Flying to Sofia is the best way to get to Bulgaria by air.
For now, Plovdiv Airport only has a few flights to London per week.
Plovdiv is around 140 km away from Sofia and the best way to reach it is by car or bus.
- Sofia to Plovdiv by Bus:
To catch a bus from Sofia to Plovdiv, you can order a ticket online and pick it up or get it at the Sofia coach station right next to the Central Train Station. There are plenty of buses leaving daily and services are provided by different operators. Check prices, times and availabilities online (www.busbud.com/en). Bus companies that run the Sofia Plovdiv bus route are: Union-Ivkoni, Arda-Tur, “Vitosha-Express” OOD and others.
- Sofia to Plovdiv by car:
Rental cars in Bulgaria are quite affordable and a drive takes around 80 minutes if there are no traffic jams.
Recommended Rental Car Services:
Top Rent A Car: toprentacar.bg/en
Hertz Rent A Car: www.hertz.bg/en/
Considering that Plovdiv is a moderately sized city, everything in the city center is within a walkable distance. However, if you need to travel to another area, you can check the options below:
- Taxis
Taxis in Plovdiv are a nice alternative to public transport, as they are very affordable and convenient.
Taxi fares here vary between 0,80-0,99 lev/km, plus a starting fare, which is usually around 0,99 leva. This means that even if you take a ride from the center to the suburban neighbourhoods the price probably won’t exceed 5-8 leva (€2,50-€4,00).
Make sure you use one of the following taxi companies, which are legal and have better tariffs:
- Eko Taxi Plovdiv - +359 32 6155
- Viailet Taxi - +359 32 6160
- Elma Taxi - +359 32 6665
- Public transport
Buses are pretty much the only available public transport in the city. In comparison to Sofia, Plovdiv is a smaller city, therefore it doesn’t have an internal tram or subway network. Nevertheless, the buses in town are fairly regular, especially on workdays, and they can get you to almost anywhere. The ticket price is 1 lev (€0,50) and you buy it on the bus itself.
For a complete and thorough list of Plovdiv’s buses and their routes and timetables (in English) you can check out the website below:
- Walk along Plovdiv Main Street
- Explore the Old Town
- Visit the Ancient Roman Theatre and the Roman Stadium
- Climb one of the 7 hills (tepe) of Plovdiv and enjoy a view of the city
- Have a beer in Kapana Creative District :)
- Go for a walk along the Rowing Canal "Grebnata"
- If you have time, take a free walking tour and learn more about Plovdiv's history (freeplovdivtour.com/)