Getting around · Sofia · Bulgaria
Getting around Sofia
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Preslav~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claim, Public domain
Quick answer
Central Sofia is walkable, and the four-line metro links the centre with the airport, the NDK, the main stations and the suburbs. Trams, buses and trolleybuses fill the gaps, and taxis are inexpensive. No for the city.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Metro
- Airports
- SOF
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- Day and multi-day travel cards
Ways to get around
Metro
The metro's lines cross at Serdika in the centre and reach the airport's Terminal 2, the central railway station, the NDK and the suburbs at the foot of Vitosha.
You can pay by tapping a contactless bank card at the gates instead of buying a paper ticket.
Walking
From the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral to Serdika and on to the market hall takes about 15 minutes, and Vitosha Boulevard runs straight south from there.
Tram
Trams, buses and trolleybuses run by the city cover areas the metro doesn't, including Boyana, Dragalevtsi and the zoo.
Taxi
Taxis are inexpensive; fares are displayed on a sticker on the window. Use well-known companies or ride-hailing apps rather than drivers waiting at stations.
Check the per-kilometre rate on the window sticker before getting in.
Bus
Intercity buses to Plovdiv, Rila Monastery and Borovets leave from the Central Bus Station, next to the railway station, and from the smaller Ovcha Kupel bus station.
Tickets and passes
Day and multi-day travel cards
Cards valid on all metro, tram, bus and trolleybus lines for one or more days, sold at metro stations and ticket desks.
From the airport
Sofia Airport is about 10 km east of the centre. The metro runs from Terminal 2 to Serdika in about 20–25 minutes, and a shuttle bus connects Terminal 1. Taxis from the official rank take around 20–30 minutes depending on traffic.
Do you need a car?
No for the city. A car helps for the Seven Rila Lakes, Koprivshtitsa or Belogradchik, which have infrequent buses; Rila Monastery and Plovdiv are reachable by bus or tour.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Rila Monastery | About 2 hours by car or bus | Bus from Ovcha Kupel bus station, organised tour or car |
| Plovdiv | About 2 hours by bus | Bus from the Central Bus Station or train |
| Seven Rila Lakes | About 2 hours by car, then chairlift | Car or tour to Panichishte, then chairlift and hike |
| Koprivshtitsa | About 2 hours by car | Car, or train plus local bus |
| Borovets | About 1 hour 15 minutes by car or bus | Bus or car via Samokov |
| Belogradchik Rocks | About 3 hours by car | Car or organised tour |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Sofia?
No for the city. A car helps for the Seven Rila Lakes, Koprivshtitsa or Belogradchik, which have infrequent buses; Rila Monastery and Plovdiv are reachable by bus or tour.
+How do you get from the airport to Sofia?
Sofia Airport is about 10 km east of the centre. The metro runs from Terminal 2 to Serdika in about 20–25 minutes, and a shuttle bus connects Terminal 1. Taxis from the official rank take around 20–30 minutes depending on traffic.
+What is the best way to get around Sofia?
Metro: The metro's lines cross at Serdika in the centre and reach the airport's Terminal 2, the central railway station, the NDK and the suburbs at the foot of Vitosha.