Sofia Airport to City Center is about 10 km via Brussels Blvd. and Tsarigradsko Shose Blvd. You will find all the information you need on bus and taxi fare from Sofia Airport to City Center, avoid taxi scams or fall in the trap of delays and paying ten times the cost of your rides. Furthermore, ways on how to get to the City Center and back by using the Airport Bus, and the Metro.
Terminals 1 and 2
Free transportation between terminals
There is a free-of-charge transportation between the two terminal buildings. The shuttle operates daily from 7:00 – 18:30 h every 30 minutes.
Terminal No. 1 is the old and serves domestic flights and low-cost airlines. There is no access to the Metro from this terminal.
Terminal No. 2 is the newest and is usually quiet, though due to insufficient security check area, occasional lines do form during peak hours. Recently welcomes also passengers of Ryanair, Varna-bound, and passengers of Wizz Air.
Bus
From the city to the Airport:
Line 84 goes to T2 first and then to T1.
Line 184 goes to T1 first and then it continues to T2.
Metro
The journey time by metro is approx. 18 min. The metro station at Sofia Airport is located in the eastern part of Terminal 2. You can reach it by following the floor markings in blue at the public area of Terminal 2.
Vending machines are inside the Arrival building if you arrive at T 1 and by the entrance of the Metro station at T 2
The metro trains on the route to the airport operate from 5:30 a.m. to midnight on weekdays and weekends/holidays.
Changing trains from Line 1 to Line 2 at Serdika Metro Station, passengers can travel from the airport to Sofia Central Bus and Railway Stations within less than half an hour.
Connection with the railway transport is possible two stops from Metro station Sofia Airport at Metro station Iskarsko shosse, with a changeover there to trains on the Sofia-Plovdiv and Sofia-Karlovo lines.
Taxi from Sofia Airport
Taxis are a cheap and easy way to get around the city. A taxi ride should cost around €7.00 – €10.0 (14 – 20 lv.
Look out for the “OK Supertrans” sign. Authorized to pick up passengers from the Airport, but also the Central Bus Station. To order call +359 2 973 21 21 or dial 1 TAXI (1 8294) from a mobile phone with a Bulgarian SIM card.
Most taxi companies operate under similar rates. Hail a cab from the street or order one by phone or via a smartphone app for a surcharge of under 1 lv.
Yellow Taxi: Call +359 2 91119 or +359 2 4911108 or dial 1219 from a mobile phone with a Bulgarian SIM card.
Green Taxi: All Green Taxis are hybrids and the rates are about 30% higher than the standard “Yellow” rate. Call +359 2 810 810 or +359 878 810 810
“Fake” taxis in Sofia
- Of course, there are the “Fake” ones, they charge double the ride and are intentionally made to closely resemble the cars of legitimate companies with OK Supertrans being the most commonly copied look. Be watchful for names like “OK Superchance OH Citytrans” and a few more. They usually park around the airport, outside Malls, popular tourist spots, and hotels. Frequently tourists have reported paying up to 10 times more the regular cost.
- Taxi drivers’ attitude is usually a huge source of pain not only for tourists but also locals. The majority are not that willing to help, and they are rude, not to mention that taxis are often reeking of cigarette smoke!
Extra Tips
- Public transport starts at 5:00 am and finishes at 24:00.
- If your piece of luggage takes up about as much space as another person, you are obliged to buy an extra ticket for it.
- In case you are caught with no ticket you get a fine of 20 leva.
Mostly Used Buses Lines:
Line 64
It takes you to the Boyana neighborhood, where the National Museum of History is located. Also near it are the Boyana church, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage list and a really beautiful waterfall (the Boyana waterfall). Riding to the last stop will take you in the foot of the Vitosha Mountain, very close to the “Bay Krastyo” lift, which takes the four-hour hike to the top of the mountain in just 20 minutes.
Line 72
Used mostly by locals, very busy and stops at significant landmarks like the Military Hospital, The National Palace of Culture and the National Stadium.
Lines 84 and 384
These are the two lines that can take you from and to the airport, respectively Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Line 84 will drop you downtown, whereas 384 makes a connection with the metro at Mladost 1 station.
Line 94 and 280
These two will take you to the Student’s city of Sofia (Studentski grad), a place that never sleeps. If you are either studying in one of the universities there or up for a party these lines are your best and cheapest way to get there.
Line 213 and 214
Both lines link the city center with the central bus and train stations and also make a connection with Mladost –the second most populous district in Sofia. Mladost has a complete cycling route of more than 8 km.
