Sofia Airport Transfer (SOF)

Sofia Airport (IATA: SOF) is Bulgaria's principal gateway, 10 kilometres east of the city centre. SOF operates two terminals: Terminal 2 handles most scheduled international flights and has the direct Metro Line 1 connection, Terminal 1 handles charters and some low-cost carriers and requires a free shuttle bus to reach the metro station. The airport is known in regional travel circles for a persistent taxi-scam problem inside arrivals — fake "OK Supertrans" operators use lookalike signage and charge three to five times the regulated tariff. Legitimate options are Metro Line 1 (20 min to Serdika, ~0.80 EUR), a TaxiMe app booking, or a pre-booked private transfer that meets you at the meet-and-greet point.

SOF Transfer Times

Sofia city centre (Serdika): 10 km, 15–25 min. Vitosha Boulevard: 12 km, 18–28 min. National Palace of Culture: 12 km, 18–28 min. Boyana Church (UNESCO): 15 km, 20–30 min. Borovets ski resort: 72 km, 70–90 min. Bansko ski resort: 160 km, 2.5–3 hours. Pamporovo ski resort: 240 km, 3.5–4 hours. Plovdiv: 150 km, 1.5–2 hours. Rila Monastery: 120 km, 2 hours. Thessaloniki, Greece: 320 km, 4–5 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which SOF terminal is my flight arriving at?

Terminal 2 at SOF handles Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, British Airways, Austrian, ITA, most scheduled European carriers and some charters. Terminal 1 handles Wizz Air, Ryanair and select charter operators. The two terminals are 300 metres apart connected by a shuttle bus that runs every 30 minutes, plus a footpath. Only Terminal 2 has the direct metro entrance; passengers arriving at T1 must either take the shuttle to T2 or use the T1 taxi rank. Your airline's booking confirmation or the SOF airport website lists the correct terminal.

Can I fly from SOF directly to a Bansko ski transfer without going to central Sofia?

Yes — a direct private car from SOF to Bansko (160 km, 2.5–3 hours via A3 Struma motorway) is the standard ski-week arrival pattern. There's no rail or scheduled bus on this route that avoids a transit through central Sofia bus stations, which would add 45 minutes each way. For winter ski trips with equipment, the direct airport-to-chalet car is fastest and the EUR fare can be confirmed at booking.