Bulgaria Travel Guide

Social Conventions

Normal courtesies should be observed and handshaking is the normal form of greeting. Dress should be conservative but casual. If invited to the home, a small souvenir from one's homeland is an acceptable gift, and something for their children is always welcome. Do not give money. Remember that a nod of the head means ‘No' and a shake means ‘Yes'.

Smoking: Bulgarian restaurants, cafés and nightclubs have zones for smokers and non-smokers. There is no smoking in public places.

International Travel

Getting There By Air

The national airline is Bulgaria Air (www.air.bg).

Departure Tax

None.

Main Airports

Sofia (SOF) (www.sofia-airport.bg) is 10km (6 miles) east of the city (journey time - 20 minutes). To/from the airport: Buses run from near the arrivals terminal to the city center regularly throughout the day. Taxis are also available; ensure the meter is used. Otherwise agree a price in advance, taking advice from a local. The airport advises its passengers to use the taxi company OK Supertrans (tel: (02) 973 2121; www.oktaxi.net). Facilities: Banks and currency exchange (24 hours), post office, duty-free shop, nursery, restaurant, bar and car hire.

Varna (VAR) (www.varna-airport.bg) is 9km (5.5 miles) from the city. To/from the airport: A bus service to Varna city center departs every 20 minutes from each of the two terminals. Taxis are also available. Facilities: Outgoing duty-free shops, banking and currency exchange (24 hours), Internet, ATM, restaurant, bar and car hire.

Bourgas (BOJ) (www.bourgas-airport.com) is 13km (8 miles) from the city. To/from the airport: A bus service departs every 20 minutes to the city center. Taxis are also available. Facilities: Outgoing duty-free shop, banking and currency exchange (24 hours), restaurant, bar and car hire (by prior arrangement).

Getting There By Water

Main ports: Bourgas (www.port-burgas.com/index.html) and Varna (www.port-varna.bg) on the Black Sea.

The official ferry crossing point from Romania is from Calafat to Vidin.

Getting There By Rail

There are frequent services between Sofia and Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest, Thessaloniki and Istanbul. Sofia is also directly connected with Paris, Vienna, Munich and Berlin. Dining car facilities are available on all routes. For details contact the Railway Ticket Agency (RILA) (tel: (02) 987 0777; www.bdz-rila.com).

Rail Passes

InterRail: offers unlimited first- or second-class travel in up to 30 European countries for European residents of over six months with two pass options. The Global Pass allows travel for 22 days, one month, five days in 10 days or 10 days in 22 days across all countries. The One-Country Pass offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month in any of the countries except Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro. Travel is not allowed in the passenger's country of residence. Travelers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children's tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from Rail Europe (www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).

Getting There By Road

Main entry points include Koulata and Novo Selo (from Greece); Ruse, Kardom, Durankulak and Silistra (from Romania); Svilengrad and Kapitan Andrikeevo (from Turkey); Kalotina, Zlatarevo and Vrashkachuka (from Serbia) and Guyeshevo (from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia).

Foreign citizens entering Bulgaria in a car must have documentation to prove their ownership of the vehicle and evidence that their motor insurance is valid for Bulgaria. They must also state their proposed border crossing and pay suitable road tax.

Bus: There are daily bus connections from other cities, including Istanbul, Athens and Thessaloniki to Sofia. There are also daily buses from Varna and Bourgas to Istanbul. Eurolines (tel: 0870 580 8080, in the UK; www.eurolines.com) runs regular coach services to Bulgaria.

Passes: Travelers can book a 15- or 30-day pass.

Duty Free

Overview

Bulgaria is within the European Union. If you are traveling from the UK, you are entitled to buy fragance, skincare, cosmetics, Champagne, wine, selected spirits, fashion accessories, gifts and souvenirs - all at tax-free equivalent prices. There are no longer any allowance restrictions on these tax-free items.

If you are arriving from a non-EU country, the following goods may be imported into Bulgaria by persons over 17 years of age without incurring customs duty:

• 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco.
• 1L of spirits and 2L of wine.
• 50mL of perfume and 250mL of eau de toilette.
• A reasonable amount of gifts (up to a total value of €175).

Internal Travel

Getting Around By Air

Bulgaria Air (www.air.bg) operates some domestic services, connecting Sofia with the Black Sea coast. The journeys from Sofia to Bourgas and Varna take one hour. Air travel is comparatively cheap, and is only slightly more expensive than first-class rail travel.

Getting Around By Water

Private boats and yachts ply the Black Sea coast and the Danube.

Getting Around By Rail

Bulgarian State Railways (tel: (02) 932 4190; www.bdz.bg) connects Sofia with main towns. Reservations are essential during peak seasons and first-class travel is advised. A first-class sleeper is a wonderful way to travel long distances, especially at night.

Rail Passes

InterRail One-Country Pass: offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month within Bulgaria. Travel is not allowed in the passenger's country of residence. Travelers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children's tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from Rail Europe (www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).

Getting Around By Road

Traffic drives on the right. Road quality is variable and driving standards are generally poor. Night driving can be dangerous owing to poor lighting. Tolls are charged on motorways and main roads out of town. Vignettes can be purchased at ports, border points, post offices and DZI bank offices. Car-theft and car-jacking are both on the increase in Bulgaria.

Bus: There is a good network of buses. The state-run buses in each town and city often run from a different location to private buses and minibuses. Private long-distance buses often have their offices gathered near each other, and offer good services on comfortable vehicles. Main coach operators include ETAP (tel: (02) 945 3939; http://etapgroup.com/etap) and Biomet (tel: (02) 963 1366; www.biomet-bg.com).

Taxi: Available in all towns and also for intercity journeys. Vehicles are usually in good condition. All vehicles are metered, unless they are privately owned. Some drivers may try to drive without putting on the meter; ensure this is done before you leave. See on the chart on the outside of the vehicle what the starting price is, to check the meter is not rigged. A small tip is appreciated.

Car hire: Available through hotel reception desks and at Sofia airport, and online in advance. Most of the major international car hire agencies are represented here.

Regulations: Speed limits are strictly adhered to: 120kph (75mph) on motorways, 90kph (56mph) outside built-up areas and 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas.

Emergency breakdown service: 24-hour road assistance is available (tel: (02) 980 3308).

Documentation: An International Driving Permit allows visitors to drive a private car when accompanied by a valid national driving license. It is compulsory for old licenses that do not have photo ID. A Green Card is compulsory.

Getting Around Towns and Cities

Bus, tramway and trolleybus services operate in Sofia; in addition, a metro covers a small area of the city center, with more lines planned, operating 0530-0000. Flat fares are charged on all transport and tickets must be pre-purchased.

Buses and taxis operate in all the main towns. There are also trolleybuses in Plovdiv and Varna. Outside Sofia, bus tickets are purchased on board from the conductor.

Journey Times

The following chart gives approximate journey times from Sofia (in hours and minutes) to other major cities/towns in Bulgaria.

	Air	Road	Rail
Varna	1.00	6:30	9.00
Bourgas	1.00	5:30	8.00
Plovdiv	0.40	2.00	2.30
Pamporovo	-	3.00	-