Sofia Airport to City Centre: Metro, Bus, Taxi & Transfer Prices 2026

The cheapest and fastest way to get from Sofia Airport to the city centre is the metro from Terminal 2, which reaches the centre in about 18–20 minutes for €0.80. A taxi from the official OK Supertrans desk costs around €13–14 to downtown and takes 20–30 minutes, while a pre-booked Sofia Airport transfer gives you a fixed price and a driver waiting at arrivals.

Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026, so all fares at the airport and in the city are now in euros.

Sofia Airport to city centre: quick comparison

Option	Price	Journey time	Runs	Best for
Metro (Terminal 2)	€0.80 single	About 18–20 min to the centre	05:30–00:00 daily	Almost everyone with manageable luggage
Bus 84 / 184	€0.80 (30 plus ticket)	About 45 min weekdays, 35 min weekends	All day	Hotels near Sofia University and Tsarigradsko Shose
Bus 384	€0.80	25–30 min to Druzhba	All day	Druzhba and the eastern districts
OK Supertrans taxi	Around €13–14 to downtown (meter)	20–30 min	24/7	Late arrivals, heavy luggage, small groups
Pre-booked private transfer	Fixed price agreed in advance	20–30 min to the centre	24/7	Families, groups, ski trips, onward travel to resorts

Sofia Airport (SOF) is unusually close to the city, roughly 10 km east of the centre. It has two terminals: most international and low-cost flights use Terminal 2, while some airlines use Terminal 1. Check which terminal your flight uses, because it changes which option is easiest.

Sofia Airport metro to the city centre

The Sofia Airport metro station is part of Terminal 2. Follow the blue line on the floor of the arrivals hall to the station at the eastern end of the terminal. Line M4 trains run from the airport through the city centre to Obelya, sharing most of their route with line M1.

Journey time and timetable

Trains run from 5:30am to midnight every day, including weekends and holidays. The ride to the centre (Serdika station) takes about 18–20 minutes. At Serdika you can change to line M2 for the Central Railway Station and Central Bus Station, which you can reach in under 30 minutes from the airport. Iskarsko Shose, two stops from the airport, connects with trains towards Plovdiv and Karlovo.

Metro tickets and prices

Since 1 January 2026 Sofia’s metro fares are:

• Single metro ticket: €0.80, one trip without changing lines, valid 60 minutes from purchase at the station where it was bought.
• 30 plus ticket: €0.80, with transfers allowed within 30 minutes.
• 60 plus ticket: €1.10, with transfers allowed within 60 minutes.
• One-day card: €2.
• 24-hour card including night transport: €3.
• 72-hour card including night transport: €7.60.

Ticket machines in the station take cash, and at least one accepts bank cards. The 30 plus ticket can also be paid by tapping a contactless bank card on the barrier, which is the quickest option if you only need one ride.

Luggage and accessibility

A normal ticket covers up to two pieces of hand luggage; extra pieces need a separate ticket. The airport station and central stations have lifts, and the trip is short enough that a full-size suitcase is not a problem outside rush hour.

Arriving at Terminal 1

There is no metro at Terminal 1. A free shuttle bus runs between the terminals around the clock, every 30 minutes from 8am to 8pm and every 40 minutes overnight. Bus 84 also stops at both terminals.

Sofia Airport bus 84 and 184

Red floor markings in Terminal 2 lead to the bus stops. Three city lines serve the airport:

• Bus 84: city centre (Gen. Gurko Street, near Sofia University) – Terminal 2 – Terminal 1, returning via Christopher Columbus Blvd and Tsarigradsko Shose Blvd.
• Bus 184: city centre – Terminal 1 – Terminal 2, on the same main route.
• Bus 384: Druzhba 2 – Terminal 2, via Druzhba 1, in about 25–30 minutes.

Buses 84 and 184 take about 45 minutes on weekdays and around 35 minutes at weekends. The fare is the same as the metro. Pay by contactless bank card on the validator inside the bus, or buy a ticket at the Urban Mobility kiosks or the machine in Terminal 1 arrivals. The bus is slower than the metro but useful if you arrive at Terminal 1 or are staying along Tsarigradsko Shose.

Sofia Airport taxi fare to the city centre

The airport’s contracted taxi company is OK Supertrans, with booking desks in the arrivals halls of both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Order your car at the desk and follow the yellow floor markings to the taxi stand. The airport advises against taking unofficial taxis offered outside the desk or in front of the terminals.

How much is a taxi from Sofia Airport to the centre?

OK Supertrans publishes its tariff in euros:

• Day (6am–10pm): €1.50 on starting, €0.75 per km.
• Night (10pm–6am): €1.70 on starting, €0.85 per km.
• Waiting: €0.25 per minute.

The company’s indicative fares from the airport are €13–14 to downtown Sofia and the National Palace of Culture (NDK), €12–13 to the National Stadium, and €14–15 to the Central Railway and Bus Stations. Night fares and heavy traffic push the price up slightly. The trip takes 20–30 minutes, longer in the evening rush on Tsarigradsko Shose.

All licensed Sofia taxis show the tariff on a sticker on the windscreen, plus the company name and the driver’s ID. Check the price per km before you get in: some cars at ranks around the city charge far more than the major firms.

Uber and taxi apps in Sofia

Don’t count on Uber in Sofia. The large licensed taxi companies, including OK Supertrans, take bookings by phone and through their own apps at the normal meter tariff. At the airport, the official desk is usually the simplest choice.

Pre-booked private transfers from Sofia Airport

Because the metro is so cheap and quick, most solo travellers going into central Sofia do not need a private transfer. It becomes worth it when:

• you are travelling as a family or group and need a minivan for everyone and the luggage;
• you land after midnight, when the metro has stopped;
• you need child seats;
• you are carrying skis, snowboards, golf bags or bikes;
• you are going straight on to a ski resort or another city and want a fixed price and a driver waiting in arrivals with a name sign.

Browse operators on our Sofia Airport transfers page and book directly with the company. Companies listed on intransfers.com include Transfers BG, BG Trans Company, Around Bulgaria, Bulgarian Limousine Services, Bulgarian Transfers and BanskoShuttle.com. For travel around the capital, see all Sofia transfer companies.

Ask for a total price including luggage, waiting time if your flight is delayed and any child seats, and check whether the price is per vehicle or per person, especially for shared ski shuttles.

Getting from Sofia Airport to Bansko, Borovets and Plovdiv

Sofia Airport is the main gateway for Bulgaria’s mountain resorts. In winter, many travellers go straight from arrivals to the slopes by shared shuttle or private transfer. Journey times below are typical road times in good conditions; allow extra time in snow.

Sofia Airport to Borovets

Borovets is about 70 km south-east of the airport, roughly 1 hour 15 minutes by road. There is no direct public transport from the airport, so most visitors use a transfer. See Borovets transfers.

Sofia Airport to Bansko

Bansko is around 160 km away, usually 2.5–3 hours by road via the Struma motorway and the Predela pass. Shared ski shuttles run on winter weekends to match flight times; buses also leave from Sofia’s central bus station, but that means first getting into town. See Bansko transfers.

Sofia Airport to Plovdiv

Plovdiv is about 150 km away, roughly 1 hour 45 minutes on the Trakia motorway. You can also take the metro two stops to Iskarsko Shose and catch a train towards Plovdiv. See Plovdiv transfers.

Sofia Airport to Pamporovo

Pamporovo, in the Rhodope mountains, is the furthest of the big ski resorts: expect around 3.5–4 hours by road via Plovdiv. See Pamporovo transfers.

Tips for arriving at Sofia Airport

• Night arrivals: the metro stops at midnight. After that, use the OK Supertrans desk or a transfer you booked in advance. Night taxi rates apply from 10pm to 6am.
• Unofficial drivers: ignore anyone offering a taxi in the arrivals hall or outside the doors. Book at the official desk and check the tariff sticker on the windscreen.
• Euro only: since January 2026 prices are in euros. Contactless bank cards work on metro barriers and bus validators, and most licensed taxis accept cards, but carry a few euros in coins just in case.
• Tipping: rounding up a taxi fare to the next euro is normal; 10% is generous for help with luggage.
• Peak traffic: Tsarigradsko Shose, the main road from the airport, is slow on weekday mornings and from about 5pm to 7pm. The metro avoids it completely.
• Ski season: Saturday transfers to Bansko and Borovets book up from December to March, so reserve early.