How to get from Sofia to Plovdiv
Sofia is the official capital, but Plovdiv is to Bulgaria what Stuttgart is to Germany, or St. Petersburg is to Russia.
The city was founded thousands of years before the new era, and in terms of age only Nessebar and Sozopol can rival it. Plovdiv is in the top 5 in the 2022 ranking of "Best European Destinations" and is also the cultural capital of Bulgaria. By the way, the city, called Philippopolis in ancient times, was also declared the European Capital of Culture in 2019. Plovdiv can offer you an extravaganza of antiquity and literature, beauty and artistry, craftsmanship and aristocracy. It is also the second most populous city in Bulgaria.
What are the options for traveling from Sofia to Plovdiv?
By bus
Every day, over 20 buses travel from the official to the cultural capital of Bulgaria. The distance is about 140 km and usually takes just over 2 hours. You can catch a bus from the Central Bus Station. Another option is to go directly from Sofia Airport. Ticket prices start at 10 leva, with an approximate average price of around 16 leva.
If you would like to view the schedules and book tickets online, you can do so on the following pages:
By train (slowly but gloriously)
Bulgarian trains are a little different from Japanese bullet trains, also called Shinkansen. The Bulgarian State Railways trains are a bit slower. The price of a one-way ticket from Sofia to Plovdiv is 11 leva, and a round-trip ticket is about 20 leva. You could sleep better on the train than on the bus, and the travel time is also longer – between 2.30 and 3 hours.
By car
Undoubtedly one of the fastest and most enjoyable options is to drive your own car along the Trakia highway. The road is wide, stable and usually in pretty good condition. It is very likely that you will cover the distance from Sofia to Plovdiv in less than 2 hours.
By taxi
A more luxurious and more convenient way is to hire a private transfer service for your trip. Then you will really feel satisfied while traveling from Sofia to Plovdiv. A professional driver will transport you between the two capitals – the official and the cultural, in about an hour and a half. At the same time, he will take into account your wishes – from which address to pick you up and at which to drop you off, as well as when and where you would like to rest during the trip.