Car Hire at Sofia Airport

Airport travel guide

An underrated destination, Bulgaria hasn’t yet reached the international tourism profile of its neighbours like Greece or Croatia. Even when travellers do visit the country, they usually go to Varna, Burgas, and the rest of the Black Sea coast. But those who give its inland capital, Sofia, a chance, discover an interesting, dynamic city with a fascinating history, an incredible culture, and beautiful nature all around it. Here are our top destinations in and around it:

• History museums. Bordered by Greece and inhabited since prehistoric times, Bulgaria was home to some of the earliest civilizations in Europe. Peoples like the Thracians and Celts have inhabited it over different periods of time, leaving a lot of fascinating relics and artefacts. Later, the country was part of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires. A lot of this heritage can be seen and experienced at Sofia’s different museums. The immense National History Museum is a standout, but history lovers will also appreciate the Ethnographic Museum, the Museum of Natural History, and the Institute of Archaeology.
• Art. Birthplace of the Cyrillic script, Bulgaria has been heavily influenced by the Eastern Orthodox church, with most Bulgarians still adhering to this branch of faith to this day. There are many beautiful Orthodox churches in Sofia, the most famous example being the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. Located next door to it is the National Art Gallery, home to an impressive collection of Orthodox paintings and icons. Artworks of classical Bulgarian painters and other artists can be seen here as well. On a more recent note, Sofia is also home to the much-visited Museum of Socialist Art.
• Vitosha. A mountain massif located right next to the capital, Vitosha is a favourite weekend getaway for locals and tourists alike. With its highest peak reaching almost 2,300 meters (7,520 feet), Vitosha is a popular place with climbers and hikers and also has opportunities for skiing and snowboarding in winter. The range’s scenic trails take visitors through historic Bulgarian villages, protected nature, and also near Duhlata Cave, the longest in the country. Located less than an hour’s drive south of the city centre, Vitosha is a must-visit destination.
• Plovdiv. The second city of Bulgaria is almost a two-hour drive southeast of the capital, but the relatively long drive is worth it. One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe and often called the cultural capital, Plovdiv is home to ancient sites like the Roman Amphitheater, a well-preserved old town, and plenty of atmosphere.
• Veliko Tarnovo. Located about a three hour drive from the capital, but well worth the travel, Veliko Tarnovo is one of the most popular travel destinations of Inland Bulgaria. Known for its dramatic location over the Jantra river, it is the historical capital of the country and has no shortage of impressive and well-preserved landmarks. Veliko Tarnovo can also be visited on the way to the country’s Black Sea coast – either Varna or Burgas, the two main Bulgarian beach hubs, are a three hour drive further east.  

Top international routes

• Tel Aviv
• London
• Vienna
• Istanbul
• Frankfurt
• Milan
• Munich
• Athens
• Barcelona
• Rome
   

Main airlines

Sofia airport is the main hub for Bulgaria Air, the country's flag carrier. The airline flies to and from destinations in Europe, the Middle East, and Russia. The low-cost carriers Wizz Air and Ryanair carry the most passengers at the airport. Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, and easyJet are also some of the airport’s main airlines.

Terminals

The two passenger terminals are Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. A shuttle bus runs between them every 30 minutes from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Location

Sofia airport is 10 km (6.2 miles) east of downtown Sofia. Bulevard Bruksel and Tsarigradsko shose are the main roads connecting the airport and the city.

Most popular types of hire car

• Small cars - starting at £5 per day
• Medium cars - starting at £8 per day
• SUVs - starting at £11 per day
• Station wagons - starting at £9 per day
• People Carriers - starting at £24 per day
• Large cars - starting at £9 per day
• Premium cars - starting at £40 per day
• Convertibles - starting at £31 per day

Car hire desks

Lion, Easy Rent Bulgaria, Europcar, and Surprice have desks in both terminals.

Budget, Enterprise, Avis, Add Car (serviced by EasyRent Bulgaria), Sixt, and Alamo have desks only in Terminal 2.

All of the rental companies except for Prestige offer a meet a greet service at the airport. That is, a representative of the company will meet you at the airport and take you to their rental office.

Prestige offers a delivery service, that is, they will deliver the car to the airport for you.

Services and facilities

There are numerous stores and duty-free shops, a sandwich bar, two cafeterias, three lounges, a currency exchange office, an ATM, two lost and found offices, a help desk, and a prayer room. Travelers with reduced mobility can easily access most facilities in Terminal 1 and all facilities in Terminal 2. You can find more information on the airport's official website.

Nearest petrol station

If one were to look for a petrol station near the airport on Google Maps, they would find a Lukoil right next to the airport. Unfortunately, this station is very inconvenient for those returning a rental car to one of the airport’s terminals due to the fact that it is not possible to turn around after exiting it. It, however, is convenient for those returning a vehicle to rental locations on Nedelcho Bonchev St. and coming from Botevgradsko Shose Boulevard.

Others coming from the south of the city and returning a car to one of the terminals will find an OMV station along Alexander Malinov Blvd just north of the intersection with Andrey Saharov Street the most convenient. After this station, the road becomes highway-like with no further entrances prior to reaching the airport.

Those coming from the south and returning a car to off-airport locations could exit onto Christopher Columbus Blvd. to reach a Shell station and then continue along that road to the off-airport rental locations.

Popular one-way hires

• Burgas (381km / 236 miles)
• Varna (440km / 273 miles)
• Plovdiv (144km / 89 miles)
• Bucharest (355km / 220 miles)
• Golden Sands(456km / 283 miles)
• Sunny Beach (406km / 252 miles)