Sofia Grad (Sofia City Province) is the compact capital region of Bulgaria, a 7,000-year-old city at the foot of Vitosha Mountain where Roman ruins, Orthodox domes, Ottoman mosques, Habsburg-style boulevards and Socialist-era monuments sit within a short walk of each other. The province consists of Sofia city and the small village of Lozen, so almost every sight, restaurant and hotel is in the capital itself. Visitors find cheap euro-priced food and drink, a four-line metro, lively cafe and rakia-bar culture, and hiking trails that start inside the city limits.
- Public
- Sofia Urban Mobility Center (sofiatraffic.bg) runs trams, trolleybuses and buses, and Metropolitan EAD (metropolitan.bg) runs the four-line metro. Since the euro changeover a 30-minute ticket with transfers costs EUR 0.80 (about USD 0.92), a 60-minute ticket EUR 1.10 (about USD 1.27) and a day card EUR 2 (about USD 2.30). Contactless bank cards can be tapped at metro gates and validators.
- Taxi
- Metered taxis (OK Supertrans +359 2 973 2121) and the Bolt app are plentiful; municipal fare caps apply, with a day maximum of about EUR 1.24 per km and a night maximum of about EUR 1.52 per km in 2026. Airport or railway station runs to the centre cost about EUR 10-15 (about USD 11.50-17.25).
- Rental
- Useful for Rila Monastery, Vitosha and villages such as Lozen; the city centre has paid blue-zone and green-zone parking and heavy traffic. An electronic vignette (bgtoll.bg) is required on national roads: since 1 August 2026 a weekend vignette costs EUR 6.60 (about USD 7.60) and a weekly one EUR 10 (about USD 11.50).
- Walking
- The historic core around Serdika, Vitosha Boulevard, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the Central Sofia Market Hall is flat and compact; most sights lie within 2 km of Sveta Nedelya Square. Pavements can be uneven and cars sometimes park on them.
Transport at a glance
- Public
- 4/5
- Taxi
- 3/5
- Rental
- 3/5
- Walking
- 4/5
Airport transfers
Getting from the airport to your accommodation.
- Sof
- Metro line M4 from Terminal 2 (20-30 min) · Bus 84 and 184 (35-45 min) · Taxi (OK Supertrans) (20-30 min) · Bolt ride-hail (20-30 min)
Local transport
Getting around the city.
Metro
Sofia Metro (metropolitan.bg): four lines, 50 stations, about 05:00 to midnight with trains every 3-8 minutes; EUR 0.80 per 30-minute trip (about USD 0.92)
Tickets
30-minute ticket with transfers EUR 0.80, 60-minute ticket EUR 1.10, day card EUR 2 (about USD 2.30), monthly pass EUR 25.50; sold at kiosks, metro stations and in the Sofia Traffic app, or paid by contactless bank card on validators and metro gates
Trams Buses
Trams, trolleybuses and buses run roughly 05:00 to 23:30, with limited night lines; timetable and live arrivals at sofiatraffic.bg and in the Sofia Traffic app
Sofia Traffic App
The Sofia Traffic app (sofiatraffic.bg) shows live arrivals and sells mobile tickets and day cards
E Scooters
Lime and Bolt e-scooters are available in central Sofia; usage is by app and subject to city riding rules; riding on pavements is restricted
Trains
BDZ suburban trains link Sofia with Pernik, Kostinbrod and Elin Pelin; tickets from machines and bileti.bdz.bg
Taxis & rideshare
What to expect from taxis and apps.
- Taxi Ok
- OK Supertrans: +359 2 973 2121, 24 hours, book by phone or app
- Tariff
- Sofia municipal tariff caps in 2026: day maximum about EUR 1.24 per km, night maximum about EUR 1.52 per km, with day tariff 06:00-22:00 and night tariff 22:00-06:00; confirm the displayed tariff on the sticker on the door before the ride
- Ride Hailing
- Bolt operates in Sofia and often offers cheaper fixed-price rides than metered cabs
- Tips
- Use only licensed cars with a roof sign, tariff sticker and a meter; ask for a receipt. Tipping is not required but rounding up is appreciated.
Intercity travel
Getting between cities and regions.
To Plovdiv
Coach (about 2 hours, EUR 6-9, USD 7-10) from Central Bus Station or train (about 2.5 hours, EUR 6-10, USD 7-11.50) from Central Railway Station
To Rila Monastery
Direct bus from Ovcha Kupel Bus Station about once a day in the morning (about 2.5 hours, EUR 6-9, USD 7-10), or a guided day trip or rental car; check the timetable on bgrazpisanie.com
To Veliko Tarnovo
Union Ivkoni coaches from Central Bus Station, about 3-3.5 hours, EUR 10-15 (USD 11.50-17)
To Coast
Trains to Varna and Burgas take 7-8 hours (EUR 12-25, USD 14-29); coaches take about 6-7 hours; extra summer express trains run in July and August
To International
FlixBus and other coaches to Thessaloniki, Skopje, Belgrade, Bucharest and Istanbul from Central Bus Station and Ovcha Kupel Bus Station; fares from about EUR 15-40 (USD 17-46)
Transportation details
Full breakdown of how to get around.
Sofia Grad is a compact province dominated by the capital, which is the hub of Bulgaria's rail, bus and air network. The metro covers the main axis from the airport through Serdika to the south and west, while trams and buses fill in the rest. Trains and coaches from Central Railway Station and Central Bus Station reach Plovdiv, Veliko Tarnovo, Varna, Burgas and neighbouring capitals. Since 1 January 2026 all fares are priced in euros.
Airports
Sofia Airport
Useful apps
Download before you arrive.
Sofia Traffic
Metropolitan
BDZ Tickets
Bolt
FlixBus
Moovit
Google Maps
bgtoll
Transport tips
Travel smarter, not harder.
Buy a ticket or tap a contactless bank card before boarding trams and buses; inspectors check frequently and fines apply for travelling without a validated ticket. Paper tickets are sold at kiosks and metro stations, and the Sofia Traffic app sells mobile tickets
The airport has its own metro station at Terminal 2 on line M4, with direct service to the centre for EUR 0.80 (about USD 0.92) in roughly 20-30 minutes; Terminal 1 is a short walk or bus away
Serdika is the main metro interchange, and its station displays the excavated Roman streets of Serdica; allow time to look
The metro runs from about 05:00 to midnight (check metropolitan.bg for exact first and last trains); after midnight use Bolt or a night bus
Order taxis by phone or app rather than hailing unmarked cars at the airport and railway stations; look for the tariff sticker and a roof sign
Central Railway Station (Knyaginya Maria Luiza Blvd 102) and Central Bus Station (Knyaginya Maria Luiza Blvd 23) are 150 m apart and connect by metro, tram and bus; several international coaches also use Ovcha Kupel bus station
Buy intercity train tickets at bileti.bdz.bg or at the station ticket office; reserved seats are mandatory on express trains and sell out on summer weekends
For Rila Monastery take a direct morning bus from Ovcha Kupel Bus Station (about 2.5 hours; confirm the timetable at the station or on bgrazpisanie.com, which lists bus times) or book a guided day trip
Plan driving with care: Sofia has heavy rush-hour traffic, and drivers often change lanes without signalling. Use parking apps and the paid blue zone (about EUR 1 per hour) or the green zone in the periphery