How to Travel Across Bulgaria by Bus and Train in 2025

Bulgaria has one of the most extensive and cheapest public-transport networks in Europe, yet almost no tourists use it properly. In 2025 you can cross the entire country (Sofia → Black Sea or Sofia → Istanbul) for under 25–35 €, sleep in comfortable night trains or brand-new buses, and see places the rental-car crowds never reach. This is the ultimate, up-to-date bible for doing Bulgaria by bus and train — no theory, only what actually works right now.

The Big Picture – What Exists in 2025

Trains (BDŽ – Bulgarian State Railways)

• 3 types you will use: – Fast trains (бърз влак) – newest Siemens Desiro or refurbished cars, 160 km/h on upgraded lines – Express trains (експресен) – only two real ones left: Sofia–Burgas and Sofia–Varna (the famous “Sunny Beach Express”) – Ordinary passenger trains (пътнически) – slow, old, charming, stop everywhere, perfect for Rhodope and Strandzha mountains

Buses

• Hundreds of private companies + two municipal giants (Sofia & Plovdiv)
• 95 % of buses are now Mercedes, MAN, Setra or Yutong 2019–2025 models with Wi-Fi, USB, air-con, often better than Western Europe
• Two national platforms dominate: Central Bus Station Sofia group and Union-Ivkoni/Etap-Adress dominate long-distance

Where to Buy Tickets in 2025 (Never Queue Again)

Trains

• Official BDŽ app (English available) – buy up to 30 days ahead, QR code, 5–10 % cheaper
• bdz.bg (English version works perfectly)
• At the station: new self-service red machines in Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, Ruse – accept cards
• On the train: only on slow passenger trains – 2–3 € surcharge, cash only

Buses

• BGrazpisanie (Android/iOS) – shows every single bus company in real time
• BusExpress.bg – sells almost everything except a few small companies
• Centralna Avtogara Sofia website (avtogara-sofia.com)
• At the station ticket windows – still the most reliable for last-minute or obscure routes

Pro tip 2025: For night buses Sofia–Varna/Burgas buy at least 2–3 days ahead in July–August, they sell out.

The Main Scenic and Practical Routes

Route 1 – Sofia ↔ Black Sea (Varna or Burgas)

By fast train (recommended) Sofia → Varna: 3 daily direct fast trains

• 07:10 → 14:12 (6 h 52 min) – best scenery through Iskar Gorge
• 12:40 → 19:45
• 23:00 → 06:55 night train (sleeping cars and couchette available) Price: 2nd class 32 BGN (~16 €), 1st class 40 BGN, couchette 6-bed 48 BGN total

Sofia → Burgas:

• Summer only “Sunny Beach Express” 08:00 → 14:20 (6 h 20 min) – brand-new cars, café car with craft beer on tap
• Year-round night train 22:30 → 05:40

By bus (faster but less scenic) Sofia → Varna: every 30–60 min, 5 h 45 min–6 h 30 min, 38–45 BGN Companies: Union-Ivkoni, Etap-Adress, Biomet (newest fleet)

Route 2 – Sofia ↔ Plovdiv (the easiest day trip)

Train: every hour, 2 h 10 min–2 h 40 min, 12–16 BGN Bus: every 30 min from Central Bus Station Serdika, 1 h 50 min–2 h 10 min, 16–19 BGN 2025 hack: take the 07:30 or 08:00 bus → arrive Plovdiv before 10:00 → spend full day → return with 19:00 or 20:00 bus → back in Sofia by 22:00.

Route 3 – The Legendary Narrow-Gauge Train Septemvri ↔ Dobrinishte

(The most beautiful train journey in Europe that nobody knows about)

Septemvri → Bansko → Dobrinishte 5 hours, 6 tunnels, 35 bridges, climbs from 250 m to 1,267 m altitude Only 4 trains per day: 06:05, 09:00, 12:40, 16:10 from Septemvri Price: 8.20 BGN (~4 €) for the entire way! In winter the 09:00 is packed with skiers; in autumn (September–October) the forests are pure fire colours. Tip: sit on the RIGHT side Sofia → Dobrinishte and LEFT side return for best views.

Route 4 – Sofia → Veliko Tarnovo & the Rhodope Mountains

Train Sofia → Plovdiv → change in Plovdiv or Stara Zagora → Gorna Oryahovitsa → Veliko Tarnovo bus station (10 min taxi) Better option 2025: direct Union-Ivkoni bus Sofia → Veliko Tarnovo every 2 hours, 3 h 15 min, 28 BGN

Rhodope narrow-gauge extension: the line Bansko → Velingrad → Yakoruda is still suspended in 2025, but replacement buses are comfortable and follow the same dramatic route.

Route 5 – Black Sea North–South (Varna → Burgas coast)

No direct train along the coast anymore. Bus is king: Varna → Obzor → Sunny Beach → Nessebar → Sozopol → Burgas Every 30–60 min in summer, hourly off-season, 25–38 BGN, 2 h 30 min–3 h 30 min Company “M-Bus” has brand-new double-deckers with panoramic windows.

Regional Gems You Can Only Reach Properly by Public Transport

• Ruse ↔ Silistra along the Danube – slow passenger train with 1980s charm, almost empty, incredible river views
• Kardzhali → Haskovo → Momchilgrad → Ardino → Smolyan – buses every hour through Eastern Rhodopes, fairy-tale scenery
• Dupnitsa → Rila Monastery – direct minibus every 40 min from Dupnitsa station, 45 min, 5 BGN
• Montana → Belogradchik Rocks – direct bus 3× daily, 2 h 30 min, then local bus to the fortress

Money-Saving Hacks 2025

• Weekend return ticket on BDŽ trains – 20 % discount
• “City Card 24 h / 72 h in Sofia includes unlimited metro, tram, bus + discounts on museums
• “Balkans Flexipass” – 5/7/10 travel days in Bulgaria + Romania + Serbia, cheaper than buying separately if you plan 4+ long trips
• Students under 26 and seniors over 60 → 50 % off almost everything (show passport)

Luggage, Food & Comfort Reality Check

Trains

• Fast trains have big luggage racks + power sockets + free Wi-Fi (works 80 % of time)
• Night trains Sofia–Varna/Burgas have new sleeping cars (2023–2025 renovation): private 1–2–3-bed compartments with shower (!), 85–120 BGN total
• Old passenger trains: wooden benches, no Wi-Fi, but windows open and locals will share homemade banitsa

Buses

• Almost all long-distance buses now have:
• USB + 220 V sockets
• Free Wi-Fi (usually works until you leave the city)
• Toilet on board (use only in emergency)
• Free bottle of water on Union-Ivkoni and Biomet Food stops every 2–2.5 hours at decent roadside restaurants (shopska salad + kyufte for 10–12 BGN)

Sample 10-Day Itinerary Entirely by Public Transport (under 200 € transport cost)

Day 1 Morning flight → Sofia Day 2 Sofia city (tram/metro) Day 3 07:30 bus Sofia → Plovdiv (2 h) → full day → 20:00 bus back Day 4 09:00 narrow-gauge train Septemvri → Bansko (5 h) → night in Bansko Day 5 Morning bus Bansko → Rila Monastery → Blagoevgrad → Sofia (scenic route) Day 6 Fast train 07:10 Sofia → Varna Day 7–8 Varna + day trip to Balchik by bus Day 9 Morning bus Varna → Nessebar → Pomorie → Burgas (stay Burgas old town) Day 10 Sunny Beach Express train 15:40 Burgas → Sofia (arrive 22:00)

Total transport cost ≈ 170–190 BGN (87–97 €) if you book trains 7+ days ahead.

Station Survival Guide

Sofia Central Bus Station (2025)

• Huge, clean, 60+ platforms
• Luggage storage 6 BGN per day
• 24 h supermarket, pharmacy, ATM, exchange office with decent rates

Sofia Central Railway Station

• Renovated 2023–2025 – looks like airport now
• Free Wi-Fi, Costa Coffee, Billa supermarket inside

Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas stations – all have cafés and left-luggage

Night Travel – Sleep and Save

Best night options 2025

• Night train Sofia → Varna (6-bed couchette 48 BGN total, private 2-bed sleeper 120 BGN for the whole compartment)
• Night bus Sofia → Sunny Beach with Biomet or Union-Ivkoni – seats recline almost flat, USB, blanket provided, arrive 05:30, go straight to beach

Safety & Behaviour Rules

• Never leave luggage unattended – petty theft exists but is rare
• In slow trains keep backpack with you – overhead racks are small
• Night buses are 100 % safe, many women travel alone
• Always say “Zdravei” and “Blagodarya” when boarding rural buses – drivers love it and will help you

Emergency & Language Phrases You Need

• “Do you speak English?” → “Govorite li angliyski?”
• “One ticket to …” → “Edin bilet do …”
• “When is the next …?” → “Koga e sledvashtiyat …?”
• “Stop here please” (bus) → “Tuk, molya” + pull the cord
• “Thank you” → “Blagodarya” (say it every time you leave – you will be remembered fondly)

The Secret Lines Locals Don’t Want You to Know (Because They’re Too Beautiful)

• Cherven Bryag → Mezdra → Roman → Svishtov (Danube) – almost empty, incredible gorges
• Karnobat → Aytos → Yambol → Elhovo → Topolovgrad – the real Strandzha mountain villages
• Momchilgrad → Zlatograd → Madan – Rhodope gems with almost no tourists

Final Verdict

In 2025 Bulgaria’s buses and trains are cheap, frequent, comfortable, and take you through scenery that beats Switzerland for a tenth of the price. You do not need a car to see the real country. You just need this guide, the BGrazpisanie app, a sense of adventure, and a willingness to eat one too many banitsas at roadside stops.

Travel slow, talk to the babas on the train, let the driver stop the bus for photos when you shout “Tuk e krasivo!”, and you will come home with stories that rental-car tourists will never understand.

Safe travels — and nazdrave from the Balkans!