When traveling in Bulgaria, it is worth deciding how to get around the country. We've gathered some useful information about public transportation.
Which way to get around
When you book a excursion trip, you will spend at least twice as much as when you take public transportation. Plus, with a self-guided trip, you can set your own itinerary and travel as you please.
Another option is to rent a car. You can find a rental car company's website online and choose a suitable option. If you order the service online, the cost will be less. This method is good for those who do not want to bother with the schedule of buses and prefer to determine the time of arrival at the desired point.
Public transportation in Bulgaria
When traveling from one city to another, a bus stops and picks up passengers. There are usually several stops in big cities.
Some peculiarities of public transportation in Bulgaria:
Condition of buses. Vehicles are almost all new, so when driving, almost no seasickness, even on difficult sections of the highway. The buses are air-conditioned.
Schedule adherence. Most of the time buses arrive at the station and depart on time. Sometimes they may depart with a delay of 5-10 minutes.
Availability of seats. Passengers almost always ride seated. Even on very popular flights, there are enough seats for everyone. At most, there will be 1-2 people standing.
Route diagram. There are route diagrams on the buses. It lists all the cities where stops are scheduled.
Fare
In Bulgaria, there are municipal and private buses. Travel on the former will be cheaper, though not as comfortable. Prices start at 4-5 BGN and increase as the route lengthens to 16-18 BGN.
The most popular routes:
Aheloy to Sunny Beach - from 4-6 BGN.
Burgas - Nessebar - from 8-9 BGN.
Pomorie - Varna - from 15-16 lions (BGN).
The fare depends on the level of comfort and the distance between the starting point and the destination. You can buy a ticket at the bus station before traveling, or you can pay with the conductor on the bus. The price will be the same.
Bus fare is free for children under 7 years old (they must be Bulgarian citizens, if you are a tourist - you must pay the full fare for the child).
Taxis in Bulgaria
For quick movement within a settlement, people often prefer to order a cab. It will be faster and more comfortable than taking public transportation or traveling on foot.
How to hail a taxi
You can call a car by phone or approach the driver at a cab stand in the city. The first method is much more favorable in terms of price. In addition, a number of drivers work privately and are not affiliated with any cab service. They may significantly overcharge you for the trip and tell you the price only after you arrive at the place.
Trip Cost
Pricing features
Taxis in Bulgaria operate on a meter. Prices can be seen on the car window. But you may encounter a situation when the driver offers his rates bypassing the meter before the trip (the cost will be much higher).
The fare for a trip within or outside the city, daytime and nighttime will be different.
Frequently, a cab driver may charge a very large amount for a city ridefrom the airport, knowing that it is easier for a tourist to pay than to find a cheaper way to get to their hotel.
Trip prices
Trip prices can vary from city to city. In popular resorts, the ride will cost more. Also, in resort towns with high tourist traffic, cab drivers may be less honest:
overcharging for a ride by bypassing the established fares;
tweaking the meter to make it spin faster, etc.
Sunny Beach
Sunny Beach has roughly the same rates:
Calling a taxi will cost 6-8 BGN during the day (6:00 to 22:00) and 5-9 BGN during the night (22:00 to 6:00).
The price per 1 km of city mileage will be 4-5 lion (BGN) for the daytime fare. The cost increases by 0.5-1 lion (BGN) during the night period.
Pomorie
In Pomorie, a call for a taxi will cost 3-4 BGN (the fare does not vary depending on the time of day). Kilometer of mileage will cost from 3 BGN.
Different cab services may offer different fares. It is better to check the exact cost with the dispatcher or driver (if you negotiate with a cab driver at the parking lot) before the trip.
