For traveling around Bulgaria it is convenient to use a rental car. Good roads and low fuel prices (compared to other European countries) make it possible to travel comfortably throughout the country. Let’s find out how much it costs to rent a car in Sofia, how to book and get a car, what to see in the Bulgarian capital and how to drive to neighboring cities.
To find out the cost of renting a car for a specific date, you can use the widget above. It will show you the price for booking a car of the right class.
Car rental prices in Sofia
The cost of renting a car in Sofia varies depending on the class of car and the season. Higher prices are kept from June to mid-September, when the flow of tourists is the greatest. In other months, renting is relatively cheap, but other events – Christmas, Easter, season at nearby ski resorts – also affect the price.
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.
Booking and picking up the car
Four passengers can be comfortably accommodated even in an economy class car.
It is better to book a rental car in advance. If you delay this decision until the last minute, the rental cars you need may not be available, and prices for the available options will likely be higher. The easiest way to rent a car in Sofia is online. Not only is this convenient, but it also offers several additional benefits:
- You will know exactly how much you will have to pay for the car and what services are included in the price;
- rentals are easy to cancel or reschedule;
- it is easy to find the most favorable option taking into account the age of the driver, wishes for the class of car and other features.
Booking through the website reduces the time to get a car to 15 minutes, as the documents will already be prepared. A nice bonus is access to the MyTOP loyalty program with a cumulative discount system.
How to choose a rental car
Determine where you will be traveling: Sofia or to another city on the highway. How many passengers will be in the car.
Travelers |
Car body |
Transmission |
|---|---|---|
Two people |
coupe, compact sedan or hatchback |
Manual |
A loner |
coupe, sedan, hatchback |
Automatic, Manual |
Company of 2-4 people |
full-size sedan, station wagon or hatchback |
Automatic |
Company of 5-7 people |
minivan |
Automatic |
Family 3-4 people |
full-size sedan, station wagon or hatchback |
Manual |
Goals and routes |
Transmission |
Engine capacity |
Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
Short trips around the city |
автомат |
1.1-1.6 liters |
In the city there will be enough coupe, sedan or hatchback with an automatic transmission with a small engine capacity. |
To sights off-road |
automatic, manual |
1.6-2 liters |
To overcome ups and downs, it is preferable to choose a car with high ground clearance and not the smallest engine. |
To other cities along the highway |
machine |
2-3 liters |
To save on gas stations and comfort when overtaking, it is better to take a diesel car with a powerful engine. |
Rental companies in Sofia
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%.
Methods of payment
You can pay for the rental car by bank card or cash. In most cases, both options are available to the customer, but paying by card offers 2 advantages:
- With a full prepayment from the card, the customer receives an auto of a specific make and model. Without prepayment, the rental company can issue another car of the same class.
- By paying your rent with a bank card, you save on the deposit. You won’t have to freeze extra money, so it can be spent on vacations.
Deposit is the amount that is locked in for the duration of the car rental. The customer receives this money back at the time the car is returned. If you pay in cash, the deposit is doubled. For example, for an economy car, the deposit will be 150 euros if you use a card and 300 euros if you pay in cash.
Car rental offices
You can pick up your rental car in Sofia at any convenient place – for example, at the airport or near your hotel. The company will deliver the car to the specified address, so you will not have to waste time looking for the office of the hirer.
The representative of the company will draw up the necessary documents, fix the existing damage in the acceptance certificate and hand over the keys.
The return of the auto is done in the same way: you can specify any point in Sofia or come by car to the airport. A company representative will check the condition of the car, confirm the return of the deposit and collect the keys.
Car delivery to the hotel
To book a car with delivery to your hotel, book a suitable car online and specify the pick-up and checkout location. The company staff will prepare the documents in advance and the car will be delivered to the hotel at the specified time. It will be possible to turn in the car either at the same location or at another location – for example, at the airport.
Cities near Sofia
You can return the car in another city if there is a rental office there. For example, you can start your journey in Sofia and drop off the car in Varna.
Bulgaria is a small country that is comfortable to travel through by car. For example, the distance from Sofia to Varna is 450 km, to Burgas – 380 km. The journey between any of the most distant cities takes no more than 6-7 hours. Car rental allows you to travel around Bulgaria without restrictions. The rental price already includes a vignette that entitles you to travel on all roads in the country.
Parking lots in the city
When renting a car for city trips, familiarize yourself in advance with the map and parking rules. Paid parking spaces are common in the city center, and parking time is usually limited to 2-4 hours. You will need to plan your rest and driving time considering the availability of spaces and their costs. There are Blue and Green zones. In the Blue zone, you can park for a maximum of 2 hours at a rate of 2 leva per hour. In the Green zone, you can park your car for up to 4 hours at a rate of 1 leva per hour.
Payment is made by SMS message to a short number. Numbers for sending messages: 1303 (green area) or 1302 (blue area).
Click to enlarge the parking lot map.
Follow this link to open an interactive map of Sofia with parking zones.
Useful information
Info |
Data |
|---|---|
Population |
1 374 742 (2021) |
Sofia Square |
492 km² |
IATA code (airport) |
SOF |
Nearest airport |
10 km (25 minutes) |
Airport information desk |
+359 293 722 11 |
Language |
Bulgarian, English |
Currency |
BGN – lev (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 |
Availability of access to the sea |
No |
Weather during the year
Check out the weather charts above if you’re planning a trip to Sofia. Plan your trip throughout the year depending on your preferences. Don’t forget to book your rental car in advance so you won’t be caught off guard by the weather phenomena in Sofia.
Attractions in Sofia
Sofia is a large and vibrant city, home to more than a million people. To feel its spirit and enjoy the beauty of the streets, go to the center of the capital.
Banya-Bashi Mosque
From Sveta Nedelya Square, picturesque boulevards and alleys radiate in all directions, which are pleasant to walk along in good weather. There are numerous parking lots on the neighboring streets, so finding a place for your car will not be difficult. Not far from the square are the main architectural monuments of Sofia – the Alexander Nevsky Temple and the Banya Bashi Mosque. The interiors of the temple and mosque are kept in excellent condition and there is a lot to see, so don’t hesitate to go inside.
Large shopping centers
Shopping lovers should take a walk along Vitosha Boulevard, where Max Mara, Benetton and other famous brands stores are located. But the most interesting options are found on perpendicular streets, where prices are usually lower and there is more choice.
A must-visit place for children is Zoo Sofia in the southern part of the city. The Muzeiko gaming museum is becoming increasingly popular, where children learn facts about the world around them in a fun way. The journey from the zoo by car will take 6 minutes, so visiting these places can be combined.
Windmills Park
By car you can easily reach another popular holiday destination – the Windmills hydropark, 20 km from Sofia.
This country complex offers visitors ponds for boating and fishing, and trails for horseback riding. There is a mini golf course and other activities. Children’s playgrounds and a small water park will keep your young travelers busy.
