Plovdiv Transportation – Taxi, Train, Bus & Airport Tips

Plovdiv Transportation

An often overlooked tourist destination, Plovdiv does not get nearly the recognition it deserves as the oldest continuously inhabited city in all of Europe. Older than Rome and very picturesque, this city in central Bulgaria has much to offer visitors and is fortunately very easy to navigate by public transportation.

Train

Plovdiv’s Central Railway Station is on the main Hristo Botev thoroughfare in the city center, about a kilometer from the Old Town. It is particularly well-connected to Sofia with 16 trains per day in both directions. The station itself is an attractive Neo-Baroque building in the National Revival style and has all the services expected of a major city rail terminus. The only caveat is that the signage can be difficult to understand, so leave yourself some buffer time to figure things out while traveling.

Buses and Mini-buses

Plovdiv has three separate bus stations, each handling buses to and from different parts of the country. Buses run frequently and are easy to catch, though it can be hard to find the bus schedules. You must buy tickets on the bus, but not from the driver; there is a ticket collector on every bus. There are also mini-buses, which are limited to 10 lines but run more frequently and are faster than the buses because they don’t stop at stations unless people need to get off.

Cars and Taxis

Many visitors warn against catching a taxi in Plovidiv unless you really need to. If you’re not a local or don’t speak the language, taxi drivers will often take advantage of you by over charging and taking circuitous routes to run the meter longer.

Renting a car cuts out the problem of over paying taxis, but you will need to know where you are going or take a guide with you. Also, the Old Town is walking-only, so you will need to park the car and walk in.

Walking and Cycling

The town center is compact and you can get everywhere by walking. Many visitors have also found bicycles to be the perfect method of getting around town.

Editor’s note: The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about Plovdiv transportation.