Bansko is a young ski resort with varied slopes. The city offers its guests good infrastructure and interesting regional cuisine. The most convenient way to get to the slopes and surrounding attractions is by car. Renting a car in Bansko will allow you to avoid the queue for the ski lift and visit the surrounding thermal springs and many other attractions.
The cheapest price to rent a car in this city is in the summer. At this time, tourists can rent a car of any class relatively inexpensively.
Prices for car rental in Bansko
Car classes |
Price per day |
Deposit amount |
|---|---|---|
compact cars |
from 6 EUR (12 BGN) |
from 150 euros |
small cars |
from 18 EUR (36 BGN) |
from 150 euros |
standard |
from 20 EUR (40 BGN) |
from 200 euros |
minivan |
from 26 EUR (52 BGN) |
from 300 euros |
SUVs |
from 35 EUR (70 BGN) |
from 800 euros |
luxury |
from 60 EUR (120 BGN) |
from 1500 euros |
*Prices are valid for November 2024. Check the available cars in the city and review the offers from rental offices.
Bansko is primarily known as a ski resort. The tourist season here lasts from December to April. For this reason, the cost of renting a car in winter will be significantly higher than in summer.
To save money, clearly define the purpose of renting a car and travel routes. This will help you refuse unnecessary options or choose a car of a more affordable class. For example, any car is equipped with central locking, power steering and an alarm system, but you can refuse cruise control when traveling on mountain roads.
[spoiler title=”Show advice”]Sometimes a higher-class car allows you to save on options – for example, on renting a navigator. For a relatively small surcharge, you will get a more spacious car, equipped with built-in navigation, fog lights, alloy wheels, parking sensors, ABS and other useful options.[/spoiler]Popular car brands for rent
Traveling through Bansko and the surrounding area during the high season, you will encounter mountain roads, large elevation changes and changeable weather. Maximum safety in such conditions is provided by a car with all-wheel drive.
The SUV is perfect for family trips around Bulgaria: there is enough space in the car for everyone, and the driver will feel confident on the road. You can move around the city in a front-wheel drive car, but on the surrounding serpentines, a 4×4 drive will be the best choice.
Spikes are prohibited in Bulgaria. During the cold season, rental cars are equipped with winter tires without studs – Velcro.
Nissan Qashqai is a popular SUV for traveling around Bansko and the surrounding area.
In the mountainous regions of Bulgaria, it is more profitable to rent small SUVs such as the Nissan Qashqai. Airbags, ABS and ESP are responsible for the safety of the car. A multimedia system with a USB port, AUX, Bluetooth and steering wheel controls will not let you get bored on a long trip. If you need a larger car, you can consider more expensive rental options – for example, a Volkswagen Touareg.
Car rental offers in Bulgaria
Top Rent-a-Car – National rental company of Bulgaria. The best prices and new cars with minimal mileage, usually up to 50,000 km. Still remains a leader in quality and comfort of services.
Discover Cars – World Travel Awards winning car rental comparison site. Customers can find, compare and rent a car in Bulgaria. Competitive prices at over 10,000 locations worldwide.
EconomyBookings – International booking service for economical car rental. Large selection of cars, more than 20,000 rental points, 150 countries. 24/7 reservation and support service.
Rentalcars – World leader in online car booking. Rentalcars is part of the American company Priceline, which also includes Booking.com.
Localrent – Car rental broker in local rental companies. Low prices, low deposits: from 0 to 300 euros. Manual confirmation of the selected vehicle option.
BikesBooking – Online booking service for motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and bicycles around the world.
GetrentaCar – Marketplace for renting vehicles from local owners at the best prices. Competitive prices in Bulgaria, best price guarantee, tender system. 24/7 support in 20 languages. Prepayment is only 15%.
How to rent a car in Bansko?
It is better to book a car rental in Bansko in advance, since at the height of the ski season it is much more difficult to find a suitable option. You can pick up a car online, on the rental office website. Making a full or partial prepayment guarantees that upon arrival in Bansko you will receive a car of a specific make and model. Without prepayment, the company can provide a similar car of the same class.
You can rent a car at the company’s office, but it is often more convenient to order delivery to a specific address. You can only pick up a car at Sofia airport; there are no other offices closer to Bansko. The rental company will deliver the car to any point in the Bansko resort if you indicate this in your application when booking.
Mandatory insurance
Basic insurance is included in the initial car rental price. In the event of an accident or car theft, the client’s liability is limited to the amount of the deposit – the deductible. For example, if the deposit is 300 euros, then the maximum losses will be limited to this amount, and the rest will be compensated by the insurance company.
Full insurance allows you to rent a car without a deductible. In this case, you won’t have to risk your deposit, but the rental cost will be slightly higher. Full car insurance is available upon request and can be waived.
The insured event must be confirmed by documents from the police. Therefore, if you have trouble on the road, first call the rental company and the police at 112.
Additional equipment
When renting a car at a ski resort, additional equipment may be required.
A ski rack on the roof of the car will save space in the cabin.
Most popular options:
- Car roof rack. We are not talking about traditional boxes, but about bindings for skis and snowboards. Rental companies usually offer universal models of ski racks for rent, designed for both types of equipment. There are also solutions designed only for skis or only for snowboards – the difference lies in the fastening mechanism.
- Snow chains. Driving without them on the mountain roads in the vicinity of Bansko is prohibited – at least the chains must be in the trunk of the car.
- GPS navigator.
- Child seats. Compulsory for children under 12 years old.
It doesn’t hurt to check the list of options that the car is equipped with. In cool weather, it is more pleasant to get into a warm car with heated seats and climate control that maintains the desired temperature.
Popular cities near Bansko
Useful information
Information |
Data |
|---|---|
Population of Bansko |
9 542 (2021) |
Nearest airport |
114 km |
IATA code (airport) |
Sofia (SOF) |
Airport information desk |
+359 293 722 11 |
Language |
Bulgarian, ENG. |
Currency |
BGN – lv. (Bulgarian Lev) |
Country code |
+359 |
Police/ambulance phone number |
112 (free) |
Direction of movement |
right-handed |
Speed limit outside the city |
90 km/h (56 mph) |
Speed limit within the city |
50 km/h (31 mph) |
Permissible blood alcohol level |
0.05‰ ppm |
Ski slopes Bansko
The Bansko resort offers lovers of skiing and snowboarding 16 trails of varying difficulty levels: 6 blue, 9 red, 2 black. All of them are located on the slopes of Pirin Mountain, whose height reaches 2.9 km.
You can get to the slopes by taking a lift in the southern part of the city. But it’s much more convenient to do this by car – during peak season you’ll save up to an hour and a half!
The table below lists the ski slopes sorted by difficulty level.
| Difficulty level | Route | Descent length, m |
| Beginners | Plateau-1 | 1730 |
| Shiligarnik-1 | 2780 | |
| Shiligarnik-2 | 3100 | |
| Average | Stara Pista | 1310 |
| Balkaniada | 3120 | |
| Banderitsa | 4860 | |
| Difficult | Alberto Tomba | 2470 |
All slopes are suitable for snowboarding. In the Banderishka Polyana ski area there is a halfpipe, as well as a park with jumps and obstacles. Extreme sports enthusiasts can go freeride on the virgin snow.
At Polyana Banderishka there are slopes of medium difficulty level, as well as 4 restaurants. Their prices and menus are practically the same, and the cuisine is mainly represented by meat dishes. From the mountain there is a descent to the Shiligarnik clearing with entry-level tracks. Here you can also find several restaurants with more varied cuisine.
The resort sells mulled wine, tea, hot dogs, and local fried sausage sujuk everywhere. Tourists who visit Bulgaria invariably note the excellent taste of steaks and other meat dishes, which will be perfectly prepared in almost any restaurant in Bansko.
Parking
Bansko is a small town, so parking spaces are in short supply here. Usually parking lots are located next to hotels. You can leave your car for an average of 3 levs (1.5 euros) per hour or 12 levs (6.1 euros) per day. If you plan to rent a car during your vacation, it is better to look for a hotel with free parking in advance.
You will also have to pay for parking near the ski areas. Parking lots Banderishka and Shiligarnik cost 6 euros per day. Experienced tourists advise, if possible, to leave the car in the Shiligarnik parking lot, since traffic jams at the entrance are much less likely to form here.
Sights of Bansko
Renting a car will allow you to see the best sights of Bansko and the surrounding area.
Vihren Peak
The highest point of the Bansko resort, from which stunning views open. You can get to the foot by car, after which you will have to spend 3-4 hours ascending (about 20 minutes descending). The routes are designed for beginners, but the road is difficult for children under 12 years old.
Thermal springs
Warm pools with mineral water are located in the surrounding villages and resort towns – Banya, Dobrinishte and Ognyanovo. A car ride to these resorts will take no more than an hour. You can swim in the local thermal springs all year round.
Vlahinsky waterfall
An interesting object for tourists visiting Bansko in the warm season.
Dancing Bear Park
Be sure to visit this place if you are traveling with children.
