Astral Holidays - getting to and from and around once there

Getting to and from Bulgaria, Sofia and other Bulgarian cities and around once there. Plus tips on other world destinations: Below is a comprehensive guide to transport to from and around Bulgaria covering the Buses, Taxis, Flights, Trains, Cycling, by Car and much more. There is also guides on our top destinations around the world where our customers like to travel to.

Don’t forget to check out our other sections for details on Astral Holidays, Things to Do & Attractions in Bulgaria , Sofia and other cities in Bulgaria, tips and recommendations for trips for customers from Bulgaria to abroad like Greece, Turkey and more plus candid traveler photos and reviews.

Use the search form to review and book hotels with Astra Holidays and holidays too – at up to 70% off.

Transport – To Bulgaria and around once there & ex Bulgaria around the world:

Astral Holidays - Map of Bulgaria & Regions (click to enlarge)

Bulgaria is really a country within the Balkans about the western side from the Black Ocean. It’s encircled by Romania towards the north, Serbia towards the northwest, the Republic of Macedonia towards the southwest, A holiday in greece towards the south, and Poultry towards the southeast. Being situated near to the Turkish Straits means the important thing land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia go through Bulgaria.

Bulgaria is among the couple of exotic nations of Europe, because of the truth that it boasts condition-of-the-art beaches, lovely places of worship, winter sport possibilities, to title a couple of. Although it’s not regularly visited in comparison with other European nations, it’s a beautiful place, with an array of activities for any traveller to complete.

Bulgaria is really a person in the Schengen Agreement but has not fully implemented it. For EU and EFTA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norwegian, Europe) people, an formally approved ID card (or perhaps a passport) is enough for entry. In no situation can they require a visa for any stay associated with a length. Others will normally require a passport for entry.

GoOrfrom every other country (Schengen or otherwise) from/to Bulgaria will (by now) increase the risk for normal border inspections.

Inquire at the tour operator, call the neighborhood consulate or embassy of Bulgaria.

The visa list has already been in line with individuals from the Schengen nations fully applying the agreement.

Just the excellent from the following non-EU/EFTA nations don’t need a visa for entry in to the Schengen Area: Albania*, Andorra, Bermuda and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina*, South america, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Panama And Nicaragua ,Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Macedonia*, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro*, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, San Marino, Serbia*/**, Seychelles, Singapore, Columbia, Taiwan*** (Republic of China), U . s . States, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela, furthermore persons holding British National (Overseas), Hong Kong SAR or Macau SAR sexual.

Astral Holidays - getting to and from and around once there - Bulgaria Air Route Map (click to enlarge)

These non-EU/EFTA visa-free site visitors might not stay a lot more than 3 months inside a 180 day period and, generally, might not work (even though some Schengen nations do allow certain ethnicities to operate – see below).

The counter starts when you enter any country within the Schengen Area and isn’t totally reset by departing a particular Schengen country for an additional Schengen country, or vice-versa. However, this doesn’t always make an application for New Zealand people when they only visit particular Schengen nations – see for that New Zealand Government’s explanation.

Observe that while British subjects using the right of abode within the Uk and British Overseas Areas people attached to Gibraltar are thought “Uk excellent for Eu reasons” and for that reason qualified for limitless use of the Schengen Area,

British Overseas Areas people without proper of abode within the Uk and British subjects without proper of abode within the Uk in addition to British Overseas people and British protected persons generally require visas.

However, all British Overseas Areas people except individuals exclusively attached to the Cyprus Sovereign Base Areas are qualified for British citizenship and after that limitless use of the Schengen Area.

By plane

Astral Holidays - getting to and from and around once there - Sofia International Airport, Bulgaria

You will find four air-ports: Sofia, Varna, Bourgas, and Plovdiv. You will find lots of charter and last-minute flight purports to Varna or Bourgas departing from The European Union (especially Germany and The Uk). You are able to range from German international airports to Bulgaria and back for under €100, if you’re lucky.

Lately, several low-cost air carriers also have began offering regular plane tickets to Bulgaria. Wizz Air [4] flies directly between Sofia and London, Rome, Milan, Barcelona, Valencia, The city and Dortmund.

Wizz Air flies directly between London Luton Airport terminal and Burgas, Varna airport terminal – the flies are each week all over the year. germanwings offers plane tickets to many European locations. EasyJet flies between Sofia and London Gatwick airport, Manchester, Milan and Madrid.

Charter plane tickets can provide excellent prices towards the black ocean international airports from quite a number of European metropolitan areas in summer time (for example: Thomas Prepare, Thomsonfly, Balkan Holidays Air, Bulgarian Air Charter, Monarch, Condor, Transaero, Utair and many more).

In the USA, major air carriers offer excellent connections to Bulgaria via Europe. Lufthansa, U . s ., Delta, American, British Airways, Continental Air carriers, Alitalia and Air France are typically the most popular air carriers. The international airports that exist with major air travel are Sofia and Varna. They’re plane tickets to Bourgas too, but just with Bulgaria air from Sofia.

By train

Worldwide trains provide a lot of routes to Bulgaria, particularly Sofia and Varna, coming from such places as Kiev, Istanbul, Vienna, along with other common metropolitan areas.

The main trains from Bucharest to Sofia, and back, run two times daily with the border town of Rousse. For instance, recent trains are scheduled from Bucharest to Sofia during the day departing 11:35/coming 21:30 along with a evening train departing 19:35/coming 06:10. Passport control happens in Rousse roughly mid-trip. Check local train stations for up-to-date information.

An inexpensive method of visiting or from Bulgaria may be the Balkan Flexipass.

By vehicle

If you wish to achieve Bulgaria from The European Union by vehicle, you can either may take a ferry from Italia to A holiday in greece, or you’ll have to go through either Serbia (make certain you are taking a eco-friendly card out of your vehicle insurance provider) or Romania.

Travelling from A holiday in greece you need to range from Thessaloniki towards Serres after which to Promahonas.

In Bulgaria you spend road tax in the border (around €5 for seven days). You’re going to get a unique sticker you need to put on your vehicle. You will find no tolls on Bulgarian streets.

Aside from the sticker, you may want to spend the money for Bulgarian government bodies medical health insurance (2 pounds per person for three days, a little more for additional days). Make certain you receive a receipt! Expect lengthy queues on certain days.

By bus

Buses back and forth from Sofia visit most major metropolitan areas in Europe – while Bulgarian bus companies is going to be cheaper (and mostly offer less comfort), the tickets are difficult to manage if you’re going to Bulgaria, to help you always take Eurolines buses. Expect if the extra “border fee” is requested from each traveller through the bus driver – celebrate your border passing faster. Most buses from The European Union will go through Serbia, so make sure to check prefer a transit visa in advance (Serbian visas for people from the EU have lately been eliminated).

By boat

You will find no regular motorboats to Bulgaria. From time to time you will find luxury cruise ships docking in Varna and Bourgas.

Making your way around once in Bulgaria:

By bus

Certainly the quickest method to travel round the country is as simple as bus. Buses go to and from every bigger city (you may have to request or perhaps be driven by taxi towards the bus station) often (exact schedules information in British are available at avtogari.info [8] or BGrazpisanie.com ) however, most bus station agents (except in the Black Ocean as well as in Sofia) along with the motorists won’t speak or understand any languages except Bulgarian (and, if you’re lucky, Russian) and also the locations is going to be written solely in Cyrillic. You are able to lookup bus agendas for that Sofia New Central in the bus station

Travelling from Sofia to major metropolitan areas in Bulgaria by bus is a great value. A 1 way ticket towards the Black Ocean from Sofia is about EUR 12-15. Several companies operate regular routes maintained by new and modern buses. Schedules and prices in British for handful of the main companies are available at GRUP Plus and Biomet .

You will find other bus stations in Sofia and some private buses depart using their personal station, however for vacationers just searching to get away from town using the least quantity of confusion – while using New Central Bus Station might be simplest.

Buses and Minibuses range from Varna and Bourgas across the shoreline, passing or likely to all Bulgarian Black Ocean tourist resorts.

By train

Travelling by train is affordable, but additionally reduced compared to bus. Trains are most helpful when travelling across the two major train routes: Sofia – Varna and Sofia – Bourgas. You are able to travel both routes overnight, however, you should build your bookings early because they evening trains are frequently fully reserved.

The state website from the Bulgarian Condition Railways is user-friendly while offering a simple-to-use online timetable Another train planner can be obtained on world wide web.bgrazpisanie.com .

Lately, new equipment has made an appearance on some the trains on routes between primary locations. New rail line is also being built but won’t operational until 2011.

There’s discount for travelling in group.

By taxi

Many taxi motorists know only limited British so it’s helpful to create your destination or have a map. In winter 2008, a couple of from the more recent taxis in Sofia have Gps navigation models about the dashboard. Taxi charges in Bulgaria are standardized within the major metropolitan areas. You ought to be very careful about utilizing a taxi in Bulgaria. Especially as you are a foreigner, you are able to certainly be a target of unscrupulous taxi motorists. Much more need, get familiar most abundant in well-known taxi operators in your town, your route and expected bill. Usually the most secure method of utilizing a taxi is as simple as ordering taxis by telephone. Some fraudalent taxis even mimic others’ logos and labels on the cars. Certainly stay away from taxis waiting at international airports and railway stations! The best represent the Sofia and Varna international airports as lately both international airports contracted with licensed taxi companies. Presently only these businesses can go into the airport terminal area and pickup people – price is standard.

By vehicle

If traveling by vehicle, it might be useful if you’re able to browse the Cyrillic alphabet a minimum of a little. Most signs possess the direction proven in Latin letters, however, many don’t.

If you’re a foreigner, its better to rent a vehicle.

Driving in Bulgaria could be a little precarious – many streets don’t have defined lanes, aren’t well marked, and therefore are in poor conditions. Local people frequently don’t observe speed limits and don’t signal when altering lanes.

When travelling on the highway Sofia-A holiday in greece, be cautious. There’s extensive road renovation and you will meet some really harmful motorists.

From Sofia to Plovdiv, Chirpan and Dimitrovgrad, there’s a highway with two or three lanes per direction.

Should you take notice of the rules, police won’t bother you. Bulgarian mother and father whitened Opel Astra patrol cars, marked “POLICE” with blue letters – remember that, because previously there has been several cases of fake cops preventing cars and slowly destroying vacationers. If you ever doubt the authority preventing you, you will find the right to not pull over. If your pursuit starts, odds are high the vehicle is indeed a police vehicle. Stop and explain your doubts. Even when you are billed because of not tugging over, it is best than losing your vehicle, money, dignity as well as worse, your existence, to thieves.

Never drive after drinking in Bulgaria! This really is always harmful, as well as your first offence can lead to a lengthy prison sentence. The once-common practice of bribing a officer to get away from a speeding or parking ticket has become the exception.

Vehicle thievery is not a risk, but should not be undervalued. In rural areas departing your vehicle ought to be safe, however in the large metropolitan areas or tourist spots, you should remain on the safe side by parking either about the major roads or on guarded garages, where costs vary from 6 leva each day to two leva an hour or so. If you are planning to take more time in a single city, it may be easier to rent a parking space, which about the average costs 60 leva per month. Most hotels get their own parking, as well as at private accommodations it’s frequently possible to fit the vehicle within the garden approximately, just request.

By plane

Airline travel continues to be not so common in Bulgaria as distances are relatively short.

Bulgaria Air, the nation’s company travels everyday from Sofia to Varna and Burgas. Off peak deals are available for 25eu r/t after taxes

WizzAir travels four occasions per week between Sofia and Varna. Off peak travel is often as low as 20eu r/t after taxes

Their schedules are available on the official websites or altogether on BGrazpisanie.com

Want to learn more about Astral Holidays?

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