1. How to Get from Sofia Airport to Sofia City Centre by Metro

    When I started to research how to get from Sofia Airport into the city centre of Sofia using public transport, it became immediately apparent that there was very little information online about this journey and what information there was available was very old and out of date. So on my recent trip to Sofia in November 2023 I made sure to take plenty of photos and have now written this blog and travel guide with all the latest, current, up to date and correct information to help anyone who is flying into Bulgaria.

    The good news about taking the Metro from Sofia Airport into Sofia is that it is so easy to do – in fact I would go as far to say it was the simplest (as well as cheapest) airport train journey we have ever done. Sofia Airport is located only six miles east of the city making it a very quick transfer as it is so close.

    Before arriving into Sofia, make sure to know what time the first and last trains leave the airport if your flight is scheduled to either land very late at night or very early in the morning – you can check the current operating hours on the Sofia Metro website.

    The Metro Station at Sofia Airport is located right outside the door of Terminal 2. However if you are arriving into the smaller Terminal 1 (which is used mainly by EasyJet and Wizz Air) you will need to take a free transfer bus to get to Terminal 2 to reach the station. The bus runs approximately every 30-40 minutes throughout the entire day and night and there is also a timetable available of the Sofia Airport website.

    If landing into Terminal 2 (which the majority of airlines do) once you leave the baggage reclaim area and pass through customs, turn left into the arrivals hall and follow the blue Metro signs along the entire length of the terminal and exit through the very last door which is located next to Costa Coffee. You enter the Metro Station on the same level as the terminal so you do not have to worry about any stairs or carrying any heavy luggage for this part of the journey.

    The next step is to purchase your ticket for your journey and this is where most of the outdated information online exists. As of November 2023, it is possible to use both cash or make a contactless payment with a credit or debit card to buy a ticket for the Sofia Metro. The fare no matter how you pay for it is BGN 1.60 (£0.70 / €0.80 / US$0.90) and children under seven years old travel for free.

    As you enter the station there are a total of two ticket machines which only accept cash (one of them did accept cards for a few years) and you can also find an ATM next to one of them if needed. If you wish to pay by cash and the ticket machines are broken (which they were when we landed in Sofia), there is also a ticket office in the station where you can pay cash. The machines can be used in both Bulgarian as well as in English and no other instructions are needed as you simply put your money into the machine as only one type of ticket is available – it will also say on the screen which coins and notes are currently being accepted. Tickets issued from the machines at the airport are “Single Tickets” which are only valid on the Sofia Metro and cannot be used to transfer onto the buses or trams in the city.


    However the most straightforward way to pay for your ticket (which we did) from Sofia Airport into the city centre is to simply tap your credit or debit card (one card per person) on the reader at the top of the turnstiles as the Metro system can now be used completely contactless which makes everything so quick and easy. Both Visa and Mastercard can be used (along with Apple Pay and Google Pay) however American Express is not accepted. By using your contactless card to pay, you will also be able to transfer from the Metro to the bus or tram within thirty minutes of the initial validation – this is called a “Ticket 30+” ticket.


    The other thing which makes this journey so easy and simple is that it is impossible to get on the wrong train. As Sofia Airport is the final stop on the Yellow M4 line, the trains only travel in one direction from here and a display above the platform will let you know how long until the next train departs. Trains run approximately every twelve minutes throughout the day so you will not have to wait for long if you just miss one.

    As Sofia Airport is at the end of the line, you should not have a problem getting a seat however the train will get busier as you get closer to the city centre. The journey time from Sofia Airport to Serdica (Сердика) in the centre of Sofia will take approximately twenty five minutes and all stops are announced in both Bulgarian and English and at each station, all of the signs will be written in both the Cyrillic and Roman alphabet.

    At Serdica you can transfer onto both Line 1 (Red) and Line 2 (Blue) and your ticket no matter how you paid for it will be valid for the entire journey on the Metro. If travelling to the Central Railway Station (Централна гара) you will need to take Line 2 two stops in the direction of Obelya (Обеля).

    On the information boards on the platform you will also find a map which will show you what exit you need to take to leave the station as there are quite a few! There are stairs up to the exit however there is also an elevator located at the far end of the platform if you have any heavy luggage, a stroller or simply cannot manage the stairs.

    When leaving Sofia and heading back to the airport, you will need to take Line 4 (Yellow) again and the train that you need will be in the direction of Sofia Airport (Летище София) which is clearly listed on the signs and the screens above each platform. Once again as the airport is the final stop, make sure to stay on the train until the end of the line.


    Once you arrive back at Sofia Airport, simply exit the station and walk straight into Terminal 2 or catch the transfer bus to Terminal 1.


    So as you can see, it is very easy to use the Sofia Metro to get from the airport into the city centre of Sofia. Sofia is a great little city and a perfect city break and as it is so small and compact, it is very walkable making it very easy to see everything in a very short amount of time. It is also completely possible to visit Sofia and not need to use cash at all – we did not need any local currency at any time during our trip as cards were accepted everywhere we went.

    If you need to access mobile data whilst visiting Bulgaria, you can purchase a travel E-Sim through Airalo. If you would like to use my referral code NIKKI8866 when signing up, you will receive £2.50 / US$3 off your first purchase.

    Have fun in Sofia and enjoy Bulgaria.

    Since this blog post was written back in 2023, some of the information may no longer be accurate or up to date. Be sure to do your own research and check official websites for the latest details before making any of your own travel plans.

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    52 thoughts on “How to Get from Sofia Airport to Sofia City Centre by Metro”

    1. Florence IYAMABO

      Thanks a million for your detailed blog, just what I require for my trip to Sofia in March as Google Maps couldn’t provide me with the information you did. Thanks again

      Reply ↓
        2. Florence Iyamabo

          Hello Nikki,

          Got back from Sofia last week and your directions made the journey very smooth especially taking into consideration that there were not many English speakers to ask for directions.

          Thanks

          Reply ↓
    2. chiara

      This is so very helpful, thank you so much for sharing. I am travelling to Sofia this weekend and this article is incredibly useful!!

      Reply ↓
    4. Shi

      What a great soul you have. I can stop hyperventilating, the website was showing it would take close to 3hours from airport to city centre but i knew it wasn’t quiet right.

      Reply ↓
    5. Matthew Piette

      Thanks for the excellent information. The process looks easy, but it’s always helpful to see what to expect, especially after a long flight from the United States.

      Reply ↓
      1. Nikki Post author

        Thank you Matthew and I know what you mean. I also like to know exactly where I need to go etc when arriving in a new place 🙂

        Reply ↓
    6. Alice

      Going to Sofia this summer and plan to stay in Intercontinental Hotel.

      How to travel from airport to Hotel by Metro. What is the nearest metro station. Thanks

      Reply ↓
      1. Nikki Post author

        Hi Alice the closest Metro station to the Intercontinental is Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski (Софийски университет „Св. Климент Охридски) which is on the M4 line from the airport making it a very simple journey 🙂

        Reply ↓
        1. Jane

          Tagging on to this question about the station near the Intercontinental, do you happen to know if there are elevators or escalators? I can manage with my luggage at the airport but probably wouldn’t be able to navigate if there are only stairs. And Nikki, thank you so much for your valuable information, much appreciated!

          Reply ↓
          1. Nikki Post author

            Hi Jane yes there are elevators and escalators at Sofia University Station which is closest to the Intercontinental. You can see the station map on the Sofia Metro website if you look through the photos. Have fun in Sofia 🙂

            Reply ↓
    8. Thomas C

      Hi Nikki,

      Thanks for the detailed explanation. It really helps.

      FYI, I am travelling to Sofia next week. May I know if credit card and WISE card are widely accepted in Sofia? What about the Rose Valley? Have you been there? Thanks.

      Reply ↓
      1. Nikki Post author

        Hi Thomas – I used a credit card everywhere I went in Sofia as I did not have any local currency so you will not have any issues.

        Reply ↓
    10. Trisha T.

      Thank you so much! Traveling to Bulgaria and couldn’t find any information. You are a life saver 🤗

      Reply ↓
      1. Nikki Post author

        You’re welcome Trisha – I too was struggling to find out what I needed before my trip. Have a great time there 🙂

        Reply ↓
    11. Hristina

      I would like to add that you can take bus number 84 and 184 (E184) from terminal 1 and 2, it goes to the city center.

      Reply ↓
    14. Kat

      You just saved me a lot of taxi money! Yay! Thanks so much for this. Heading to Sofia in 2 days and I dont like spending so much on cabs. You are fantastic.

      Reply ↓
      1. Nikki Post author

        Hi Raymond to get from the Central Bus Station to the airport you would need to take the Blue M2 Line to Serdica and then change to the Yellow M4 Line to Sofia Airport.

        Reply ↓
        1. Raymond frendo

          So from central bus station can I take M4 train direct to the airport,or I have to change in Serdiksa. Thanks.

          Reply ↓
      1. Nikki Post author

        If you’re going to the Hyatt Regency, get off the train at SU Sv. Kliment Ohridski (Sofia University) which is the stop on the Yellow M4 Line before Serdica and walk less than 10 minutes along Vasil Levski Blvd to the hotel 🙂

        Reply ↓
    20. Özcan Şener

      This will be my first trip to Sofia. Using the metro and bus is the best way to get to know the city. Thank you for your guidance.

      Reply ↓
        1. Marisa Farrugia

          Yes, thank you we loved it. We had one and a half days in the city and 2 day tours, ome to Plovidiv and one to Rila Monestry.

          Reply ↓
    22. Ulrika

      Thank you for these clear instructions – very helpful. I read somewhere that you have to buy a ticket for suitcases (only two handluggage permitted on your normal ticket) – is this true?

      Reply ↓

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