Sofia Metro: Map, Hours, Fares and Intercity Buses

All prices are in euros: Bulgaria has used the euro since 1 January 2026. Metro fares and train times come from the metro operator's website, bus times and fares from the Central Bus Station website, and rail fares from Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ), all checked on 28 October 2026. MakeYourTravel transfer prices were read from our booking system the same day; the price shown when you book is the one that counts.

Sofia metro map: four lines and two interchanges

According to the operator, Metropolitan, the network has four lines, 50 stations and 55 km of track, and on 14 August 2026 line M3 gained three more stations and about 3 km, out to the Levski district. As a visitor you mainly need three stations: Serdika, under the square at the heart of the city; Central Railway Station; and Sofia Airport.

M1 and M4 share the same track through 13 stations, Serdika included, then split in the east: M1 to Business Park, M4 to the airport. Heading east, make sure you board the right one. At Serdika you change between M1/M4 and M2 (Serdika II station) through underground passages, and at NDK you change between M2 and M3. The current official map is on the Metropolitan website.

Sofia metro hours: first and last trains, and how often they run

According to the official timetable, the first trains leave around 5am and the last ones pass through the centre between 11:20pm and just after midnight, depending on line and direction. On weekdays, from rush hour to midday, trains on the shared M1/M4 section come every 3.5 to 4.5 minutes, on M2 and on the airport branch every 7 to 9 minutes, and on M3 every 5 to 6.5 minutes. After 10pm, at weekends and on public holidays you wait longer, up to 14 minutes on the airport branch.

Two things worth knowing. Landing late? On weekdays the last train from the airport leaves at 23:38; after that it is the bus, a taxi or a transfer. Arriving at Central Station on a night train or bus before 5am? The metro from there towards the centre only starts at 05:11. The timetable currently published is the summer 2026 one, valid from 27 July 2026, and the operator updates it by season, so check again before a late trip.

How to pay: Sofia public transport tickets and contactless

You don't need to buy a ticket. Tap a contactless credit or debit card on the metro entry gate, or on the validator inside the bus, tram or trolleybus, and you pay €0.80. The operator calls this the "30 plus" fare: for 30 minutes from your first tap you can change lines and vehicles, tapping again in each one. Your last tap within those 30 minutes covers you to the end of that route, however long it takes. Use the same card for every tap on the same journey so the transfer is counted. One card pays for one passenger only, so each traveller taps their own card or phone.

Sofia public transport fares in 2026

If you prefer a ticket, or are travelling with children who don't have a card of their own, buy one at the ticket desks and machines in metro stations. These are the fares from 1 January 2026, as published by the metro operator:

No maths needed: according to Sofia's Centre for Urban Mobility, from the third tap in a day with the same bank card the system turns your rides into a day ticket, so you pay at most €2 for the day.

Sofia metro to the airport: line M4

M4 leaves from Terminal 2 and reaches Serdika in about 20 minutes, for the same €0.80. Landing at Terminal 1, late at night or with kids and luggage? Every option into town, including a private transfer from Sofia Airport to the centre, is in our Sofia Airport transfer guide.

Buses and trams in Sofia

Trams, trolleybuses and city buses take the same tickets and the same tap. You will walk most of the historic centre and fill the gaps by metro. Night lines run after the metro closes, and the 24-hour and 72-hour cards are valid on them. On your first day, a small-group walking tour of Sofia, in English, up to two hours, from €18 per person, is a good way to get your bearings before you start riding. A full plan for the first days is in our Sofia in 3 days itinerary.

Only take a taxi from a known company with a meter; the usual tricks at stations are in our guide to scams in Bulgaria. Want to sleep near a station? Our Sofia hotels guide gives each hotel's location, and for several of them the nearest metro stop.

Sofia Central Bus Station and Central Railway Station

Sofia Central Bus Station (the sign says Централна автогара) is at 100 Knyaginya Maria Luiza Boulevard, right next to Central Railway Station. According to its website, it is open from 05:30 to 00:45, the bus companies' ticket desks are on the ground floor, and you can also buy tickets on the station website, which lists every route and fare. Online sales close 6 hours before departure, and tickets for children under 14 are issued only at the ticket desk, against the child's birth certificate. The underpasses in front of the railway station and the bus station are connected, and the metro entrances are inside them: Central Railway Station on line M2, two stops from Serdika II.

Two more stations are worth knowing. Serdika bus station, between the railway station and the Central Bus Station, is where many international coaches leave from. Ovcha Kupel bus station, in south-west Sofia, serves some routes to Bansko and the south. Check your ticket or ask the bus company which station your bus leaves from. Direct international buses also run to Thessaloniki, Skopje and Bucharest, but that is a trip for another guide.

Bus from Sofia to Plovdiv, or the train

Of the routes in this guide, this is the easiest. According to the Central Bus Station, 19 buses a day leave for Plovdiv between 08:00 and 23:30, most of them daily, and the ride takes 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes. Tickets cost €8.50 to €11. By train, BDZ lists nine direct trains on Thursday 29 October between 06:30 and 22:50, taking 2 hours 40 minutes to 3 hours 5 minutes, with a standard second-class fare of €5.62. Slower, but half the price.

If you would rather leave from your hotel door, a private transfer from Sofia to Plovdiv costs from €113 per car, up to 4 passengers, and takes about 1 hour 40 minutes. Route details are on our Sofia to Plovdiv transfer page. Only want Plovdiv for the day, with a guide? There is a guided day trip from Sofia to Plovdiv, from €105 per person, leaving at 9:00 and back around 17:00.

Bus from Sofia to Bansko: times and fares

How much is the bus from Sofia to Bansko? €14 one way, according to the Central Bus Station. Five buses leave daily: 08:30, 09:45, 11:25, 14:00 and 16:45, and the ride takes about three hours. Coming back, the Bansko municipality's tourist site lists buses to Sofia Central Bus Station at 04:58, 07:00, 12:51, 15:15, 16:25 and 18:00, and on weekdays also to Ovcha Kupel bus station at 07:00, 08:00, 10:43 and 13:09. The return fare is €12 to €14, and the 07:00 and 12:51 departures can be booked ahead. Bansko bus station phone: 088 992 92 67. The municipality's timetable carries no date, so confirm your return time on that number.

There is no direct train from Sofia to Bansko. According to BDZ, the fastest option on 29 October leaves at 06:30, changes at Septemvri to the Rhodope narrow-gauge railway and reaches Bansko after 6 hours 29 minutes. It is an experience in itself, not a way to get there fast.

With suitcases, ski gear or kids, a private transfer from Sofia to Bansko costs from €121 per car, up to 4 passengers, about two and a half hours from your hotel in Sofia to your hotel in Bansko. The car takes two suitcases; with more luggage or ski gear, a van for up to 8 costs from €182. More on the route on our Sofia to Bansko transfer page.

Bus from Sofia to Burgas, and the train to Varna

Eight buses a day leave the Central Bus Station for Burgas, between 08:00 and 23:30, for €18.80 to €19.50, taking 5.5 to 7 hours to Burgas South (Yug) bus station. The train is a real alternative here: BDZ runs six direct trains a day between 06:10 and 22:50, taking 5 hours 49 minutes to 7 hours 5 minutes, for €11.71 in second class. A private transfer from Sofia to Burgas costs from €299 per car and takes about three and a half hours. What to do once you arrive is in our Burgas guide.

For Varna, 14 buses leave daily, from 00:30 to 22:30, for €19.50 to €21, taking 5 to 7 hours. There are three direct trains: one by day at 10:15 and two overnight at 21:00 and 23:00, taking 7 hours 50 minutes to 8 hours 50 minutes, for €14.67 in second class. A private transfer from Sofia to Varna costs from €345 per car and takes about five and a half hours, and the city itself is covered in our Varna guide.

Bus, train or private transfer: the numbers side by side

Bus and train fares are per person; transfers are per car, up to 4 passengers, as read on 28 October 2026:

What does it mean in practice? For a couple going to Plovdiv, the bus costs €22 and the car €113. For a family of four going to Bansko, the bus is €56 and the car €121, about €16 more per person, or the van at €182, about €32 more per person, if you have more than two suitcases, with no dragging suitcases through the metro to the bus station and no waiting for the next departure. For Burgas and Varna the gap is wide, and the train or bus is the sensible choice unless you plan stops on the way. When you book a transfer with us you pay 20% online and the rest to the driver at the end of the ride. Transfer prices are dynamic, so the price shown when you book is the one that counts.

Trains in Bulgaria: what to know before you board

• Seat reservations: some fast trains require a reservation, others only in some carriages. A reservation costs €0.51.
• Fares vary: BDZ says prices are dynamic and depend on the day and time. Children aged 7 to 10 pay half, and groups of 3 to 6 get a reduced fare. The exact price is given at the ticket office or when you buy online.
• Check on the day: engineering works change the timetable, and BDZ itself asks passengers to check their train again on the day of travel, even with a ticket in hand. Use the official BDZ timetable.
• The mountain railway: the Rhodope narrow-gauge railway, which also passes through Bansko, is slow and beautiful: a day out for the views, not a fast connection.

The bottom line

Inside Sofia, the metro and a contactless card are all you need: €0.80 a ride, €2 for a whole day, and trains from around 5am to around midnight. Between cities, the bus is the default to Plovdiv and Bansko, and the train is a strong option to Burgas. If there are three or four of you with luggage, kids or gear, a private transfer to Plovdiv or Bansko costs only a little more per person and starts at your hotel door. Any questions? Get in touch.