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New to Bulgaria: Essentials for Expats (Updated October 2025)

Just arrived in Bulgaria? Start here.

​our first days are easier with the right information. Below are practical basics on healthcare, transport, banks, and mobile/internet providers to help you settle in quickly.

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1) Your Embassy in Sofia

If you’re a foreign national living in or visiting Bulgaria, register with and keep the details of your country’s embassy/consulate in Sofia. They can assist with passports, notarial services, emergencies, and citizen support.

  • What to prepare: passport/ID copies, local address, emergency contacts

  • Tip: Save the 24/7 emergency number from your embassy’s website in your phone

  • In an emergency in Bulgaria: dial 112 (police / fire / ambulance)  

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2) Healthcare: Useful Numbers & Hospitals (Sofia)

  • European emergency number: 112 (free, 24/7)

  • Bring your documents: passport/ID, insurance card or policy number (EHIC/GHIC or private insurance)

PIROGOV Emergency Hospital (public): 21 Totleben Blvd, Sofia

  • Emergency: +359 2 915 42 13

  • Switchboard: +359 2 915 44 11

  • Website: pirogov.eu

Acibadem City Clinic – Tokuda (private, 24/7): 51B Nikola Vaptsarov Blvd, Sofia

  • Emergency: +359 2 403 41 12

  • Reception: +359 2 403 40 00

  • Website: acibademcityclinic.bg/tokuda

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Je suis Français et j’arrive en Bulgarie - le guide essentiel - NSP Avocats.jpg

3) Getting to and around Sofia

 

Taxis (airport & city)

  • Official airport partner: Yellow! Taxi (stands at both terminals). You can also book via the Yellow app or by calling 02/91119, and via TaxiMe. sofia-airport.eu+1

  • Beware of look-alikes: Avoid unlicensed taxis that imitate reputable brands (notably “OK Supertrans” clones with tiny spelling/number changes). Use the official airport taxi ranks or trusted apps, always check the company name & phone number on the door, the fare card, and that the meter starts.

  • Typical fare Sofia Airport → City Centre: ~25 BGN (~€12.80) in normal traffic (indicative).

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Public transport (Sofia)

  • Time-based e-tickets valid across bus/tram/metro with transfers:

    • “30+” ticket: 1.60 BGN / ~€0.82

    • “60+” ticket: 2.20 BGN / ~€1.12

    • Day cap with contactless: tap your bank card/phone; first two trips billed at 1.60 BGN each, then auto-capped at 4.00 BGN for the day. Метро София+1

  • Passes also available (24h/72h/weekly, etc.).

  • Useful portals: metrosofia.bg and webportal.sofiatraffic.bg.

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4) Mobile & Internet

  • National operators: A1, Yettel, VIVACOM.

  • Bulgaria consistently ranks among the world’s fastest for mobile data (median speeds well above the EU average per Speedtest Global Index / 2025 datasets).

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5) Currency & Payments

  • Currency until 31 Dec 2025: Bulgarian lev (BGN).

  • Euro changeover: 1 January 2026 at the fixed rate 1 € = 1.95583 BGN (euro adoption confirmed for 2026). Cards widely accepted; for cash withdrawals, prefer local-bank ATMs (DSK, UBB, UniCredit Bulbank, Postbank, Fibank…).

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6) Major Banks (accounts, ATMs, exchange)

  • DSK Bank (OTP Group)

  • United Bulgarian Bank – UBB (KBC Group)

  • UniCredit Bulbank

  • Postbank (Eurobank)

  • First Investment Bank – Fibank
    For the full supervised list, see the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB).

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7) Entry & Stay Formalities

  • Schengen: Bulgaria is a full Schengen member. Land, air, and sea border checks within Schengen were lifted on 1 Jan 2025. Consilium+2Migration and Home Affairs+2

  • EU/EEA citizens: enter with ID card or passport.

  • Stays over 3 months: mandatory registration with the Migration Directorate (Ministry of Interior) for a residence certificate (residence card).

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8) Practical Notes

  • Language: Bulgarian (Cyrillic). English is widely spoken in central Sofia and service sectors; other languages vary by area.

  • Tourist office (Sofia): beneath St. Kliment Ohridski University (Sofia University metro). Tel. +359 2 491 83 44/45 • tourist@info-sofia.bg

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9) Quick Links

 

This guide is informational. Always verify hours, contacts, and fares before you go.

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If you need expert advice and help with setting up in Bulgaria, contact us.
Nadezhda Svinarova-Petrova and Stoil Petrov are English and French-speaking lawyers in Bulgaria, and their team is here to help.

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