World Country Guide

Travel - International

Air
Bulgaria’s national airline is Bulgaria Air. Other airlines serving Bulgaria include Aeroflot, Air France, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, El Al Israel Airlines, KLM, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, MALEV Hungarian Airlines, Olympic Airlines and Swiss.

Approximate flight times
From Sofia to London is three hours and to New York is 14 hours.

International airports
Sofia (SOF) (website: www.sofia-airport.bg) is 10km (6 miles) east of the city (travel time – 20 minutes). Buses run approximately every 10 minutes to the city centre during the day and every 20 minutes between 2100-0030. Coaches are available by arrangement through tour operators. Taxis are also available, although taxi drivers may not use their meters and travellers are advised to agree on the fare beforehand. The airport itself only advises its passengers to use the taxi company OK Supertrains. Airport facilities include banks and currency exchange (24 hours), post office, duty-free shop, nursery, restaurant, bar and car hire is located in the public area of the Arrivals Hall (Avis, Hertz, Sixt and Tany Rent).
Varna (VAR) is 9km (5.5 miles) from the city. A bus service to Varna city centre departs every 20 minutes. A coach service is available by arrangement with various tour operators. A taxi service is also available. Airport facilities include outgoing duty-free shop, banking and currency exchange (24 hours), a restaurant, bar and car hire by prior arrangement with travel agents.
Bourgas (BOJ) is 13km (8 miles) from the city. A bus service departs every 20 minutes to the city centre. A coach service is available by prior arrangement with tour operators. A taxi service is also available. Airport facilities include outgoing duty-free shop, banking and currency exchange (24 hours), a restaurant, bar and car hire (by prior arrangement).

Departure tax
None except for US nationals who will be charged US$20.

Sea
The main international ports are Bourgas and Varna on the Black Sea.

River
The official crossing points into Romania are by ferry from Vidin to Calafat and by road bridge from Ruse to Giurgiu.

Rail
There are frequent services between Sofia and Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest, Thessaloniki and Istanbul. Sofia is also directly connected with Paris, Vienna, Munich and Berlin. Dining car facilities are available on all routes. For details contact RILA (website: www.bdz-rila.com).

Road
Main entry points include Koulata and Novo Selo (from Greece); Ruse, Kardom, Durankulak and Silistra (from Romania); Svilengrad and Kapitan Andrikeevo (from Turkey); Kalotina, Zlatarevo and Vrashkachuka (from Serbia & Montenegro) and Guyeshevo (from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia). Foreign citizens entering Bulgaria in a motor vehicle must have documentation to prove their ownership of the vehicle. They must also state their proposed border crossing and pay suitable road tax. Bus: There are daily bus connections from other cities, including Istanbul, Athens and Thessaloniki to Sofia. Eurolines, departing from Victoria Coach Station in London, serves destinations in Bulgaria. For further information, contact Eurolines (4 Cardiff Road, Luton, Bedfordshire L41 1PP; tel: (0990) 143 219; fax: (01582) 400 694; e-mail: welcome@eurolinesuk.com; website: www.eurolines.com or www.nationalexpress.com).