Getting there & Getting around

Getting there

Bulgaria Air took over as national carrier from the thankfully defunct Balkan Airlines in November 2002. It has flights to most major European capitals but as yet there are no direct flights linking Sofia with the major Asian hubs or North America. Travellers from Australasia will usually have to connect through more popular European destinations. Buses and trains are the easiest way to get to Bulgaria from Europe and Turkey, with frequent services from Greece, Yugoslavia, Macedonia, Albania, Istanbul, Prague and Western Europe. The only Romania connection is a scrappy maxi-taxi service from Ruse, Bulgaria (on the Danube River) to Bucharest. The train from Greece is usually a hassle (take the bus).

When you enter Bulgaria by car you must state which border crossing you'll be using when you leave and pay a road tax accordingly. There's also a 'disinfection fee' for your vehicle. Route restrictions apply if you're only in transit through Bulgaria. A regular car ferry crosses the Danube from Vidin to Calafat in Romania. Crossing the 'Friendship Bridge' from Romania to Ruse in Bulgaria is painfully slow, though outbound travellers are not usually delayed. Bus services to Istanbul usually reach the border in the middle of the night, when Turkish customs go through every bag vigorously.

Getting around

Bulgaria's bus and train networks are extensive and pretty cheap, although plagued by illogical timetabling, mysterious cancellations and office staff with very important crosswords. Private buses compete with government transport over major routes, often making up for a slight price hike by including extras such as shock absorbers. You're unlikely to avoid a soundtrack composed of pop music you hoped you'd forgotten, and one hopes there is no connection between the filthy seats and the soft-porn wallpaper.

Visa information

Most nationals of EU countries are admitted without a visa for stays of less than 90 days. Nationals of some countries - including the USA, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada - are admitted without a visa for stays of less than 30 days. Alternatively, a 90-day visa costs between 30.00-60.00 depending on the country where you apply. Visitors of most other nationalities are issued visas on a shifting fee scale depending on the type of visa sought - transit, tourist or business.

Visitors supposedly must hold sufficient funds or return/onward tickets; in practice these are hardly ever required.