It will fascinate you with its fantastic creativity, squeezing so much beauty onto such a tiny land
- curious rock formations and mysterious caves; sunny seashores with golden sands, quiet coves and romantic capes;
majestic mountains with fiery peaks, mirror lakes and shady woods full of scent.
By plane
Bulgaria and Sofia are part of the international flight network, and there are direct flights to Sofia
from most capitals of Europe.
State Bus Stations:
For national destinations In Sofia:
North Tel.
38 31 91
South Tel.
72 00 63
East Tel.
955 5362
To Bansko
3 hours
7 leva single trip
To Blagoevgrad
under 2 hours
5 leva
To Sandanski
3 hours
6 leva
Private Bus Stations
Most privately-run domestic and international buses depart from two large staging areas
near the central train station in Sofia or from the central bus stations in major Bulgarian cities.
Mitsubishi and Mercedes luxury coaches featuring air-conditioning and video are some of the vehicles used.
Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ)
Phone:
+ 359 2 981 11 10
Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) can get you to most towns, although trains are very slow by Western standards
and delays are common on the longer routes. Intercity and express services only operate on the main trunk routes,
but on everything except the humblest branch lines you'll find so-called rapid trains.
Use these rather than the snail-like "passenger train" services unless you're planning to get off
at some particularly insignificant destination
Tips for Driving TO - and - IN Bulgaria
Crossing countries:
It is more different crossing the countries of former Yugoslavia;
it is recommended to use the route Vienna-Budapest-Belgrade-Sofia.
The roads are first class, most of them highways.
Insurance has to be made in advance or paid at the border.
Cars (self-drive and chauffeur driven) may be rented at the border checkpoints
and in all tourist offices throughout the country.
Foreigners may drive in Bulgaria using their national driving license
(though, should you stay longer than six months, it must be translated and legalized),
but most of the neighbouring countries require an international license.
It is required to have third-party insurance
plus a "Green" or "Blue" card - the latter can be bought at the frontier.
Entering Bulgaria, your vehicle will be registered
with a special "visa tag" or carnet de passage which must be presented on leaving.
Upon arrival in Bulgaria, an entrance fee is payable on all motor vehicles
(car/van US$10; minibus seating 8 or more US$60), plus a disinfection fee (car US$2; van/minibus US$4)
- though EU citizens are exempt from the former charge.
Bulgarian Speed Limits:
50 km/h in populated areas, 90 km/h outside populated areas, 120 km/h on highways
Road signs follow international standards.
But If you want to explore Bulgaria better take dual language map
because most of the small town signs are only in Cyrillic.
Be very alert when driving at night.
Bear in mind that horse-drawn carts, motorcycles and scooters can sometimes
be encountered on major roads driving at night without lights.
DO NOT drink and drive:
For tested levels in excess of 1.2 per 1,000, there is a maximum prison sentence of one year
in addition to a licence suspension for up to four years.
Road Assistance Service:
Provides 24-hour technical assistance on the road. In case of malfunction or accident,
call 146 (or cellular(+359) (0)48 146). The Central Dispatch Office is located at 3 Pozitano St. in Sofia,
Tel. (+359) 2 980 33 08 and is open 24 hours a day.
Visa requirements for UK nationals:
UK passport holders, endorsed British Citizen, do not need a visa to visit Bulgaria
for a period of up to 30 days in a six-month period. Passports should be valid for the period of intended stay.
Other UK passport holders require a visa and a passport that is valid for at least six months.
Visa requirements for Irish nationals:
Citizens of the Republic of Ireland do not need a visa to visit Bulgaria for a period of up to 30 days within a six-month period.
A passport valid for the period of intended stay is required.
Visa/Passport Note:
Visitors must have proof of sufficient funds or onward or return tickets in addition to other documents needed
for the next destination. Valid health insurance is required.
All visitors to Bulgaria must register as foreigners at a local police station within two days of arrival,
as a dated registration slip has to be submitted when leaving the country.
From 1 January 2006 all children entering Bulgaria will be required to have their own passport.
Passport and visa requirements are liable to change at short notice.
Travellers are advised to check their entry requirements with their embassy or consulate.
The Bulgarian Embassy in London can be contacted at +44 (0)207 584 9400 and the British Embassy in Sofia +359 2 933 9290.
