Lonely Planet Romania & Bulgaria

by Lonely Planet

  Domestic & International Calls

  ATo call Bulgaria from abroad, dial the international access code (which varies from country to country), add 359 (the country code for Bulgaria), the area code (minus the first zero) and then the number.

  ATo make an international call from Bulgaria, dial 00 followed by the code of the country you are calling, then the local area code, minus the initial 0.

  ATo make domestic calls within Bulgaria, dial the area code, which will be between 2 and 5 digits long, followed by the number you wish to call. If you are making a domestic call from your mobile phone, you will also have to insert the country code (+359) first, unless you are using a Bulgarian SIM card.

  ATo call a Bulgarian mobile phone from within Bulgaria, dial the full number, including the initial 0.

  AFind phone numbers of local businesses via www.goldenpages.bg.

  Mobile Phones

  AMobile (cell) phones are as commonplace in Bulgaria as anywhere else, and many hotels, restaurants and other businesses give mobile numbers as their prime contact number.

  AMobile telephone numbers have different codes to land lines (eg 087, 088 or 089) and are indicated by the abbreviations ‘GSM’ or ‘mob’.

  ABulgaria has three main mobile service providers which cover most of the country: M-Tel (www.mtel.bg), Telenor (www.telenor.bg) and Vivacom (www.vivacom.bg).

  AVisitors from other European countries should be able to use their own mobile phones as usual, but check your provider's roaming rates. Travellers from outside Europe may have to purchase a Bulgarian SIM card in order to use their handsets on the Bulgarian mobile network.

  Phonecards

  Prepaid phonecards, for use in public telephones, are available from newspaper kiosks and some shops in denominations ranging from 5 lv to 25 lv. Cards for domestic or international calls can be used in public phone booths and some also accept credit cards.

  Time

  Bulgaria is on Eastern European Time (GMT/UTC plus two hours), except during daylight saving time, when clocks are put forward by one hour between the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October. There are no time-zone changes within the country.

  If it’s noon in Sofia, it’s 2am in Los Angeles, 5am in New York, 10am in London, 11am in Paris and 7pm in Sydney, not taking into account daylight saving (where applicable) in these countries. The 24-hour clock is commonly used throughout Bulgaria, and always used for bus and train timetables.

  Toilets

  Most toilets are of the sit-down European variety, though squat toilets exist at some tourist attractions (especially monasteries) and near the Turkish border. All hotels provide toilet paper and soap, but these are rarely offered anywhere else.

  Public toilets are usually found at bus and train stations, underpasses and parks, and standards of cleanliness are generally poor. You will be charged between 0.30 lv and 0.50 lv per visit, sometimes more for toilet paper. Much better (and free) facilities are available within modern shopping malls and Western fast-food franchises.

  Tourist Information

  Bigger cities, and smaller towns popular with tourists, have dedicated tourist information centres, which provide free maps, leaflets and brochures, although a good many, strangely enough, are staffed by speakers of only Bulgarian. National parks often have information centres offering advice.

  Burgas (www.gotoburgas.com)

  Ministry of Tourism (www.tourism.government.bg)

  National tourism portal (www.bulgariatravel.org)

  Plovdiv (www.visitplovdiv.com)

  Ruse (www.tic.rousse.bg)

  Sofia (www.visitsofia.bg)

  Varna (www.visit.varna.bg)

  Veliko Târnovo (www.velikoturnovo.info)

  Travellers with Disabilities

  Unfortunately Bulgaria is not an easy destination for travellers with disabilities. Uneven and broken footpaths pose challenges, and ramps and toilets designed for disabled people are few and far between, other than in a handful of top-end hotels in Sofia and other big cities. Public transport is not generally geared toward the needs of travellers with disabilities.

  One organisation worth contacting is the Center for Independent Living (www.cil.bg) in Sofia.

  Download Lonely Planet's free Accessible Travel guide from http://lptravel.to/AccessibleTravel.

  Visas

  Citizens of other EU member states and Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, the USA and several other countries can stay in Bulgaria visa-free for up to 90 days. Other nationals should check the current requirements with their nearest Bulgarian embassy or consulate before their departure. Visas cannot be obtained at border crossings. At the time of writing, Bulgaria was not a member of the Schengen zone, and its application to join had long been pending.

  Visitors wishing to extend their visit to Bulgaria beyond the 90-day limit have to apply for a residence permit at the National Migration Directorate (http://migration.mvr.bg); application forms can be downloaded from the website. This is likely to be a time-consuming, bureaucratic nightmare, and nobody here will speak anything but Bulgarian. It’s probably far better to contact the Bulgarian Embassy in your own country for advice before you travel if you envisage being in the country for more than three months. The Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (www.mfa.bg) has useful information, in English, on visas and other immigration matters.

  Volunteering

  There are a number of opportunities for volunteering in Bulgaria. Various international organisations have ongoing projects in the country, and there are also many local groups that welcome foreign volunteers.

  British Society for the Protection of Birds (www.rspb.org.uk) Occasional opportunities to assist with fieldwork relating to endangered species.

  Bulgarian Archaeological Association (www.archaeology.archbg.net) Find out about volunteering opportunities on archaeological digs in Bulgaria.

  Green Balkans (www.greenbalkans-wrbc.org) Rescue centre for the rehabilitation of injured animals, with a network of volunteers who transport creatures back to their habitats.

  Habitat for Humanity (www.habitatbulgaria.org) Organises house-building and community-based projects in poorer neighbourhoods.

  World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (www.wwoofbulgaria.org) Can direct you to current projects and openings for volunteers on farms around the country.

  Women Travellers

  In general, travelling around Bulgaria poses no particular difficulties for women. For the most part, sober men are polite and respectful. However, Bulgarian women won't normally go to a bar or nightclub unaccompanied, and single foreign women may attract attention. If you do attract unwanted advances, saying Az sâm omâzhena (‘I am married’) gives a pretty firm message.

  For overnight train journeys, choose a sleeper compartment rather than a couchette. Women in big cities and coastal resorts dress as they please; in more rural areas, modest clothing is the norm. At some monasteries and religious sites, you may be asked to wear a shawl or headscarf (they are usually available to borrow), though this is increasingly uncommon if the visitor is otherwise covered from collarbone to knee.

  Feminine hygiene products, such as tampons, are widely available in supermarkets and pharmacies across the country.

  Work

  Since Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007, there are no longer any labour restrictions on citizens of other EU countries, but with high levels of domestic unemployment and some of the lowest wages in Europe, Bulgaria isn’t an obvious destination for foreign job seekers. In fact, local people lament the 'brain drain' as Bulgarian youth seek work in other European countries.

  The government is keen for foreigners to establish businesses as long as most of the staff are Bulgarian, but paperwork can still be labyrinthine. Most foreigners working in Bulgaria are employed by multinational companies in jobs arranged before arriving in the country.

  If you intend to seek employment in Bulgaria and are not an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you will need a work visa; contact your lo
cal Bulgarian embassy for details. If you do find a temporary job, the pay is likely to be very low. Do it for the experience, rather than the money, and you won’t be disappointed. Teaching English is one way to make some extra cash, but the market is often saturated.

  If you arrange a job before you arrive, your employer should plough through the frightening mass of paperwork from relevant government departments and pay the various fees. If you land a job after you arrive, or you’re considering setting up a business in Bulgaria, contact expats for current advice about the plethora of required forms and fees.

  Work Your Way Around the World by Susan Griffith provides practical advice on a wide range of issues.

  Transport

  Getting There & Away

  Getting Around

  Transport

  Getting There & Away

  Most international visitors enter and leave Bulgaria via Sofia Airport, and there are frequent flights to the capital from other European cities. Bulgaria is also easily accessible by road and rail from neighbouring countries, and Bulgaria's railway is part of the InterRail system and so can be included in a longer European rail journey. Long-distance coaches reach Bulgarian cities from Turkey, Greece, Serbia and Macedonia. There are regular ferry crossings that carry both vehicles and foot passengers across the Danube from Romania.

  If you prefer something more structured, an increasing number of companies offer organised tours and package holidays to Bulgaria.

  Flights, cars and tours can be booked online at lonelyplanet.com/bookings.

  Entering the Country

  As Bulgaria is a member of the EU, citizens of other EU nations will face minimal border formalities.

  Delays are common at border crossings, and customs officials are generally an unfriendly and suspicious lot; expect to be questioned on what business you have in coming to Bulgaria and where you intend on staying.

  Passports

  There are no restrictions on any foreign-passport holders entering Bulgaria, other than the length of time they are allowed to stay. Passports should be valid for at least three months after the date of your intended departure from Bulgaria.

  Climate Change and Travel

  Every form of transport that relies on carbon-based fuel generates CO2, the main cause of human-induced climate change. Modern travel is dependent on aeroplanes, which might use less fuel per per person than most cars but travel much greater distances. The altitude at which aircraft emit gases (including CO2) and particles also contributes to their climate change impact. Many websites offer ‘carbon calculators’ that allow people to estimate the carbon emissions generated by their journey and, for those who wish to do so, to offset the impact of the greenhouse gases emitted with contributions to portfolios of climate-friendly initiatives throughout the world. Lonely Planet offsets the carbon footprint of all staff and author travel.

  Air

  Bulgaria has good air links with numerous European cities, as well as some cities in the Middle East. There are currently no direct flights to Bulgaria from further afield, so visitors from, for example, North America or Australia will need to pick up a connecting flight elsewhere in Europe.

  Airports & Airlines

  Sofia Airport (www.sofia-airport.bg) is the main point of entry to the country. Varna Airport (www.varna-airport.bg) and Burgas Airport (www.bourgas-airport.com) serve the coast, and are particularly busy during the summer when they are used by charter flights. For central Bulgaria, direct flights from a couple of European cities, including London, reach Plovdiv Airport (www.plovdivairport.com).

  The national carrier is Bulgaria Air (www.air.bg). It has an unblemished safety record, and operates flights to destinations across Europe (including London, Paris, Frankfurt and Madrid) and the Middle East, as well as domestic routes to the Black Sea coast.

  Tickets

  Air tickets to Bulgaria vary greatly in price, and it pays to shop around, starting with global flight comparison site www.skyscanner.net. You're likely to find the best deals online, and there are a few websites dedicated to Bulgarian flights:

  Awww.balkanholidays.co.uk

  Awww.bulgariaflights.com

  Awww.flybulgaria.bg

  Land

  BORDER CROSSINGS

  You can expect delays at each of Bulgaria's border crossings, especially if you are using public transport. Delays at the Turkish border tend to be longest. The following list is not exhaustive:

  Greece to Bulgaria

  APromahonas (Serres)–Kulata

  AOrmenio (Alexandroupoli)–Svilengrad

  AThermes (Xanthi)–Zlatograd

  Macedonia to Bulgaria

  ADeve Bair–Gyushevo

  ADelčevo–Stanke Lisichkovo (Blagoevgrad)

  ANovo Selo–Petrich

  Romania to Bulgaria

  AGiurgiu–Ruse; toll-bridge (€6 per car)

  ACalafat–Vidin; toll-bridge (€6 per car)

  ACalarasi–Silistra; ferry

  ANegru Vodă–Kardam

  AVama Veche (Varna)–Durankulak

  Serbia to Bulgaria

  ADimitrovgrad–Kalotina

  AZaječar–Vrâshka Chuka (Vidin)

  AStrezimirovtsi (Serbia)–Strezimirovtsi (near Pernik)

  Turkey to Bulgaria

  ADereköy–Malko Târnovo

  AEdirne–Kapitan Andreevo

  Bus

  Greece

  The main departure/arrival points for buses to/from Greece are Sofia, Plovdiv, Burgas and Varna; several bus companies ply these routes. For information, see www.bgrazpisanie.com and www.eurolines.bg.

  Macedonia

  Buses between Macedonia and Bulgaria arrive at and depart from Sofia and Blagoevgrad. See www.matpu.com for more details (in Bulgarian) on buses to destinations in Macedonia, or see www.bgrazpisanie.com for English-language schedules.

  Romania

  Regular buses to/from Romania depart from and arrive at Sofia, Ruse and Varna.

  Serbia

  Buses travel between Sofia and Serbia. To reach Belgrade, change buses in Niš.

  Turkey

  Several companies operate bus services to/from Turkey, and this is the quickest, most comfortable and safest way to travel between the two countries. Find schedules on www.bgrazpisanie.com.

  Car & Motorcycle

  AIn order to drive on Bulgarian roads, you will need to display a vignette (15/30 lv for one week/month) sold at all border crossings into Bulgaria, petrol stations and post offices. Rental cars hired within Bulgaria should already have a vignette.

  APetrol stations and car-repair shops are common around border crossing areas and along main roads.

  BRIDGES TO ROMANIA

  ACrossing the Danube Bridge (formerly the 'Friendship Bridge') from Giurgiu in Romania into Ruse will incur a toll of €6 (12 lv) per vehicle. You are not permitted to cross at Giurgiu without transport.

  AThe New Europe Bridge (also known as 'Danube Bridge 2') between Vidin and Calafat in Romania also incurs a toll of €6 (12 lv) per vehicle.

  Train

  Bulgarian International train services are operated by Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ; www.bdz.bg).

  Macedonia

  At present, no trains travel directly between Bulgaria and Macedonia. The only way to Skopje by train from Sofia is to get a connection in Niš (Serbia).

  Romania

  Most visitors travel to/from Romania by train and either depart from or travel through Ruse. For more information, see www.cfr.ro. Trips include Ruse to Bucharest (20 lv, 3½ hours) and Sofia to Bucharest (50 lv, 10 hours).

  Serbia

  Parts of the Balkan Express between Belgrade and İstanbul, via Sofia, were undergoing repairs at the time of writing, necessitating some rail-replacement buses near İstanbul. Night and day trains travel between Belgrade and Sofia (40 lv to 80 lv, 11 hours); for more details, see www.serbianrailways.com.

  Turkey

  The daily Bosfor (Bosphorous Express) travels through Bulgaria, between Bucharest and İ
stanbul (14 hours), stopping at Ruse along the way. From Ruse to İstanbul, the journey costs roughly 50 lv, more for a couchette.

  The Balkan Express travels daily between İstanbul and Belgrade (Serbia), via Bulgaria, passing through Plovdiv and Sofia. The journey from Sofia to İstanbul takes around 12 hours and costs roughly 60 lv to 70 lv.

  River

  Oryahovo Ferries travel from this northern Bulgarian town across the Danube to Bechet in Romania.

  Silistra From Silistra, travellers can cross a land border into the Romanian town of Ostrov, before taking the onwards Ostrov–Călărași ferry.

  Sea

  Very few visitors enter or leave Bulgaria by sea. The only scheduled sea route into and out of Bulgaria is provided by a weekly cargo ferry between Ukraine and the port of Varna, which also accepts passengers and vehicles. UKR Ferry (www.ukrferry.com) travels between Ilyichevsk in the Ukraine and Varna (from around US$100, about 30 hours).

  Tours

  Most tourists visit Bulgaria on package tours, the vast majority either based on the Black Sea coast or in the skiing resorts, while others come on tours specialising in birdwatching or hiking.