Trams
Most convenient way to get around the city (cost: 70 stotinki per ride, 80 if you buy the ticket from the tram driver)

Metro
Links the city centre with the western neighborhood of Lyulin (cost: 70 stotinki per ride; 8 stops)

Buses and Trolleys
Most popular but very crowded and uncomfortable (cost: 70 stotinki per ride, 80 if you buy the ticket from the driver)

Tickets
In the public city transportation you must have a ticket bought from a kiosk or a stand at the stop or from the driver. The ticket must be validated as soon as you board the vehicle in one of the punching devices mounted onto its walls. If you fail to do that, you might get into trouble with the ticket inspectors who randomly board the vehicle. They are obliged to wear navy blue vests and badges but they often hide them and put them on once the doors are closed.

Until recently the ticket inspectors were known as the rudest people in Sofia but the city transportation company is making efforts to hire better qualified people.

Most of them, however, still do not speak any foreign language.

If you do not have a ticket or it was not validated, they’ll still manage to fine you no matter what.

If this happens, you must insist on getting a ticket for the fine so that they will not keep the money for themselves.

As a general rule, the fine is 10 times the price of a regular ticket.

Once you have paid your fine, you can finish your ride on the vehicle.


Taxis
Are everywhere and are required by law to give you a printed receipt of the fare. (Fares range in price from 39-50 stotinki per km. Some of the major taxi companies are Taxi-S-Express – 91280, Radio CV Taxi – 91263, OK Supertrans – 9732121)


Rent a-car
Rentomobile Tel.# 089 991 51 51, Hertz Tel. # 980-0461, Avis Tel. # 981-1082, Budget Tel. # 987-1682, Europcar Tel. # 988-8686,Tany Rent a Car Tel. # 937-3329 (Rates for western cars range from $19.00 to $70.00 and higher)

Mini-buses
Same routes as buses and trolleys, only faster (cost: 1 lev)

Bus info
Private Bus Companies: Most privately-run domestic and international buses depart from two large staging areas near the central train station. Mitsubishi and Mercedes luxurious coaches featuring air-conditioning and video are some of the vehicles used.
A few private bus companies are:

Grup – one of the major bus companies providing both domestic and international bus transport. Its ticket centre is located at the bus stop behind the Princess Hotel (near the central train station). Phone number: 981 51 59 from 6.30 am to 7 pm. For more information click here.

Etap – another major bus company, which merged with Grup. Provides both domestic and international transport. The website provides timetables, distances between towns and process of tickets.
Its ticket centre is located at the bus stop behind the Princess Hotel (near the central train station). Phone number: 931 81 23, 931 04 94, 832 90 85 from 6.30 am to 11 pm.

Vitosha Express – domestic lines only. Its ticket centre is located at the bus stop behind the Princess Hotel (near the central train station). Phone number: 931 12 76.

Kaleya - Its ticket centre is located at the bus stop behind the Princess Hotel (near the central train station). Phone number: 931 18 28.
Provides domestic service to most major cities and an international service to Germany, Austria and Turkey.

Biomet – domestic and international cargo and passenger transportation, If you click here, you will find timetables, ticket prices and the addresses and telephones of the ticket centres.

Rail info
Central Railway Station (Tsentralna Gara) Information - 931-1111

Buy tickets at the international Rila Ticket centre (info 987 07 77), near the Central Post office in Sofia – they sell tickets for the international trains as well. The website contains information about the timetables of the international trains, reservations, prices and discounts.

There is also a travel centre under the National Palace of Culture (NDK). Tel: 65 84 02.

The website of the Bulgarian State Railways, http://www.bdz.bg, has an excellent version in English containing all sorts of information, including prices, timetables and interesting information. Perhaps the most useful and most often updated (every day!) site of a state-owned company.

All international trains should be either fast (burz) or express (ekspres) trains.
National trains can be regular (puticheski), fast (burz) or express (ekspres), with the price going up slightly for speedier travel. Some international and national trains have sleeper cars available; call or visit a ticket office for current information and reservations.