Auto Europe
Car hire in Sofia – Enjoying the Best of Bulgaria
Oozing with old-world charm and blessed with a vibrant café culture, Sofia is the ideal destination for a relaxing holiday for couples, families and groups of friends. Abounding in culture with several world-class museums to offer, the Bulgarian capital is also popular for its Viennese-style boulevards and numerous parks where locals and visitors stroll and mingle during the warm summer months.
Once ruled by the Thracians, Romans, Byzantines, Ottoman Turks and the Communists, Sofia sits on layers and layers of fascinating history, with the old and the new complementing each other in this very charming Eastern European city. When exploring the Old Town, you'll find ancient ruins woven into the inner city’s landscape and blending harmoniously with the chic eateries, cafés and bistros of modernday Sofia.
At 580 metres (1,900 feet), Sofia is also one of Europe's highest capitals with mountains all around (snow-capped in winter), making it a very scenic place to visit at any time of the year. With a car hire in Sofia you can opt for a series of interesting day-trips to some of Bulgaria's other top tourist destinations, notably Plovdiv (popular for its UNESCO-classified Old Town), Varna and Veliko Turnovo, the country's former capital. Sofia is also within easy reach of some of Eastern Europe's best ski resorts.
Auto Europe currently offers more than 28,000 convenient pick-up points in over 190 popular destinations, including Sofia. You can book your vehicle in a few easy steps through our high-tech booking engine, or reach out to our award-winning rental specialists and they will be more than happy to find you the best deal.
Check out our Bulgaria Driving Guide for tips and suggestions on getting around the country quickly and safely by car. For added peace of mind, you can also see the user ratings and comments posted by some of Auto Europe's previous customers in the city by visiting our Sofia car hire reviews before making your final decision on which supplier to travel with.
For more information on renting a vehicle in Sofia, click on the car hire related topics listed below:
| Suppliers | Car Hire FAQs | Travel Guide |
Where to pick up a car hire in Sofia
Auto Europe is proud to work with all the world's top car hire providers, which in turn enable us to to offer our customers an extensive choice of locations in and around Sofia, meaning that theu can pick up their vehicle from the airport or in the heart of the city centre and be on their way in just a few minutes. To help you make the right choice, our state-of-the-art booking engine allows you to do an extensive search to find the best vehicle and the most suitable pick-up point for your trip. Once you've keyed in your dates, an interactive map will come up with all the available locations for your next car hire in Sofia.
Sofia Airport
Sofia Airport: Just 10km (6 miles) east of the city centre, Sofia Airport is an easy 20-30 minute transfer by road or public transport. It is Bulgaria's main domestic and international air transport hub and is very well served by direct flights from most other European countries. The airport has convenient transport connections with the city centre from both its terminals (1 and 2). Picking up your car rental in Sofia is a quick and seamless process with most of the world's most prestigious car hire suppliers offering pick-up and drop-off services at both of the airport's main terminals. To ensure a speedy collection, please make sure you have all the necessary documents ready when you arrive at the reception desk.
Sofia Airport (SOF)
Website: sofia-airport.eu
Address: SOF Connect AD 1, Christopher Columbus Blvd., 1540 Sofia, Bulgaria
Telephone: +359 2 937 2211
Book with the best car hire suppliers in Sofia
Auto Europe is a leading international car hire company currently offering a vast selection of convenient pick-up and drop-off locations in 190 different destinations around the world. Thanks to our many years of experience dealing with all the global and local car rental companies, we can offer you the best standard of service and cheapest prices on the market.
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Should you require additional information about the car hire companies we work with or their policies, for example out of office pick up or questions regarding age restrictions, our car rental specialists are just a phone call or e-mail away and happy to assist you.
Frequently asked questions about renting a car in Sofia
This section features the most frequent questions asked by people booking a car hire in Sofia. Scroll down for important tips relating to a wide range of essential car hire topics, such as credit cards, coverage, tolls, traffic and much more. If you need any more information, please call our reservations team and they will be happy to help you with your reservation and assist you with your travel itinerary.
Do I need a credit card to rent a car in Sofia?
Yes, in order to pick up your car hire in Sofia, you will always be asked to present a a valid credit card along with your passport, driving licence, booking voucher, car rental coverage, etc. when you arrive at the pick-up point. The main reason for this is the local rental car company will want to place a hold on the value of the deductible for the car they are allowing you drive during the agreed rental period. This amount is promptly refunded once the vehicle has been returned in the same condition it was in when you picked it up. Not all dreivers are aware that pre-paid and debit cards are not accepted, so for this reason it's important to make sure that you arrive with a valid credit card loaded with enough credit to cover the full deposit. Please note that when booking a vehicle in the premium or luxury categories, the supplier might well ask for a second credit card (also in the name of the main driver) due to the high value of such vehicles.
To find out how much the deposit will be (and which cards are acceptable, you can easily make a search through the Auto Europe booking engine by keying in your preferred car hire category and supplier then clicking on the blue and white info icon (i) where all the info you need can then be accessed. For an overview of the main things to look out for when planning to drive in Sofia and other parts of Bulgaria, it’s well worth finding out about the six most important things to know about credit cards and deposits before your trip. More information about this and other credit card-related topics can be found on our credit card blog post.
What insurance do I need for my car rental in Sofia?
All the basic car hire rates quoted on our website include the minimum amount of legally-required liability insurance, CDW (Collision Damage Waiver) and TP (Theft Protection), either with or without excess depending on the car rental supplier. Certain parts of the vehicle might not be included, which is why it's always better to take out Auto Europe’s Full Damage & Theft Protection coverage for a small additional fee for total peace of mind when you rent a car in Sofia and elsehwre in Bulgaria, the price of which might vary depending on your chosen location, duration, car category and supplier. You can easily find out exactly what is included in the rate when making a quick search in our booking engine. Simply click on the blue and white info icon (i) to access all the coverage info relating to your search, including the full amount of CDW Deductible, Theft Insurance Deductible and Liability Insurance, etc. The same information is also provided in the Terms and Conditions when making an enquiry or once your booking has been confirmed.
Please be aware that at the time of picking up your low-cost car rental in Sofia, the local car hire company might try to offer you additional coverage which includes (but is not restricted to) PAI (Personal Accident Insurance), PEC (Personal Effects Coverage), Super CDW, Seguro Relax Insurance, Road Assistance etc. Auto Europe cannot refund the amout of any locally-purchased insurance charges/fees, even if it is deemed unnecessary once the vehicle has been returned undamaged at the end of the rental period. For more tips and advice, please consult our dedicated car hire coverage page as well as our useful blog post offering an overview on how to prepare for your trip with complete car hire coverage.
How is the traffic in Sofia?
Driving in Sofia can be a bit tricky if you're not used to it because the traffic can get a little hectic in the rush-hour with added obstacles such as the city's many trams, buses, bicycles, etc. There are some roads in Sofia that attract a larger amount of traffic during the peak hours, including Tsarigradsko shose, Cherni Vrah, Bulgaria, Slivnitsa and Todor Aleksandrov boulevards, as well as the capital's main ring road. Therefore, if you are driving with your car rental in Sofia, it's best to avoid these areas, especially during the morning and evening rush-hour on weekdays, if possible. If you are planning to go to the Black Sea, use the A1 motorway that connects Sofia with Burgas which takes several hours but is a straight drive.
Where can I park my car hire in Sofia?
Visitors looking to park their car hire in Sofia have the option of leaving their vehicle in one of the city's many short-term paid parking zones in the city's streets, boulevards, squares and municipal car parks. These are marked as Blue Zones where parking is aloowed up to two hours (8.30am to 8pm Mon-Sat), with parking in Green Zones allowed for up to four hours (8.30am to 7.30pm Mon-Fri). Payment in both zones can be done using the free URBO Parking app. At the airport itself, Terminal 1 has two car parks (one underground and the other outdoor with 400 spaces) and Terminal 2 has a large multi-storey car park with 800 spaces available. The Blue Zone is located in the heart of the city centre and the Green Zone is located just outside the Blue Zone. Most of the parking areas in Sofia have signs in English informing drivers of the payment method and any time restrictions that might apply.
Do I need a vignette/toll sticker to drive my rental car in Sofia?
Yes. To drive on the many motorways (but not on other roads) that connect Sofia with other parts of the country, you will be required to display a windscreen sticker or vignette (bnhetka, in Bulgarian) which can be purchased at border checkpoints or at most petrol stations. Motorways where drivers are expected to have a vignette are clearly sign-posted. Ask your car hire supplier for details when you arrive to collect your car hire in Sofia.
Sofia Travel Guide
Exploring the city and its surroundings with a car rental in Sofia is a great way of getting to know the western parts of Bulgaria (where the capital is located) whilst allowing visitors to discover the more remote parts of the area in total comfort and at their own pace.
Best day trips with my car rental in Sofia
It's true that the city of Sofia is a wonderful tourist destination with a plethora of unique attractions, some of which are grand monuments from the Soviet era. But one of the highlights of visiting the capital is booking a low-cost car hire in Sofia and heading out in the environs to see the real Bulgaria in the many small towns and villages close by. It's also possible to go further with a one-way car hire by picking your vehicle up in one place and dropping it off in another. Another advantage os being able to share the driving with one of Auto Europe's popular Free Additional Driver offers.
Vitosha National Park
Just 10 kilometres south of Sofia lies Vitosha National Park, an ecological treasure trove dominated by its huge smooth-topped mountain (Mount Vitosha) looming above the city in the distance. It is home to an astonishing assortment of exotic flora and fauna, including many Balkan endemics such as the globular yellow blossoms of the Vitosha tulip and over thirty different types of orchid. Vitosha National Park is the perfect retreat after a few days' busy sightseeing in the capital and a great base for hikers, particularly during the long summer months.
Plovdiv
A manageable 150-kilometre (93-mile) motorway drive to the south-east of Sofia, Plovdiv is a charming town with a fine collection of Roman and Ottoman monuments huddled together in a maze of narrow cobblestone streets in the heart of the city. Long known as Philippopolis in honour of Philip II of Macedon (the father of Alexander the Great), the city is home to one of the ancient world’s best-preserved theatres and the ruins of a Roman-era stadium. Don't miss the Bishop’s Basilica to see the ruins of an early Christian place of worship and some very impressive bird mosaics.
Veliko Tarnovo
With its narrow cobbled streets and stacked houses, the beautiful town of Veliko Tarnovo is the quintessential medieval Bulgarian mountain city. Rising steeply from the banks of the winding Yantra River, it is rich in museums and historical sites, most notably the hilltop Tsarevets Fortress which offers fine views over the city and beyond. With its fine collection of food shops and traditional boutiques, the old market street of Samovodska Charshia is one of the best places to sip on a coffee of enjoy a leisurely al fresco lunch.
Pirin National Park
The wild majestic mountains of Pirin National Park have been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1983, and easily rival the rugged landscapes of the bigger Rila National Park to the north. Sprawling across 403 square-kilometres (155 square-miles) in south-west Bulgaria, the park's peaks soar up to 2,914 metres (9,560 feet) at Vihren, the second-highest point in the country. It is the perfect place to make the most of your cheap car hire in Sofia and immerse yourself in the limestone mountain landscapes full of glacial lakes, waterfalls, caves and deep East European forests.
What to do in Sofia
With its rich history, architectural landmarks, laid-back vibe and delicious food and drink, Sofia ranks high among Europe’s most interesting (and cheapest) capital cities. It is particularly enchanting in springtime when the city's boulevards are alive with brightly-coloured flowers and bustling pavement cafés. When you rent a car in Sofia, you can enjoy the ultimate East-meets-West experience, a real treat for people who never visited this fascinting part of Europe during the communist era.
- Alexander Nevsky Cathedral: One of the world’s largest and most striking Orthodox churches, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral commands an imposing position right in the heart of Sofia city centre. Built over thirty years between 1882 and 1912, it was constructed in honour of the two million Russian soldiers who died defending Bulgaria’s independence during the Russo-Turkish War (1877–78). The ornate interior features 200 icons, as well as numerous paintings and engravings dating from the 12th to 19th century, and its walls are decorated with Italian marble, Brazilian onyx and alabaster.
- Ancient Complex Serdika: Located in the city centre, the Ancient Complex Serdika is a fascinating visitor attraction comprising several excavated Roman streets with villas situated just above the Serdika metro station. Preserved in a partly-covered excavation site, the display features the remains of the Roman city, Serdica, which once occupied this part of the Bulgarian capital. The remains were unearthed from 2010 to 2012 during the metro's construction and include an early Christian basilica, baths and houses dating from the 4th to 6th centuries.
- Sofia History Museum: Housed in a traditional Turkish bathhouse which opened in 1913 and closed in 1986, the excellent Sofia History Museum has a vast collection of treasures belonging to the Bulgarian royal families of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as many rare artefacts unearthed during a series archeological digs in various parts of the city. Other exhibits cover a period of more than eight thousand years, from the Neolithic to the 1940s. One of the museum's star exhibits is the impressive carriage that once belonged to the Bulgarian king, Ferdinand.
- National History Museum: Situated at the foot of Vitosha Mountain on the outskirts of Sofia, this amazing museum is the largest in Bulgaria and contains over 650,000 objects connected to the country's fine arts, history, ethnography and archaeology. Exhibits show the development of social, cultural and political life in Bulgaria, from the first prehistoric settlements through to the National Revival period and the Bulgarian State (1878–1945), with other sections covering the Greeks, Romans, First Bulgarian Kingdom in the Middle Ages and the Byzantines.