Sofia to Burgas by train, bus or transfer
The bus and the train are cheap, and we say so. The car is for families and groups with luggage, from door to door.
SofiaBurgas
- Price per car
- From €299
- Drive time
- about 3 hours 35 minutes
- Distance
- about 382 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 Sofia to Burgas
Burgas is a Black Sea city with its own airport, and from there you go on to Sunny Beach, Nessebar and Sozopol. By car it is 3 hours 35 minutes from Sofia, about 382 km on the Trakia motorway, which runs all the way from Sofia past Plovdiv to Burgas.
We will say it straight away: for a couple with light bags, the bus or the train is the sensible choice. Eight buses a day leave Sofia Central Bus Station for Burgas, from 08:00 to 23:30, for €18.80 to €19.50 a person, and the ride takes about 5 and a half to 7 hours. Several of them go on to Pomorie, Nessebar and Sunny Beach.
The train costs less: €11.71 to €12.53 a person in second class, plus €0.51 for a seat reservation on the trains that require one. The direct trains take about 6 to 7 and a half hours, and one of them is a night train with sleeping cars. From 2 November 2026, during works on the line, BDZ lists only two direct trains a day, at 06:00 and 22:20, so check the BDZ timetable for your date. In the 2026/2027 winter season Bulgaria Air also flies from Sofia to Burgas on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, from €78 one way.
The transfer, €299 per car, is worth it for a family or a group with suitcases. It costs more than the bus: four adult bus tickets come to €75 to €78. What you pay for is the ride from your door in Sofia to the door of your hotel, when it suits you, with a stop on the way, in Plovdiv for example, if you ask for it in advance. A car takes up to 4 passengers and 2 suitcases; a large van takes up to 8 passengers and 8 suitcases.
How it works: you enter the exact pickup and drop-off addresses, a hotel, an apartment or an airport terminal, and you see the price for them before you pay. Child seats can be requested when you book, with each child's age and height. You 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. Cancellation is free 3 days or more before the ride; later than that, the 20% is kept. Not sure the car is right for you? Ask us on WhatsApp and we will tell you honestly.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get from Sofia to Burgas?
About 3 hours 35 minutes by car. The bus takes about 5 and a half to 7 hours and the direct train about 6 to 7 and a half hours.
Is there a direct train from Sofia to Burgas?
Yes. BDZ runs direct trains from Sofia Central Station, by day and overnight with sleeping cars, from €11.71 a person in second class. How many run depends on the date: from 2 November 2026, during works, there are two a day, at 06:00 and 22:20, so check the BDZ timetable on the day you travel.
How much is the bus from Sofia to Burgas?
€18.80 to €19.50 a person, with eight departures a day from Sofia Central Bus Station between 08:00 and 23:30. Tickets for children under 14 are sold only at the ticket desk, against the child's birth certificate, not online.
Is the price per person or per car?
Per car. A car takes up to 4 passengers and 2 suitcases, a large van up to 8 passengers and 8 suitcases, and a bigger group can book two cars or two vans.
Can you take us straight to Sunny Beach, Nessebar or Sozopol?
Yes. Enter your hotel's address as the drop-off and you will see the price for that address before you pay.
Can you pick us up at Sofia Airport?
Yes. Enter the terminal as the pickup address and give your flight number when you book; the driver meets you in the arrivals hall with a name sign.
