Great, you choose a wonderful place for your Erasmus stay. But how to get there? Arriving in Veliko Tarnovo is easy as kids game, only if you follow our guide bellow.

There are several ways of arriving: by Plane, by bus, by car and by hitchhiking. The two main spots are from Sofia and from Bucharest (Romania), but also you can find airport in Burgas.

Arriving from Sofia:

Coming by plane:

If your flight is landing in Sofia, great. The way getting out of the airport is quite easy.

Sofia Metro Line 1 connects Sofia Airport to the city center and provides direct connection from the airport to the large residential complexes in close proximity – “Druzhba” and “Mladost”, as well as to more distant complexes to the west – “Zapaden Park” and “Lyulin”.

The journey time from Sofia Airport to the city centre is approximately 18 min.

Changing trains from Line 1 to Line 2 at Serdika Metro Station, passengers can travel from the airport to Sofia Central Bus and Railway Stations within less than half an hour.

The other Metro stations allow convenient transport connections to bus or trolleybus lines of the city transport system.

The metro trains on the route to the airport operate from 5:30 a.m. to midnight on weekdays and weekends/holidays.

Connection with the railway transport is possible two stops from Metro station Sofia Airport at Metro station Iskarsko shosse, with a changeover there to trains on the Sofia-Plovdiv and Sofia-Karlovo lines.

The metro station at Sofia Airport is located in the eastern part of Terminal 2. You can reach it by following the floor markings in blue at the public area of Terminal 2.

Sofia Airport provides free-of-charge transportation between the two terminal buildings.

The shuttle bus stops located in front of the terminal buildings are designated by signage and pavement markings.

For more information please check: https://www.sofia-airport.bg/en/passengers/and-airport/public-transport

Coming by train:

Travelling by Bulgarian rail services is the cheapest (but sometimes slowest) way getting almost everywhere you need. To catch a train, you need to go to Central rail stop in Sofia….. The journey takes approximately 5 hours and it’s around 20 leva/10 euros (or 11.70 leva/ 6 euros you have student discount card).

You need to make train change at Gorna Oriahovitsa

Please aware that not everyone in the rails service is speaking English so you should be very careful with the tickets and timetables all the time.

For more information, please check: http://razpisanie.bdz.bg/site/search.jsp

Coming by bus:

To catch bus to Veliko Tarnovo go to Central bus station of Sofia (which is just 2 min. walk from Central rail station)

The journey takes approximately 3.5 hours and it’s around 20leva/10 euros (or 19leva/9.50 euros you have student discount card)

Please check here for more info: http://www.centralnaavtogara.bg/index.php#b

Coming by car: The distance from Sofia to Veliko Tarnovo by car is 221km. You need to get to highway “Hemus” (Автомагистрала Хемус)/ E79 for only 3 hours ride.

 

Arriving from Bucharest (Romania)

By plane: Bucharest Henri Coanda International Airport is situated at 16,5 km distance from Bucharest down-town.Access roads: The National Road DN 1. Public bus transport to and from the airport is The 780 Express line connects Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport with the Gara de Nord (main railway station).The 783 Express line connects Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport with the city center. This line runs day and night. At night, the bus leaves every 40 minutes.

Rail connection is made by The passengers can reach the CFR “Airport Stop” by shuttle buses departing from the Arrivals Terminal.

For more information, check here: http://www.bucharestairports.ro/en/transport

By train: To travel by train from Bucharest in Romania to Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria, there are two rail connections crossing both the river Danube on large bridges.

For more information, check here: https://rail.cc/en/train/bucharest-to-veliko-tarnovo

By car: The distance between Bucharest and Veliko Tarnovo is 182 km. and you can make it by car for approximately 3 hours. From Bucharest you need to ride on E85 to Gurgevo where you need to cross the Border to Ruse. From Ruse you continue to ride on E85 all along to Veliko Tarnovo.