You may also want to check the Reimbursement guide
We advise all participants to have a medical insurance.
If you are eligible for EHIC (European Health Insurance Card), make sure you have it ready before your trip.
If you are not eligible for EHIC, make sure you have equivalent travel and medical insurance.
We advise that you take additional insurance in case of lost luggage, documents, etc. – that is not mandatory.
Should you have a question, contact us: info@smokinya.com.
Arriving by plane to Sofia
Option 1.
Arriving at Terminal 2 get you straight to the Metro line to the central train station.
Always have a ticket to avoid fines.
Important
Make sure you have 1 ticket for yourself and an extra ticket for each big suitcase you have with you. Sofia public transport control is strict and there’s a rule that each piece of luggage which has a total length of 140 cm (length+height+width).
1 ticket cost ~2.00 leva (approx. 1.00 EUR) – you can buy it from a ticket machine at the airport, ticket machine at the metro entry or from the clerk at window at the metro entry.
Electronic travel cards & PAY-AS-YOU-GO
Ticket options for Sofia public transport
Check routes and transport numbers here
Option 2.
Arriving at Terminal 1, there is a free shuttle bus every 15 min between T1 and T2.
Shuttle bus between T1 and T2 – check here
If you arrive by bus, the bus station and train station are next to each other.
Use google maps or other map service to orient yourself and get on the right bus, or train, to Plovdiv.
Option 3.
A. At Sofia Central train and bus station, you may want to catch a bus.
Check bus schedule here.
It takes about 2 hours and it costs about 15-16.00 leva.
B. At Sofia Central train and bus station, you may want to catch a train.
Check train schedule here.
It takes about 3 hours and it costs about 9-12 leva.
B.1. If you don’t need to go to Sofia Central train and bus station, Metro line and train track intersect at Iskarsko shose. You get a tickets for Metro from Terminal 2, and get off at Iskarsko shose Metro station and transfer to train station there.
Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/7oi4YjGkrcmGLzAE6
Trains from Iskarsko shose: https://razpisanie.bdz.bg/en/iskarsko-shose/plovdiv
Option 4.
Arriving at Plovdiv airport.
Website of the airport here.
There are shuttle options to Plovdiv city, cost 10 leva.
Option 5.
Arriving at Burgas airport.
Website of the airport here.
Get to the bus, or train station and get a suitable option to Plovdiv.
Option 6.
For the green travel in the case of car pooling
Carpooling is a great way to have a trip and be sustainable, as far as you meet the requirements and you are willing to do the extra work, considering some extra risks.
In order to be eligible for travel reimbursement for carpooling, you need to have:
* min 4 people (or 5) traveling together in one car.
* have international car insurance
* provide car papers (year, make, model, fuel type, consumption per 100 km.)
* pay as you go your fuel, toll fees and collect every receipt in original hard copy
* shared car ride (carpooling) also hides risks like unexpected car mechanical, or electronics problems that you may need to solve abroad, and pay for that – those are NOT reimbursable expenses, those are your personal expenses.
* carpooling is also risk for us as host organisation to ensure your participation and not dropping out, so we will ask you to pay via bank transfer a NON-REIMBURSABLE security deposit of 50 EUR per person traveling by car
* as far as accountancy is concerned, Smokinya Foundation is obliged to follow Bulgarian accountancy and bookkeeping rules and your travel fuel and toll fees reimbursement is subject to evaluation. It might be that you get partial reimbursement up to limits fixed by Bulgarian norms per car make, year, model, fuel.
* subject of evaluation and approval is route, which has to be the shortest, and realistic fuel consumption (if it really incurred).
* your car may break abroad, may be damaged abroad, may be fined for bad parking, may be stolen, or else – those are your personal risks.
Should you have a question, contact us: info@smokinya.com.
Green travel
Green travel in general relates to environmental sustainability: the project is designed in an eco-friendly way and incorporates green practices (e.g. green travel). Green travel is the one that use low-emissions means of transport for the main part of the travel, such as bus, train or car-pooling (with 4 or more people on board).
IMPORTANT
For green travel what is acceptable and important to know and remember is that only up to four additional days (in total) for participants receiving a green travel grant.
NEW UPDATE
27.10.2025
After consulting different NAs across EU, we concluded that:
Green travel is ONLY when the total distance is travelled in eco-friendly way (bus, train, carpooling). If there is a flight involved – no matter for arrival, departure, or in-between travels, the person’s trip and travel CANNOT be and will NOT be considered Green travel. Regular rules apply.
NB!
A note from Bulgarian National agency:
In the case of a person travelling on the way to Bulgaria by bus, or train, and then eventually going back to their home country by plane, this is NOT to be considered as green travel. Unless, the person can explicitly prove that the greater part of the trip was in an ecological low-emissions means of transport.
The lump sum for travel for sustainable means of transport (eco-travel) is eligible if sustainable means of transport are used for the majority of the round trip (in terms of distance travelled). The proving of that is in the responsibilities of the interested participants, following our guidance and Erasmus+ and ESC rules, and national requirements of the Bulgarian NA, and/or other relevant involved NAs.
National Agencies managing Erasmus+ and ESC on national level, might have extra conditions, rules, and requirements regarding the green travel, e.g. signing a declaration, providing extra proofs etc.
Smokinya Foundation might need to consult NA and get approval if a trip can be considered green travel.
For green travel with bus and / or train, you must consider some extra risks.
* unexpected delays, cancellations, mechanical damages, luggage theft
* bus and train ticket reservations might be not possible for several weeks before the travel, and that is also a risk for us as host organisation to ensure your participation and not dropping out, so we will ask you to pay via bank transfer a REFUNDABLE (only if you arrive and participate fully) security deposit of 50 EUR per person traveling by bus / train
* in duly justified cases, there might be extra financial support for up to 4 days if the trip takes that long (2 days before the activity, and 2 days after the activity). In case participants need additional travel in order to reach the location where the activity starts, they are also entitled to travel support, including “green travel” where applicable. Subject to request, justification, and approval.
Should you have a question, contact us: info@smokinya.com.
IMPORTANT
No matter what transport you take, ALWAYS keep every receipt, tickets, boarding passes you buy and receive – we need them as a proof and to be able to reimburse you.
Taxi is not reimbursable because it is considered a luxury service. Be careful and cautious because taxi scams might still happen in Bulgaria.
Currency
From 1 Jan 2026 Bulgaria enter the EURO ZONE and adopts EURO as a national currency.
Exchange services at the airport are with not so good exchange rate.
Definitely avoid exchange “services” by persons on the street. It might be a scam.
Bulgarian ‘lev’ is tied to EUR and the exchange rate is fixed and only fluctuates between 1,94 – 1,96 leva for 1 EUR.
Exchange at a bank office usually is the safest, but they charge commission. In the Sofia and Plovdiv city centres there are trusted exchange offices.
Roaming
Bulgaria is an EU country and your mobile service should work in roaming without any problems and extra charges, including data. Maybe check your service provider for extra info.
Weather
https://www.accuweather.com/en/bg/plovdiv/
Can be cold, so pack clothes that will keep you warm. There are also plenty of shops, the big brands, as well as second hand shops which are environmentally friendlier.
We often check flight options here
www.kiwi.com
https://www.google.com/flights
http://www.azair.com/
https://www.edreams.net/cheap-flights/
Should you have a question, contact us: info@smokinya.com.
