Job Discussion Forums

eclectic · Joined: 09 Nov 2006 Posts: 1122

From which bus station in Istanbul precisely, and what is the roundtrip price to Bulgaria? Also, once in Bulgaria, how many hours/days (!!!???) does it take to renew the tourist visa for a us citizen? Do you have to stay in a hotel for 2 days? And, do you need to apply for a BULGARIAN tourist visa in Istanbul IN ORDER TO enter Bulgaria to renew the Turkish one? That would be double-dipping each time. Smile

doner · Joined: 21 Jan 2010 Posts: 179

Do not do it. Work legally or not at all. Remember the visa run means:

You cannot work for two days so as you will be on hourly pay so your pay at the end of the month is low. You have to pay for the bus, visa and a hotel for one night-you are looking at almost a weeks pay. It is also unpleasant as the border guards/police/customs know what you are doing and will try it on with you. And for you you have double the costs as you have a wife.

misterkodak · Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 7:11 pm Post subject:

I have to agree with the Doner man. I remember when one guy from English TIme made the visa run to Bulgaria and actually admitted to the Turkish borderguards that he was working at English Crime. Well, they bundled him up into the back of a police car and drove him from Kapikkule all the way back to Istanbul. He got deported and the branch had to pay a huge bribe. I also remember several branches telling teachers not to come to work or to leave early out the back door because the Education Ministry inspectors came.
DO NOT work for these people. There are schools and firms out there which will get you legal paperwork and treat you like a human being instead of furniture.

doner · Joined: 21 Jan 2010 Posts: 179

To add to the misery you will have to stay at a 3 star hotel which doubles as a refuge for hookers, druggies and TEFLers doing border runs. All concerned know it is dodgy and the whole affair will be expensive, draining and illegal.

tarte tatin · Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Posts: 247 Location: Istanbul

You do not need to stay the night in Bulgaria. I took the bus to Edirne (about 16TL from Istanbul one way). From Edirne I took the dolmus to Kapı Kule border. You can walk through the border with the cars, get stamped out of Turkey and re-enter Turkey and buy a tourist visa without actually stepping on Bulgarian soil. This is what my friends do. I have an EU passport, and being a curious soul, decided to take a peek over the border. The Bulgarian official was a total psycho and Bulgaria looked a total dump so I turned heel and went straight back to Turkey.

I told the Turkish official 'I went and had a look at Bulgaria and am so happy to be coming back to Turkey!' He laughed and agreed with me and wished me a pleasant trip. The customs officer told me a bus goes directly from the border back to Istanbul but it was freezing and I was tired of waiting for it, so I took the dolmus back to Edirne. From Edirne I got a bus back to Istanbul for 10TL. Took a day trip and I had a nice lunch in Edirne for 5TL.

Bus: 26TL return
Dolmus rides: 5 TL total
Lunch: 5TL
Visa: Ten pounds sterling (25TL)
TOTAL:61 TL

There are people working in salaried positions who do this, not only hourly workers.

tarte tatin · Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Posts: 247 Location: Istanbul

I'm sorry I forgot your question about bus stations. You can book a ticket at your local branch of Metro, Nil�fer or Ulusoy and they will have a service pick up to the main bus station. If you live near one of the main bus stations it may be quicker to go straight there. You can get buses from Bayrampaşa on the European side or Harem or Dudullu on the Asian side.

Of course you shouldn't actually tell the border guard you are working! That is idiocy. You can say that you have friends in Istanbul that you want to spend more time with (not a lie, I am sure some of your colleagues are friends too;))

Flattery works with Turks, just tell them you haven't yet had enough of exploring their beautiful country.

doner · Joined: 21 Jan 2010 Posts: 179

a nice lunch for 2 pounds???????????????????????????????

tarte tatin · Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Posts: 247 Location: Istanbul

When I said 'nice lunch' Doner, I did not mean to imply I had a five course dinner with wine. I had a very good Bodrum kebab, which is served with plenty of veg and potato fries. Of course there were more expensive options in Edirne, but I fancied a kebab and it was very good.

I think I forgot to add the cost of a cup of coffee and an ayran into my calculations. I went home on Nil�fer and there were two hot drinks offered in the two and a half hour trip to Istanbul - couldn't complain about that.

Eclectic may wish to eat more and spend 10TL/20TL whatever. I just wanted to show that you can do the trip and eat a hot meal for a very reasonable sum.

eclectic · Joined: 09 Nov 2006 Posts: 1122

doner · Joined: 21 Jan 2010 Posts: 179

kserasera · Joined: 04 Dec 2008 Posts: 16

Bulgaria is not that bad Smile

I did my border run there twice and enjoyed both times. i went to burgaz, which is on the black sea, and would go back there for a holiday. Cute seaside village - with affordable food and drinks.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Bulgaria is worth visiting. Not just Burgas ( a village ? ) but try also Stara Zagora, Plovdiv, Veliko Turnovo, Russe, or even Sofia.

In travel accounts from more than 150 years ago commentators even then noted how, when travelling to the West from the Orient, once in the land of the Bulgars it was noticeable that they were in Europe.

fishmb · Joined: 08 Jul 2009 Posts: 184 Location: Istanbul

I travelled through Bulgaria for 10 days a few years ago and had a fantastic time. The people were very friendly and there are cheap, quality hostels in Sofia where you can get a dorm bed for as little as $10 a night. It's a great place to visit so if you can get a few days off you might as well make a vacation out of it. Lots of good hiking too.

kazazt · Joined: 15 Feb 2010 Posts: 164

coffeespoonman · Joined: 04 Feb 2005 Posts: 512 Location: At my computer...

First of all, you don't need to spend a night there if you don't want. Take the Balkan Express at 10:00 PM from Sirkeci, get to Plovdiv around 8:00 AM. Have breakfast, hit the supermarket and load up on pork and other assorted goods that you can't get easily\cheaply in Istanbul, then jump on a bus back. Be home by late evening.

The border guards usually don't ask why you're doing a border run - there are several reasons for doing so, and not ALL of them are illegal. If they ask, tell them the truth (in Eclectic's case) - your family is Turkish, you're getting in touch with your roots.

On the other hand, Bulgaria is one of my favorite countries. It's so peaceful, with great food and drink for very reasonable prices. For me, it would be a shame to pass up spending a few nights there.