World Travel Guide

City Guide  - Sofia  - Road
Road

Roads in Bulgaria tend to be poorly surfaced and inconsistently numbered. European roads are prefixed by the letter 'E', while internal motorways and main roads are indicated by numbers only. Place names signposted along main roads are in both Cyrillic and Latin script, but on minor roads they may be in Cyrillic only; however, actual road signs are international. While petrol stations are found on the main road exits from most large towns, and every 30-40km (18-25 miles) along the motorways, on minor roads they can be few and far between. The minimum age for driving is 18 years. Traffic drives on the right. Speed limits are 120kph (75mph) on motorways, 80kph (50mph) on country roads and 60kph (37mph) in urban areas. The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.05%.

Driving throughout the country can be slow as traffic is frequently held up by heavy goods vehicles. The police are known to stop motorists at random and check their documents: it is best to remain calm and polite. Fines for speeding and other driving offences are on the spot and can be heavy. A Green Card and Motor Insurance certificate are obligatory. UK driving licences and EU pink-format licences are valid in Bulgaria. Seat belts should always be worn, although few locals adhere to this rule. All accidents should be reported to the traffic police (KAT, tel: 165) and a report filed. The process is lengthy but necessary for any insurance claims. If driving in the mountains during winter, it is advisable to carry snow chains.

The Bulgarian Automobile Touring Association (SBA), 3 Pozitano Ulica (tel: (02) 980 3308), can provide information and deal with breakdowns.

Emergency breakdown service:
SBA 146

Routes to the city: The E-79 goes to Sofia from Greece, crossing the border at Kulata; the E-80 from Turkey, crossing the border at Kapitan Andreevo; and the E-79 goes from Romania, crossing the border at Vidin-Kalafat. In addition, the E-80 motorway runs to Sofia from the Yugoslav border at Kalotina, and the E-871 from the Russian border at Gyueshevo.

Driving time to the city: From Plovdid - 1 hour 30 minutes; Veliko Turnovo - 2 hours 30 minutes; Varna - 5 hours.

Coach services: There is no central coach station in Sofia. International coach services terminate at one of three places. Most go to the bus station close to the train station, just behind the Hotel Princess. Some companies use the bus station at 38 Damian Gruev Ulica (ten minutes' walk west of the city centre), or the one at 84 Knyaginya Mariya Luiza Boulevard (ten minutes' walk north of the city centre). Eurolines (tel: (01582) 404 511, UK; website: www.eurolines.com) run international coaches, connecting Sofia to cities throughout Europe, which terminate in front of the train station.

Most domestic coach services, run by private companies, terminate close to the train station, or at one of three other bus stations some way out of the centre. These are: the Avtogara Poduyane terminal on Todorini Kukli Ulica (for buses to the north and northeast); Ovcha Kupel terminal on Tsar Boris III Boulevard (buses southwest); and the Yug terminal on Dragan Tsankov Boulevard (buses southeast).



Copyright © 2001 Columbus Publishing
    
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