Rhodope Narrow-Gauge Railway

The line from Septemvri to Dobrinishte runs about a hundred and twenty-five kilometres on 760-millimetre gauge, built in stages between 1926 and 1945, and it climbs from the Thracian plain at about two hundred and forty metres to Avramovo at 1,267, which is the highest railway station in the Balkans, before dropping into the Razlog valley. The route runs through pine forest, over viaducts, round tight horseshoe curves and through tunnels, and the whole journey takes about five hours at an average speed that rarely troubles a bicycle. It is a working public service used by local people rather than a heritage operation, with ordinary diesel railcars, and it is one of the last narrow-gauge lines of its kind in Europe.

What you actually see

• Avramovo station at 1,267 metres - the highest in the Balkans.
• Horseshoe curves and viaducts - the engineering of the climb.
• 760-millimetre gauge - one of the last such lines in Europe.
• A working local service - used by residents, not run for tourists.

When to go

May to October for the best views; the line runs year round and winter with snow is striking. A day for the full run, about five hours one way. There are only a few services daily.

Honest expectations

It is slow, the rolling stock is basic and there is no catering. Services are few and the timetable requires planning. Delays are common. Seats are hard and the carriages are hot in summer.

Nearby

Velingrad is on the line; Bansko and Dobrinishte are at the southern end.