VISA requirements
Bulgaria is a member of both the European Union and the Schengen Area.
If you are a EU citizen or hold a VISA/residence permit for a country part of the Schengen Area you do NOT need to get a VISA.
If the above conditions do not apply to you, please verify with your local authorities the requirements to enter Bulgaria. In most cases, e.g. for citizens of the USA or Japan, you can enter without a VISA if you stay for less than 90 days.
Currency
Please note that the currency in Bulgaria is the Lev (BGN), with a fixed exchange rate of 1.95 BGN = 1 EUR. Exchange rates at the airport are usually unfavorable. You can exchange cash in the city, but please ensure that there are no extra commissions. We recommend withdrawing money directly from an ATM, as this is typically more cost-efficient and safe.
Avoiding cash altogether is possible, as card payments are widely accepted in most restaurants and supermarkets, however smaller retailers (e.g. street food) often accept cash only.
Public transport
In Sofia, public transport is relatively regular and convenient, with live departure information available through Google Maps. The most convenient way to pay is contactless, using a card or phone. You need to check in at the designated terminals, located either at the entrance of the metro stations or inside buses and trams. Your ticket will be valid for a single trip, and you must check in for every vehicle you board. The minimum fee for a single trip is 1.60 BGN (0.82 EUR), but the system will automatically charge you for a day pass at 4 BGN (2.05 EUR) if you make multiple trips within a single day. Your card will be charged the following day.
There are several convenient ways to get from Sofia Airport to the city center:
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Public transport:
- A bus (lines 84 and 184) is available from Terminal 1, and both a bus and metro (M4 line) are available from Terminal 2.
- A bus (lines 84 and 184) is available from Terminal 1, and both a bus and metro (M4 line) are available from Terminal 2.
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Taxi:
- Yellow! Taxi has a contract with both terminals at Sofia Airport (official information: Sofia Airport Transportation). Please go directly to the operator terminal at the airport. The cost of a trip from the airport to the city center is approximately 10–15 EUR.
Even location
You can find a full EVENT MAP here.
The address of the University is "15 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd."
You can reach by metro using these two interconnected stations:
SU Sveti Kliment Ohridski (lines M1 and M4)
Orlov Most (line M3)
The relevant entrance to the university building is located at exit number 4.
To travel to/from the airport use the M4 line if you land at Terminal 2, or bus lines 84 or 184 if you land at Terminal 1. Both of these bus lines reach the "SU Sveti Kliment Ohridski" station. Terminal 1 is scheduled to stop servicing civil flights in April, so most likely you will be landing at Terminal 2.
There are also numerius bus and trolley bus lines close to the university, we advise to use google maps to check live departures if you need to use the ground transport.
