaks in the journey for the purpose of customs and passport controls. In addition, the locomotive is changed at every national border and long sections of the route are in poor condition.
Trains
The train sets consist of couchette cars (a sleeping car used to be carried along), a dining car and closed motorail coaches . The passenger coaches are vehicles of the Bulgarian State Railways (BDŽ). Locomotives from the respective national railway company are used . The couchette car compartments can be booked for one to six people. The fare for the individual traveler is based on the density of occupancy.
Photo gallery
Villach Terminal 2
Optima Express Villach
Car wagons
Car wagons rear view
Passenger cars
Slovenian SŽ 643
