Transfer from Plovdiv to Bansko
From your door in Plovdiv to your hotel in Bansko, with no change on the way.
PlovdivBansko
- Price per car
- From €124
- Drive time
- about 2 hours 35 minutes
- Distance
- about 159 km
How it works
Book on the site
Pick the date, the time and the pickup point, and pay 20% by card.
The driver meets you
At the pickup point, at the time you set. At the airport, in the arrivals hall with a sign.
Pay the rest to the driver
In cash after the ride. The price is fixed in advance: no meter, no surprises.
How to get from Plovdiv to Bansko
Plovdiv and Bansko go well together in one trip: the city first, then the mountains. This transfer takes you from your hotel or apartment in Plovdiv to your address in Bansko, about 159 km and 2 hours 35 minutes by car, with no change on the way.
There is a bus, and for a couple travelling light it is the sensible choice. Hebros Bus, which runs Plovdiv's bus stations, lists two departures a day for Bansko from Rodopi bus station, 73 Pobeda Street, at 13:00 and 14:10, every day of the week, both with the carrier Popov GM. Going back, Bansko bus station's timetable shows one bus a day to Plovdiv, at 06:50, for €15.
There is no direct train. You change at Septemvri onto the Rhodope narrow-gauge railway, which climbs through Velingrad to Bansko. On the BDZ timetable for 4 and 5 November 2026, checked on 1 November, trains leave Plovdiv at 08:10, 11:57 and 14:51 and reach Bansko at 12:59, 17:09 and 20:20; the fastest connection takes just under five hours. A second-class ticket costs €6.14 to €6.18, and the 08:55 mountain train from Septemvri needs a seat reservation, €0.51. BDZ asks passengers to check their train again on the day of travel.
The narrow-gauge line is worth a day of its own. According to BDZ, Avramovo station, at 1,267 metres, is the highest railway station in the Balkans, and below it the line loops over itself in a figure of eight. It is a beautiful, slow ride for a day out, not a way to move suitcases, skis or tired children.
The transfer costs €124 per car, not per person, and it earns that for a family with suitcases and ski gear, a group of friends, or anyone moving from hotel to hotel: no bus station and no change at Septemvri. A car takes up to 4 passengers and 2 suitcases; with ski gear, book the large van, up to 8 passengers and 8 suitcases. Child seats can be requested when booking, with each child's age and height. You enter the exact addresses and see the price for them before you pay, then pay 20% online by card and the rest in cash to the driver at the end of the ride; bring the exact amount, as drivers need not give change. A driver confirms your request and the confirmation reaches you by email. Cancellation is free 3 days or more before the ride.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Plovdiv to Bansko?
About 2 hours 35 minutes, for about 159 km. The route can be booked the other way too; to come back, book a round trip or a second ride.
Is there a bus from Plovdiv to Bansko?
Yes, two a day from Rodopi bus station in Plovdiv, at 13:00 and 14:10, with the carrier Popov GM, according to Hebros Bus, which runs the city's bus stations. Back from Bansko, one bus a day leaves for Plovdiv, at 06:50, for €15.
Is there a train from Plovdiv to Bansko?
Not a direct one. You change at Septemvri onto the narrow-gauge line; on 4 and 5 November 2026 the fastest connection leaves Plovdiv at 08:10 and reaches Bansko at 12:59, for €6.14 in second class plus a €0.51 seat reservation.
Is the narrow-gauge train from Septemvri to Dobrinishte a good way to reach Bansko?
For a day out, yes; with luggage, no. Four trains a day run the whole line, leaving Septemvri at 05:00, 08:55, 12:45 and 15:45, and a ticket from Septemvri to Bansko costs €4.04 to €4.50. It is slow and beautiful, so leave the suitcases and skis to the car.
We are visiting Sofia, Plovdiv and Bansko in one trip. How do we book the rides?
As separate rides, each with its price shown before you pay: Sofia to Plovdiv from €113 per car, Plovdiv to Bansko from €124 per car, and Bansko to Sofia Airport for the flight home. A night in Velingrad on the way is two rides, Plovdiv to Velingrad and Velingrad to Bansko.
Is the price per person or per car?
Per car. €124 per car covers up to 4 passengers and 2 suitcases; a large van takes up to 8 passengers and 8 suitcases, and a bigger group can book two cars or two vans.
