Sofia Getting There By Road
Sofia traffic drives on the right and the minimum driving age is 18 years. Speed limits are 120kph (75mph) on motorways, 90kph (56mph) on country roads and 50kph (31mph) in urban areas. Driving throughout Bulgaria can be slow, as traffic is frequently held up by heavy goods vehicles. Entering and leaving Sofia during weekends is especially busy.
A Green Card and Motor Insurance certificate are obligatory. All driving licences from EU countries are valid for Bulgaria. To drive on Bulgarian roads outside Sofia, drivers must purchase a vignette, to display in the windscreen. These are available from border crossings, post offices and some petrol stations, valid from one week to one year. All cars must carry a first-aid kit and fire extinguisher and accidents should be reported to the traffic police, KAT (tel: 165 or 982 2723).
The Bulgarian Automobile Touring Association - SBA (tel: (02) 980 3308), provides information and deals with breakdowns.
Emergency breakdown service
SBA (tel: 146).
Routes to the city
The A1 and A2 are the major roads out of Sofia. The A1 heads east toward Plovdiv, while the A2 heads northeast to connect with the E772 toward Veliko Tarnovo, continuing northeast to where it becomes the A2 again, reaching Varna on the Black Sea. The E79 goes to Sofia from Greece, crossing the border at Kulata. The E80 from Turkey crosses the border at Kapitan Andreevo, while the E79 travels from Romania, crossing the border at Vidin-Kalafat. In addition, the E80 motorway runs to Sofia from the Yugoslav border at Kalotina and the E871 from the Russian border at Gyueshevo.
Approximate driving times to Sofia
Driving times to Sofia are: from Plovdiv - 2 hours; Veliko Tarnovo - 3 hours; Varna - 6 hours.
Coach services
Nearly all the long-distance domestic and international buses leave from Sofia's modern Tsentralna Avtogara (Central Bus Station), bulvard Maria Luiza 100, near the train station. International destinations include Istanbul, Athens, Belgrade, Bucharest, Vienna, Munich and Prague. Buses to all major Bulgarian cities, as well as 90% of towns and villages, also leave from here, including those to Plovdiv, Varna, Ruse, Bourgas, Veliko Ternovo and Sandanski.
Buses to closer destinations in the southeast of Bulgaria (including Samakov and Borovets) leave from the Yug terminal (avtogara Yug), bulvard Dragan Tsankov, and Ovcha kupel (including Rila Monastery), bulvard Ovcha kupel 1.
Eurolines (tel: 0871 781 8181; www.eurolines.com) runs international coaches, connecting Sofia to cities throughout Europe. These terminate in front of the train station.
A Green Card and Motor Insurance certificate are obligatory. All driving licences from EU countries are valid for Bulgaria. To drive on Bulgarian roads outside Sofia, drivers must purchase a vignette, to display in the windscreen. These are available from border crossings, post offices and some petrol stations, valid from one week to one year. All cars must carry a first-aid kit and fire extinguisher and accidents should be reported to the traffic police, KAT (tel: 165 or 982 2723).
The Bulgarian Automobile Touring Association - SBA (tel: (02) 980 3308), provides information and deals with breakdowns.
Emergency breakdown service
SBA (tel: 146).
Routes to the city
The A1 and A2 are the major roads out of Sofia. The A1 heads east toward Plovdiv, while the A2 heads northeast to connect with the E772 toward Veliko Tarnovo, continuing northeast to where it becomes the A2 again, reaching Varna on the Black Sea. The E79 goes to Sofia from Greece, crossing the border at Kulata. The E80 from Turkey crosses the border at Kapitan Andreevo, while the E79 travels from Romania, crossing the border at Vidin-Kalafat. In addition, the E80 motorway runs to Sofia from the Yugoslav border at Kalotina and the E871 from the Russian border at Gyueshevo.
Approximate driving times to Sofia
Driving times to Sofia are: from Plovdiv - 2 hours; Veliko Tarnovo - 3 hours; Varna - 6 hours.
Coach services
Nearly all the long-distance domestic and international buses leave from Sofia's modern Tsentralna Avtogara (Central Bus Station), bulvard Maria Luiza 100, near the train station. International destinations include Istanbul, Athens, Belgrade, Bucharest, Vienna, Munich and Prague. Buses to all major Bulgarian cities, as well as 90% of towns and villages, also leave from here, including those to Plovdiv, Varna, Ruse, Bourgas, Veliko Ternovo and Sandanski.
Buses to closer destinations in the southeast of Bulgaria (including Samakov and Borovets) leave from the Yug terminal (avtogara Yug), bulvard Dragan Tsankov, and Ovcha kupel (including Rila Monastery), bulvard Ovcha kupel 1.
Eurolines (tel: 0871 781 8181; www.eurolines.com) runs international coaches, connecting Sofia to cities throughout Europe. These terminate in front of the train station.
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