The reconstruction of the railway line between Istanbul and the Kapikule border checkpoint on the border with Bulgaria, which began in 2014, has been completed and it is expected that the rail link between Turkey's largest city and the Bulgarian capital city of Sofia will be opened on February 20, the Anadolu agency reported.

After the reconstruction the travel time from Istanbul to Sofia will be reduced to about 10 hours. By car the same distance takes about six hours. Buses cover the distance for nine hours and a flight takes an hour and a half.

To the express train from Istanbul to Sofia additional coaches will be added, as they are to reach the Romanian capital city of Bucharest and Serbian Belgrade, it was reported.