Car hire in Varna

Varna is a large Black Sea resort with beautiful beaches and vibrant life. Tourists who are interested in more than just a beach holiday often turn to car rental companies. Renting a car in Varna is not difficult, but to choose the best offer, you should familiarize yourself with the features of this market in advance.

Car rental prices in Varna

If you need an affordable car rental, opt for a basic model. These types of cars are usually listed first.

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.

The main factor determining the cost of rental is the class of the car. The more spacious and expensive the car, the more you will have to pay to rent it. For example, by choosing a Ford Fiesta or a similar economy class car, you can get a car inexpensively. A more spacious car, such as a Volkswagen Passat, will cost more. To move around Varna and short distances from the city, cheap rentals are suitable.

The factor influencing the cost of renting a car of any class is the time of year. Varna is surrounded by many convenient beaches, but there are no ski resorts in these places. This is why prices peak during the summer months. In winter, car rental in Varna will be relatively cheap.

The only exception to the general rule is holidays. During the New Year holidays, the demand for cars in Varna increases sharply, so renting a car these days will cost more. It is better to book a car for the holidays in advance to be able to choose from inexpensive options.

Which car to choose

When choosing a car rental in Varna, be guided by practical considerations. The main conditions that determine the choice of a particular car:

1. Number of passengers and duration of trips. The compact hatchback is great for short city trips, but for longer trips, rear seat passengers will need more space.
2. Time of year. In winter, there are frosts in Varna and the surrounding area, and sometimes even snow. For safe driving, choose a vehicle with all-wheel drive.
3. Travel routes. For short trips around Varna and the surrounding area, an economy class car is suitable. On long trips, the cost of fuel comes to the fore. So an economical diesel or hybrid would be the best choice. For out-of-town trips, a car with high ground clearance, such as a Renault Captur or other crossover, is suitable.

Decide in advance whether to choose a manual or automatic transmission. A car with automatic transmission will cost more, but will be more convenient for city trips.

Offers from Varna car rental companies

Information Varna

Info	Data
Population	(2021): 368,951
Square	238 km²
Nearest airport	10 km
IATA code (airport)	VAR
Airport information desk	+359 52 573 323
Language	Bulgarian, EN
Access to the sea	more than 9 beaches
Currency	BGN – lv. (Bulgarian Lev)
Country code	+359
Police/ambulance phone number	112 (for 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

Rented car options

By renting a car in Varna, you can drive throughout Bulgaria without restrictions. By prior arrangement, you can travel to neighboring countries in a rented car.

The rental price already includes:

• unlimited mileage in Bulgaria;
• vignette for travel on toll roads;
• replacement of the vehicle in case of malfunction;
• free car delivery to a convenient point in the city or airport;
• compulsory insurance – the driver’s liability will not exceed the amount of the deposit.

In Bulgaria you can drive with yours driver’s license, since the country is a member of the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.

Additional services will make your trip more comfortable. A GPS navigator will help you create a quick route, and a 3G Wi-Fi modem will help you save on mobile Internet. For winter trips, you may need snow chains. During the colder months, mountain roads are signposted and breaking the law may result in a fine.

Booking a specific car

Car rental in Varna is a popular service, so the list of cars available at the rental office is constantly changing. Don’t put off booking a car for too long. The most profitable options are in great demand, so it is better to reserve a car in advance. Find out about the nuances of getting a car at Varna airport in a separate article.

You can book a car without full prepayment. In this case, the rental office guarantees the class of the car, but not the specific make and model. For example, if you book a Ford Focus, you can get another car. However, the issued car will approximately correspond to the Focus in size, cost, gearbox and set of options.

The most reliable option for renting a specific car is booking with 100% prepayment. In this case, you will receive a car of a strictly defined make and model.

What is the deposit required for the car?

When renting a car, the rental office will take a deposit – a deposit. This amount is withheld in case the car is returned with damage, an incomplete tank of gasoline or other violations. If everything is fine with the car, the deposit is returned in full.

The deposit size is affected by 2 conditions:

1. Method of depositing the amount: card or cash. When using a card, the deposit will be 2 times lower.
2. Car class. The higher it is, the larger the deposit.

The deposit amount is shown as a separate line when booking online. When traveling outside of Bulgaria, the deposit amount doubles for each additional country. Drivers under the age of 23 or with less than 3 years of experience also leave a double deposit.

You can only pay a deposit for the most expensive cars with a bank card.

Rental insurance options

A basic concept that is important to get acquainted with when renting a car is a franchise. This is the maximum amount that a rental company can charge a client to compensate for damage in an accident or theft. The remaining costs are covered by insurance.

Example: a client rents a car with a franchise of 300 euros and gets into an accident with damage of 1000 euros. In this case, the client will only lose 300 euros, and the rest will be paid by the insurance company.

The basic rental price includes only standard insurance. In this case, the deductible is equal to the amount of the deposit. If the damage from theft or accident exceeds the amount of the deposit, the company will keep the entire amount, but will not require any additional payments. In addition, if the car is damaged, the client will have to pay an administrative fee.

Full protection can be purchased for an additional fee. In this case, the deductible becomes zero: the client will receive the entire deposit back in case of any damage as a result of an accident or theft. The company will also provide a free replacement of the damaged vehicle and cover the cost of calling a tow truck.

Thus, Full Protection is an equivalent to a comprehensive insurance scheme, reducing liability limitations to zero for any mileage in Bulgaria.

No insurance is valid if:

• at the time of the accident the driver was intoxicated;
• the client did not provide a police report documenting the circumstances of the incident.

Cities near Varna

Receiving a rental car

You can pick up the car at the office address in Varna or at a pre-selected pickup location. To help an employee find your reservation number faster, provide him with a voucher on a piece of paper or smartphone screen. After signing the contract, you will receive a copy of it and a receipt confirming the deposit.

An important step is to inspect the car. If the car has noticeable defects, a company employee will record them in documents. These damages will not be taken into account when returning the car.

Minor defects are not always noticeable during a quick inspection, so it is best to photograph the car from different angles at the place of receipt. This way you will protect yourself from possible problems when returning the car.

Parking zones and blue zone

All you need to know about parking is that in the central areas of Varna there is a “Blue Zone”, on other streets parking is free. In the blue zone you can park your car for 1 lev/hour from 9:00-18:00 on weekdays. During other hours and on weekends (Sat., Sun.), parking in the blue zone is free.

The coverage area is limited to the following boulevards and streets: Blvd. “Hristo Botev”, blvd. “Maria Louise”, blvd. “Osmi Primorsky Regiment”, blvd. Tsar Osvoboditel, blvd. Primorsky and Devnya.

Subzone 1 – includes and is limited by boulevards and streets: Blvd. “Hristo Botev”, st. Preslav, st. Tsar Simeon I, blvd. Primorsky and st. Devnya.

Subzone 2 – includes and is limited by boulevards and streets: Preslav Street, Tsar Simeon I Street, Primorsky Boulevard, Prince Alexander Battenberg Street, Shipki Street and Maria Louise Boulevard.

Subzone 3 – includes and is limited by boulevards and streets: Shipka Street, Prince Alexander Battenberg Street, Blvd. Primorsky, blvd. Slivnitsa and Blvd. Maria Louise.

Subzone 4 – includes and is limited by boulevards and streets: Slivnitsa Boulevard, Primorsky Boulevard, Tsar Osvoboditel Boulevard and Osmi Primorsky Regiment Boulevard.

Popular routes in Varna

We offer a choice of three popular tourist destinations in this wonderful Bulgarian city.

Sandy beaches

Spacious sandy beaches are what thousands of vacationers flock to Varna every year for. The main beaches, such as Central, South and Officer, are located within the city. If desired, you can get to quieter suburban vacation spots by car, such as Asparuhovo or the beach of St. Constantine and Helena.

Cathedral

Once in the center of Varna, visit the Assumption Cathedral. The temple, founded in 1880, was created with close cooperation between Bulgarian and Russian craftsmen. The cathedral became a symbol of the liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule, becoming one of the most revered places for local residents.

“Stone Forest”

Renting a car will allow you to travel outside of Varna and look at the unique “Stone Forest”, located 18 km from the city. The natural complex consists of many stone columns reminiscent of the ruins of an old city. In fact, these structures arose from natural causes without human intervention. While scientists argue about the origin of the columns, tourists never cease to admire this creation of nature. Stone forest coordinates: 43.225833, 27.704644 (latitude, longitude). Just copy these numbers into your navigator.

Evksinograd

By rental car you can visit another suburban attraction – the Euxinograd Palace. Built in 1861, the complex boasts elegant architecture and meticulously preserved interiors. Later, a beautiful park was laid out on the territory of Evksinograd, where it is pleasant to walk even on a hot day.

Returning the car

The time and place of return are agreed upon when signing the contract. You can rent a car either at the same place or at another point in the city or country. Upon return, a company employee will inspect the car.

Basic conditions that must be met when transferring a car:

• return the car with a full tank of gasoline (if you did not order the Prepaid Fuel service);
• there should be no recent damage on the body, wheels and interior of the car;
• If the car was damaged as a result of an accident, you need to provide a police report.

The issuance and return of the car can be arranged by different people. If an employee has questions about damage that is not recorded in the documents, show him the photos taken when you received the car.