easy Sofia guide :: easySofia.com

Arrival Formalities

Foreign nationals may enter the country with a valid international passport and a visa where required.
Schengen Country citizens are entitled to visa free entry and up to 90 days stay. This also applies to other foreign nationals from countries which have visa waiver agreements with Bulgaria although their stay may be limited to 30 days. At the transit sections, airport transfers and short term visas (up to 10 days) can be issued.
Currency that exceeds 5000 BGL must be declared when entering (or leaving) the country.
Visitors not staying in a hotel must register at the local police station within 48 hours, together with the passport of their host. Be advised not to stay more than what the permit allows you, otherwise you might face some unpleasant charges. Extensions and further info can be obtained at the passport directorate on 48, Maria Luisa Blvd.
If you are staying or working long-term in Bulgaria, you may be entitled to a 'blue passport'. Foreign nationals who have made an investment of over $250, 000 in accordance with the Bulgarian law are also entitled to 'permanent stay'.

Identification should be carried on you at all times.

As of 1st March 2002 all foreign nationals leaving the country must supply a receipt from the hotel they were staying at or a wet-stamped letter from the company they were visiting here in Bulgaria. It must include the Name of the Company, Person's Name, Nationality, Passport No. and Passport Expiration Date.
Keep in mind that passports may also be required for internal flights.
If you are travelling alone with your children and they have Bulgarian citizenship you have to require legalized permission from your partner to take the children out of the country.
If possible get someone local to escort you to and from the airport. If not, take with you some cash and exchange it on the airport to be able to pay for a taxi (it is a good idea to exchange just a few EUROs or Dollars, due to the unfavourable rates at the airport).
You can call a taxi company - remember that they will give you a 3 digit number of the taxi which will come to pick you up. Taxi ordered by phone from the airport to the center of the city usually costs about 7 Bulgarian leva. Taxi services offered by the drivers at the airport can cost 20 or more leva, but paying about 10 leva is still OK. Be sure to agree on a price beforehand. The airport car parking fee is 2 leva per hour.

For flight information:
Phones:	937 22 11, 937 22 12
	937 22 13
Web Page:	www.sofia-airport.bg

CENTRAL POST OFFICE

6, Gen. Gurko Street
There is an Internet cafe with half an hour free use and ISDN demonstration center at 6, Gen. Gurko Str. Video communications and connections are also available there (tel. 980 48 00).

CUSTOMS POST OFFICE

84, Veslets Str.; Tel: 32 51 95

TELEPHONE

There are card phones of two types, Mobika (blue phones) and Bulfon (orange phones), with cards for each ranging in price from 4 to 25 leva. They can be bought at certain shops, kiosks or post offices.
Europe, America, Near East, Japan, Africa and Australia can be dialed directly. For those countries that cannot be dialed directly you must order the call by dialing 0123. For any other kind of international operator assistance dial 0123. (You can find our useful numbers for more information).
There is also a fax and e-mail service at 4, Gen. Gurko Str.
There are three Bulgarian mobile operators: M-tel, GloBul and Vivatel. There is no problem for foreign nationals, staying or working for short or long term here in Bulgaria to become their clients, but still the best choice is to buy prepaid cards with no obligations.

Driving

SPEED LIMITS

TYPE OF VEHICLE	INSIDE CITY LIMITS	OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS	HIGH WAY
Automobiles	50	90	120
Truck, buses	50	80	100
Motorcycles	50	80	100

The best way to explore Bulgaria is by car and many rent-a-car companies offer chauffeur services, which are relatively inexpensive. To drive in Bulgaria you can use your national license, if it is issued by a country - signatory to the Convention on Road Traffic (Vienna 1968). To avoid unnecessary problems it is useful also to have an international license. Legalized translations may also be required and foreign nationals staying in Bulgaria for more than one year are required to exchange their driving license with a Bulgarian one.
Road signs follow international standards. Many of the major roads have been repaired or completely renewed, meeting all the EC standarts for international transit corridors. Fastened seat belts while driving are obligatory by law and police is strictly looking out for it.
On-the-spot fines are in operation for speeding (between 50 - 100 leva), drink-driving (legal limit 0.5/1000), not having the correct documents on you, etc. The police may well stop you without a reason to check your documents. (It is best to always remain calm and polite!) You can also be fined for refusing to show your documents, refusing to be tested for alchohol or allowing someone under the influence of alchohol or drugs to drive your car.
In the event of an accident, the traffic police (KAT - tel. 866 50 60) should be called and a report filed. The process is lengthy but necessary for any insurance claims. (Check with your car hire company about formalities). In the event of a breakdown, there is a 24-hour Road Assistance service tel. 91 146.
The central dispatch office is open 24 hours a day and is located at 3 Pozitano Str. (tel. 980 33 08). English and German is spoken. Usual waiting time is between 20 and 40 minutes.

The main car parking areas* in the centre are:*

Makedonia Square TsUM, (Maria Luiza Blvd.) Corner of Evlogi Georgiev Blvd. and Gurko Str., (opposite Levski Stadium) Corner of Evlogii Georgiev Blvd. and Yanko Sakazov Blvd. Corner of Fritjof Nansen and Bulgaria Blvd., ( NDK, underground car park. NDK, entrance Post Bank, Vitosha Blvd.
You can also park for up to 2 hours in the city centre, in the designated blue zones: opposite the Parliament, by the National Art Gallery, off Rakovski Street near the Cathedral, etc. The fee for up to one hour parking is 0.80 leva. Vouchers are usually sold by attendants in these locations and they will help you fill them out. Please note: some car parks are privately run and prices vary. Use your common sense and don't park in restricted zones even if everyone else seems to be doing so. Sofia City Council are hot on the heels of their Western counterparts with yellow wheel clamps, and if that's not bad enough they'll even tow your car away, usually to the car park near the Hilton Hotel or the one next to the Central Railway Station.

Money

Bulgaria's currency is called Lev (BGL), plural: Leva. One Lev is made up of 100 stotinki.
The currency was redenominated in 1999. Now it is tied to the EURO and the exchange rate is fixed at EURO 1 = BGL 1,95583.
Exchange bureaux are found on all major streets in Sofia. Some of them, located in the downtown area of the city, charge commission but are not very up-front about it. Best to ask how much you will receive before you hand over your money. Don't be tempted to change money on the streets or you might be cheated. Travellers cheques must be cashed at banks and most charge a commission.

Medical Services

AMBULANCE - Tel: 150
The Accident and Emergency Hospital for Sofia is the Pirogov hospital at 21, Gen. Totleben Blvd., opposite the Rodina hotel (tel. 915 44 11). They don't generally speak English so try to take a Bulgarian speaking friend with you. There is a ward for foreigners in the Okruzhna Bolnitsa hospital in Mladost 1, tel. 975 90 00/01. Your Embassy may be able to refer you to a doctor who speaks your language.
There are several private polyclinics (Vita - tel.:943 43 98, Thorax - tel.:912 85,IMC - tel.:944 93 26,Biocheck - and Greenberg) in Sofia who charge for their services and have various specialists on duty, many of whom speak other languages.

24-HOUR PHARMACIES

Tel: 178 - for information

Tel. 987 50 89

First Private Pharmacy

42, Tsar Assen I Str., Tel. 46 54 35

24 Hour Pharmacy Center

Dr. G. M. Dimitrov Blvd. (near Studentski Grad)

Farmatel

Tel. 962 22 22

a very useful 24-hour Pharmacy; delivery service

Public Holidays

31st of December & 1st of January
New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day

3rd of March
Signing of the San Stefano peace treaty in 1878,
which secured the liberation of Bulgaria from the Turks

5-7th of May
Orthodox Easter

1st of May
Labour Day

24th of May
Day of the Cyrillic alphabet, created by Saints Cyril and Methodius

6th of September
Union Day, when the Ottoman protectorate of Eastern Rumelia
was freed to join the independent Bulgarian Principality (in 1885)

22nd of September
Bulgarian Independence Day

24th, 25th of December
Christmas holidays

Public Transport

There are trams, buses, and trolley buses (as well as a recently-opened short section of the city subway - see map for details) which cover most of the city. There is also a fleet of privately run 'Marsh-route taxis' which covers the more obscure routes. (Ticket price 1 lev. Pay the driver as you get on.)
Public transport runs daily from 5 a.m. till 11.30 p.m. for buses, 12.30 a.m. for trams.

Tickets: single use, for any distance on any tram, bus or trolley-bus line.
Price: 0.70 leva.

Transit Cards
one day, all lines - 3.00 leva
one month, all lines - 38.00 leva

Single trip tickets are sold at kiosks and newspaper stands at the major stops or by the driver of the vehicle. You have to punch them inside the vehicle (look for the metal punch on the walls). If you transfer you must use another.

Tickets are inspected at random by conductors. The fine is 12.00 leva.

MAJOR TRAM LINES

1, 7

Central Railway Station <> Sheraton hotel <> Vitosha Blvd.

2, 12

Central Railway Station <> Graf Ignatiev Str. <> Lozenets

Central Railway Station <> National Palace of Culture underpass <> Lozenets area

MAJOR BUS LINES

Sofia Airport <> Sofia University

213, 313

Central Railway station <> "Lavov Most" (Lions' Bridge) <> Tsarigradsko Shosse Blvd. <> Mladost

Sofia University <> Lozenets <> Darvenitsa <> Studentski Grad

MAJOR TROLLEY BUS LINES

Banishora (near the Central Railway Station) < Opalchenska Str. <> National Palace of Culture underpass <> Sofia University <> Hadji Dimitar Q.

Hadji Dimitar Q. <> Sofia University <> P. Evtimii Blvd. <> Medical Academy <> Borovo

Banishora (close to Central Railway Station) <> Opalchenska Str. <> National Palace of Culture underpass <> Mladost Housing Complex

Central Railway Station

(Tzentralna Gara) This is the main railway station with regular daily services to Bulgaria's main cities, towns and abroad. Train travel is relatively cheap if you are prepared to put up with longer travelling times but for those who feel daunted driving - it is a more relaxing way to see the country. First class is quite affordable. You must book your seats.
Train schedule information:
Tel: 931 11 11, 932 33 33

Other Railway Offices

National Palace of Culture (NDK) underpass.

International - Tel: 865 71 86

International Train Tickets

Rila Tours

5, Gen. Gurko Str.

Information - Tel: 987 07 77

Taxi Services

OKAY SUPERTRANS - 973 21 21
YES TAXI - 91 919, 91 818
TAXI-S-EXPRESS - 9 1280

Helpful Tips

FEATURES ABOUT BULGARIANS One unique feature is that Bulgarians most often nod for 'no' and shake their heads for 'yes'. Watch out! It can lead to a great confusion. It is common courtesy to take flowers when invited to someone's home. These should be an odd number i.e. 3, 5 or 7 stems. 2, 4 or 6 stems are taken only at funerals. Many public places charge small fees to use their washrooms, usually 0,10-0,30 leva. Some of them still have porcelain 'squat pots' instead of real toilets.

STREET SINGERS While you are walking in the city center you can come across on street singers. Most of them sing and play different types of music trying to earn some extra money or because they don't have any work. It's very rare that they do it for fun.

WINDOW WASHERS At all the main intersections around town you will be confronted by street kids wanting to wash your windscreens. The going rate is approximately between 0.20 and 2 leva.

24 HOUR PUBLIC HOTLINE FOR COMPLAINTS OR SIGNALS OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY
Sofia, Tel: 73 99 45 (Bulgarian) From 8.30 - 18.00 h. Tel: 988 52 39 (English) Tel: 982 22 12 (Francais)