Plovdiv is the second biggest city in Bulgaria and attracts many tourists as well as international students because of the prestigious Plovdiv Medical University. If you are coming just for a visit, we recommend you check out the museums in Plovdiv or join the free city tour in Plovdiv. If you feel like a local already, you can also explore our ideas for one-day trips close to Plovdiv!

In any case, you will first have to reach Plovdiv in order to feel the spirit of the city or move to Bulgaria for a longer period of time. Don’t worry, given the fact that Plovdiv is not a small city, it is not hard to find your way. Here are the most common ways to reach Plovdiv:

1. Sofia Airport -> public transportation -> Plovdiv

Sofia Airport has two terminals – Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. It welcomes airlines and flights from pretty much everywhere, so most people actually catch a flight to Sofia and then go to Plovdiv. If you want to go from Sofia airport to Plovdiv by public transportation, you have two easy ways to do that.

If you are arriving at Terminal 1, you have to catch a shuttle bus (free) to reach Terminal 2. From there catch the metro – the station is called Sofia Aiport. You should go to metro station Central Railway Station – from Sofia Airport you just need to change the lines at Serdika station. The metro ticket costs 1.60 lv. Of course, you can also catch a taxi from Sofia Airport in order to go to Central Railway Station – it should cost about 15 leva (8 EUR) depending on the traffic. We recommend using the mobile application TaxiMe / Yellow Taxi 91119 to book a taxi instead of catching a random one.

At Central Railway station you can either catch the train or bus to reach Plovdiv. It should take you about 2 hours and it costs around 15 leva (8 EUR). We recommend travelling by bus as train rides in  Bulgaria are rather slow. The bus or train will take you directly to Plovdiv. 

2. Sofia Airport -> taxi -> Plovdiv

You can also catch a taxi from Sofia Aiport to reach Plovdiv. Keep in mind that taxis at the airport might take advantage of the fact that you are not a local and Plovdiv is located around 130 km away from Sofia, so they will charge you a lot. Hence, we recommend you book your taxi in advance or check some airport pick-up services. A normal airport pick-up from Sofia to Plovdiv should cost about 60 EUR.

3. Plovdiv Airport -> taxi -> Plovdiv

Of course, Plovdiv has an airport but it is not as big as Sofia Airport. Still, if you are lucky enough to have a direct airline between your hometown and Plovdiv, you can fly directly to Plovdiv Airport. The airport is located outside the city, around 15 km away from the city centre. A taxi ride from Plovdiv Airport to Plovdiv city centre is about 15 leva (8 EUR). 

4. Burgas Airport -> public transportaton/ taxi -> Plovdiv

Burgas is one of the biggest Bulgarian cities – it is located around 250 km away from Plovdiv. If you decide to catch a flight to Burgas International Airport, you can catch a taxi or bus to reach Burgas Bus Station (bus line No. 15, as of January 2018). From there you can catch the train or a bus to Plovdiv. 

Of course, you can also book a taxi or airport pick-up in advance so that it goes faster (but of course, more expensive).

5. Varna Airport -> public transportation/taxi -> Plovdiv

The same goes for Varna Airport. You can either catch a taxi or bus line to reach the main bus station or book an airport pick-up to go to Plovdiv. Keep in mind that Varna Airport is located very far away from Plovdiv (around 400 km), so it is worth it only if you decide to stay in Varna for a couple of days anyway.

You want to move to Bulgaria? Just email us at [email protected] and we will help you organize your arrival or stay in Bulgaria!