Getting around Sofia-Grad
Sofia has 4 metro lines, a working tram network, honest taxis, and a walkable core. A 24-hour pass costs $2.20.
Sofia metro train arriving at Serdica station platform
Metro
Four lines, all useful. Line 1 (red) crosses east-west through Serdica. Line 2 (blue) runs north-south. Line 4 (green, extension of line 1) goes to the airport at Terminal 2. Trains every 3-5 minutes 5am-midnight. Single ticket $0.90, buy contactless with a bank card at the turnstile — the same card counts as your ticket. This is the easiest way, faster than paper tickets.
Trams and buses
Trams 5, 7 and 22 serve routes the metro does not — Lozenets, Boyana approach, the university. Same $0.90 fare, same contactless. Buses 64, 66, 107, 111 are essential for Boyana, Vitosha and Simeonovo gondola. Yellow ticket-machine kiosks by tram stops sell 24-hour passes ($2.20) and 72-hour passes ($5).
Taxis and ride apps
Only use marked taxi companies: OK Supertrans (yellow, 91 82), Yellow Taxi, Green Taxi. The airport-to-centre run is $8-10 on the meter, 20 minutes. The scam to avoid: unmarked cabs at the airport quoting $40 for the same trip. Ignore anyone approaching you inside arrivals; walk to the taxi desk before Terminal 2 exit and take a slip with the fare estimate. Uber does not operate; local app Yellow 333 works.
Walking and bikes
The yellow-brick core is 20 minutes end to end on foot. Sofia is flat until you climb toward Boyana. Sidewalks are patchy; watch for uneven paving and parked cars. Public bike sharing (Sofia Bike Rent) exists but the city is not truly bike-friendly — cars park in painted lanes. For a scenic ride, take a bike into Borisova Gradina or up the paved path from Boyana to the waterfall.
Frequently asked questions
What people ask before they set off on this one.
No. Tap your contactless bank card at the turnstile and it charges $0.90 per journey. Same card on trams.
$8-10 on the meter with OK Supertrans, Yellow Taxi or Green Taxi. 20 minutes to Serdica.
No. Use local app Yellow 333 or hail a marked taxi with a company logo.
Yes for the tourist core. Use the metro for the airport and buses for Boyana and Vitosha.
Hotels in Sofia-Grad
Hotels we cover across Sofia-Grad
- Hotel Forum Free Parking for cars 3★ · 4.1/5
- Lion Hotel Sofia 3★ · 4.1/5
- Montecito Hotel 3★ · 4.1/5
- B1 Boutique Hotel Sofia 4★ · 4/5
- Ramada by Wyndham Sofia City Center 4★ · 4/5
- All Seasons Residence Hotel 5★
- Impresamente Art Hotel 4★ · 4.9/5
- Boutique Hotel Aurora Sofia 3★ · 4.9/5
- Juno Hotel Sofia a Member of Design Hotels 5★ · 4.8/5
- Hotel Via Serdika 4★ · 4.8/5
- Grand Hotel Millennium Sofia 5★ · 4.7/5
- Hyatt Regency Sofia 5★ · 4.7/5
- InterContinental Sofia by IHG 5★ · 4.7/5
- Family Hotel Agoncev 3★ · 4.7/5
- Grand Hotel Sofia 5★ · 4.6/5
- Casa Boyana Boutique Hotel 4★ · 4.6/5
- Novotel Sofia 4★ · 4.6/5
- VIKO Boutique Apart Hotel 4★ · 4.6/5
- Art Hotel 158 3★ · 4.6/5
- B1 City Hotel 3★ · 4.6/5
- B1 Downtown Hotel 3★ · 4.6/5
- Hotel House K21 3★ · 4.6/5
- Jasmin Hotel 3★ · 4.6/5
- Central West Hotel 2★ · 4.6/5
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