We’ve been in and out of Sofia airport quite a few times over the years. We’ve rented cars and driven to Bansko, we’ve taken private transfers, we’ve taken and we’ve taken trains. I think you can say that we know this route pretty well. The roads have improved immeasurably since we first came to Bansko (Sofia Inner Ring aside) and this is now a relatively easy and quick journey. As Bansko receives the majority of its visitors during the ski season there are differences in traveling in the lower seasons, but this guide covers whether you’re going from Sofia Airport to Bansko or Bansko to Sofia Airport as you’ll need to know the best way to travel between these two destinations. Here’s our guide on how to get to Bansko from Sofia Airport.
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BEST WAY TO TRAVEL
The Easiest Way to Get to get
from Sofia Airport to Bansko
The easiest way to go from Sofia Airport to Bansko is to take a transfer. It’s the quickest route and if there are 2 or more of you it can be cost-effective. It’s run by a local Bansko company and gets great reviews.
Book early for the best prices.
There will be some differences in the availability of transport between the winter (high) season, summer, spring, and autumn. Mainly you’ll find more transport in winter, and less in spring and autumn. Summer in Bansko is becoming busier, as folks realize how beautiful the town and the Pirin National Park are. Anyways. Here’s how to go to Bansko from Sofia Airport.
Where is Bansko
Bansko is in southwest Bulgaria at the foot of the Pirin Mountains, the town is in the Blagoevgrad province and is about an hour from the main provincial town of Blagoevgrad, which you will either drive through (if you’re on a bus) or bypass if you’re not.
The public transport links in Bansko (the train station and the bus station) are at the bottom of the town, as you walk or drive up towards the ski hill, you’ll find the old town center, where events like the annual Bansko Jazz Festival take place, and then you’ll get to the newer part of town, where the ski gondola is.
How to Go from Sofia Airport to Bansko – Transport Options
In this guide on how to go from Sofia Airport to Bansko, we’ll cover the fastest way to travel from Sofia Airport to Bansko, the easiest way to go to Bansko from Sofia Airport, and the cheapest way to get to Bansko from Sofia Airport.
How to get to Bansko from Sofia Airport
For transport to Bansko from Sofia Airport, then you have several options. You can take a private transfer from Sofia Airport to Bansko, this is the easiest way to go to Bansko. At certain times there are shared transfers available. These are run by a Bansko-based company and can be booked here. They tend to meet flights from the UK. There are more of them available during the ski season.
You can rent a car from Sofia Airport and drive to Bansko, which gives you much more freedom and the ability to see a lot of the area (public transport onward from Bansko is limited).
If you do rent a car, then be sure to check out the Dancing Bears Park (it’s a retirement home for abused bears and is glorious).
If you want to take the bus from Sofia Airport to Bansko, or the train from Sofia Airport to Bansko, then you’ll first need to get into central Sofia, so if that’s your plan keep on reading.
Sofia Airport – Two Terminals
There are two terminals at Sofia Airport. The most important thing to figure out is which terminal you are arriving at. Airlines like Bulgarian Air and Ryanair arrive at Terminal 2, and Wizz Air arrives at Terminal 1. Check which terminal your flight lands at here.
Terminal 1 is the OLDER terminal and is about a 20-minute walk from Terminal 2. The Sofia Airport Metro station is at Terminal 2 and while there is another metro stop, it’s actually closer (and an easier walk) to go from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2.
There is a shuttle bus that goes between the terminals. It runs at set times between 08:00 and 20:00 (and the timetable is here) but in the last 3 times we’ve been at the airport (in 2023) we haven’t seen it moving once, so don’t rely on it. There’s also a public bus – the number 84 – that connects the two terminals. We haven’t taken it, but contrary to the shuttle bus, we have seen it in passing.
You can see where the Terminals are located on the map. The walk between the two terminals is easy. If the bus is running you can take it, or you can also take a taxi. Make sure they put the meter on.
The Quickest Ways to Go from Sofia Airport to Bansko
Here are the quickest ways to go from Sofia Airport to Bansko – these routes do NOT go into Sofia City Center. Keep reading for details on that.
Private Transfers from Sofia Airport to Bansko
Arranging a private transfer to Bansko from Sofia Airport is the most convenient way to do this route. It’s also the quickest. Prebook and prepay for door-to-door service.
There are also a variety of locally run businesses in Bansko that provide this service. You usually have to pay cash for these. (Most will accept either Bulgarian Leva or Euros). You can find details of them in our guide on how to go from Sofia to Bansko.
Renting a Car at Sofia Airport
As you exit from arrivals you’ll see all the car rental company booths. This is where you’ll collect the paperwork and keys.
Rental cars are either parked in the underground parking or brought upstairs for you. It’s best to get a few quotes for car rental, and we recommend using Discover Cars to get quotes from all the major providers. You can check Sofia Airport car rental prices here.
Shared Shuttles from Sofia Airport to Bansko
You’ll find more of these available during the ski season, but in the “off-season,” Traventuria runs a shared shuttle from Sofia Airport to Bansko (and back). It is scheduled to meet some flights from the UK, so it may or may not be departing Sofia Airport at the right time. This shared shuttle to Bansko from Sofia Airport leaves from Sofia Airport TERMINAL 2.
When you arrive in Bansko you’ll be dropped off at your accommodation.
Check availability, prices, and book seats on shared shuttles from Sofia Airport to Bansko here.
Airport Taxi from Sofia to Bansko
You can also just rock up at Sofia Airport and take an airport taxi to Bansko. This is the most expensive option. The contracted partner of Sofia Airport is the taxi operator Yellow! You’ll find their offices in the arrivals area of both Sofia Airport Terminals 1 and 2. You can preorder a taxi with them using the app (download the app here on iOS and here on Android). You’ll also be able to see the estimated cost of the taxi. You can add a card to the app and pay by card or pay cash in the taxi.
A taxi from Sofia Airport to Bansko should take about 2 hours to 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Using Public Transport to Go from Sofia Airport to Bansko
If you want to travel to Bansko on public transport (it takes longer but is considerably cheaper), then you’ll first need to get into the center of Sofia. Here’s how to do that.
Sofia Airport to Sofia City
If you’re planning on taking public transport (i.e. a bus or a train) from Sofia Airport to Bansko, then you’ll first need to get to the center of Sofia. You can take buses or the metro. The Sofia metro goes from Sofia International Airport Terminal 2. The Sofia Metro does not go to Sofia Airport Terminal 1.
If you want to take a train, then you need to go to Sofia Railway Station.
If you want to take a bus, you have two options. Sofia Central Bus Station and Sofia Ovcha Kupel Bus Station. The last bus each day to Bansko from Sofia Central Bus Station leaves at 11:25. The last bus each day to Bansko from Sofia Ovcha Kupel leaves at 15:49
There are details below on how to get to these bus stations.
Getting from Sofia Airport to Sofia Railway Station
There are public buses from Sofia Airport to Sofia from both terminals. A bus (the 384) links Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, which are 1.4 kilometers (0.9 miles) apart. It’s a short walk – about 20-25 minutes. There is also a shuttle bus that runs between 08:00 and 20:00. The timetable is here.
You can find out more about the public buses in Sofia City here. The Sofia Metro has an excellent website.
However, the buses take a lot longer than the metro.
The easiest way to go from Sofia Airport to Sofia Train Station is to take the Sofia Metro from Terminal 2. It’s really easy to find. Leave the arrivals hall, go outside, turn left. And you’ll see the signs.
You can buy metro tickets at a counter or a machine, inside the Sofia Airport Metro station. You can buy tickets with Bulgarian Leva and one of the machines takes cards.
The cost is 1.60 leva for your trip (for any trip) and you can transfer to another metro line on this same ticket. The ONLY time you need to swipe the ticket is at the airport, scan the QR code, and walk through the barriers. Metros run from the airport between the hours of 05:30 and 00:00
The trip to the Central Railway and Bus Station takes about 30 minutes. Take the airport line until you get to SERDIKA station, and then change. There are 12 stops from the airport to Serdika, then 2 stops from Serdika to Central Railway Station.
If you plan on exploring Sofia before moving to Bansko, here’s our guide to the best things to do in Sofia.
Train from Sofia Airport to Bansko
Taking the train to Bansko from Sofia Airport is something of a journey in itself. You will first need to go from Sofia Airport to Sofia Central Railway Station. Do this on the Sofia Airport Metro. There are details above on how to do this.
The Sofia Central Railway metro station is close to the co-located Sofia Central Bus Station and the Sofia Central Railway Station. While there is a train line and a train station in Bansko, trains from Sofia do NOT go to Bansko. It’s a different line. If you do want to use the train as part of your route to Bansko from Sofia Airport, then you take the train to Blagoevgrad. At Blagoevgrad walk the 50 or so meters to the Blagoevgrad Bus station and take a bus to Bansko. The last bus from Blagoevgrad to Bansko leaves at around 18:00.
I’m including this route, as we’ve done it before, and it was interesting, but it takes a long time! If you take the train to Blagoevgrad and then the bus from Blagoevgrad to Bansko your journey from Sofia Airport to Bansko will take a minimum of 3.5 hours, and that’s if you make immediate connections which is unlikely.
Check the times on Sofia to Blagoevgrad trains here.
The train line in Bansko itself is a narrow gauge railway that goes from Dobrinishte to Septemvri (it’s a fabulous trip, and well worth the 5 hours of your time that it takes). I wrote about the narrow gauge railway trip here, but you can also use this route as part of a trip from Bansko to Plovdiv. The train from Sofia connects to Bansko via Septemvri and is more of a long adventure than a sensible route.
Getting from Sofia Airport to Sofia Central Bus Station.
The Sofia Central Bus station is right next door to the Sofia Railway station – so follow the information as detailed above. This is a bus station for buses going to other cities and towns in Bulgaria. It’s not an urban bus station.
Bus from Sofia Central Bus Station to Bansko
This is the most convenient bus to take from Sofia to Bansko. But they only depart in the morning, so you’ll need to prebook your ticket, also remember the last bus from Sofia Central Bus Station to Bansko is at 11:25. There are three buses each day (all in the morning) from Sofia Central Bus Station to Bansko. They leave Sofia at 08:30, 09:45, and 11:25.
You can check the times and availability of bus tickets from Sofia Central to Bansko here.
Getting from Sofia Airport to Sofia Ovcha Kupel Bus Station
The quickest way to get to Ovcha Kupel bus station is to take a taxi (but honestly, if you’re getting a taxi across Sofia you should consider getting a private transfer).
You can take the public from Sofia Airport to Ovcha Kupel Bus Station. I’ve marked on the map where the bus station is, because “Ovcha Kupel” brings up quite a lot of places on Google. You can take the metro and then a tram, or you can take a bus. Google is very accurate on this.
However, we found the easiest way to go to Ovcha Kupel bus station from Sofia Airport is to take the metro. Take the metro to the Sofia University stop, then change (it’s about a 5-minute walk underground, it’s all covered on your ticket on the metro, just follow the signs). Change to metro line 3 (green) and get off at Krasno Selo. Then it’s a 16-minute walk to the bus station.
Bus from Sofia Ovcha Kupel Bus Station to Bansko
If your flight arrives too late to catch a bus from the central bus station, then you can head to the Ovcha Kupel Bus Station. You can’t pre-book tickets for these buses, they’re run by different companies, but we’ve never been turned away and have turned up less than 5 minutes before they departed. You’ll pay 18 leva (in cash only) for these tickets and your big bags either go underneath or in the trunk.
Note that the old bus station in Bansko is being redeveloped. The plan is for the train station to be the new combined transport station and all buses will pick up and drop off at the train station.
Map of Bus Stops and Train Stations for going from Sofia Airport to Bansko
You can also see the train station and bus stops from Sofia Airport to Bansko here
Popular Routes Around Bulgaria
Traveling around Bulgaria? Here’s how to get between some of the most popular places.
- How to go from Sofia to Bansko
- How to go from Plovdiv to Bansko
- How to go from Bansko to Istanbul
- Taking the Bansko to Septembri Narrow Gauge Train
- How to go from Sofia Airport to Bansko
- How to go from Bansko to Sofia
The quickest way to get from Sofia Airport to Bansko
The fastest way to get to Bansko from Sofia Airport is to take a private transfer and you can book a transfer from Sofia Airport to Bansko here. Or book a transfer with Viator here,
The easiest way to go to Bansko from Sofia Airport
The easiest way to get from Sofia Airport to Bansko is to take a private transfer (check the rates here), alternatively, if you plan on exploring more of Bulgaria before returning to Sofia Airport, then rent a car and drive. It’s an easy drive.
The cheapest way to go from Sofia Airport to Bansko
The cheapest way to get to Bansko from Sofia Airport is to take the metro into the center of Sofia, then take the bus to Bansko.
Bulgaria Trip Planning Essentials
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- Arrange your airport transfer in Bulgaria with Welcome Pickups.
- Make sure you can charge your electronics – here’s our guide to plug adapters in Bulgaria
- Top Attractions in Bulgaria to PREBOOK
- Visit Rila Monastery + Boyana Church
- Explore Veliko Tarnovo – Bulgaria’s Original Capital City
- Go wine tasting in Melnik – Bulgaria’s wine capital
- Take a FREE Walking Tour in Sofia
- Explore Buzludzha aka the UFO Monument
- Spend a day in GORGEOUS Plovdiv
- Book Buses + Transfers in Bulgaria with Bookaway
- Rent a Car in Bulgaria with Discover Cars
- Find the right accommodation for you via Booking.com
Final Words on How to Go from Sofia Airport to Bansko
Getting to Bansko from Sofia Airport is easy. It will take you around 2 hours if you take a pre-booked transfer, although shared shuttles are available on certain days and times. Whether the bus is a good option or not depends on what time your flight arrives at Sofia International Airport.
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