Useful information for living in Bulgaria
Time Difference
Winter time: GMT +2 hours (October through March).
Summer time: GMT +3 hours (April through September)
Voltage
220 V only
Monetary Units
lev. Banknote denominations include 1,00, 2,00, 5,00, 10,00, 20,00,
50,00 and 100,00 leva, as well as coins of 1,00 smaller denominations.
Working Hours
offices - 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. (Monday to Friday)
banks - 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. (Monday to Friday)
shops - 10.00 a.m. to 8.00 pm. (Monday to Friday, Saturday until noon)
Important Telephone Numbers
Police - 166
Ambulance - 150
Road assistance - 146
Transport
public transport
- in big cities: trams, trolley-buses, buses
- elsewhere: buses
- inter-city transport: plane, train, coach
taxi
rent-a-car: AVIS, Hertz, Intertel, Europcar, Budget and International
Car Rental in Sofia, the country's big cities and resorts
Medical Service
Free first aid and consultation in emergencies
Currency Exchange
In banks and 24-hour change bureaux. The exchange rate is announced
every day.
Credit Cards
Visa, MasterCard, JCB, Diners Club, American Express, Access, Airplus.
They can be used for the payment of all standard services in hotels,
restaurants, night clubs, shops, car rentals, plane tickets, etc.
Passports and Visas
You will need a valid passport with an entry or transit visa which is
issued by the embassies and consulates of the Republic of Bulgaria abroad.
No entry visas are required for citizens of the countries with which
Bulgaria has a visa-free regime, or of organized tourists who have bought
a package tour.
No entry visas are required for citizens of the EU and EFTA member states.
No visas are required for CIS citizens for a stay of one month, provided
they are in the possession of a valid passport, a voucher for pre-paid
tourist services or if they pay the sum of 40 USD for each day of their
stay in the country.
Accommodation
Bulgaria boasts an extensive accommodation network ranging from luxury
five-star to unpretentious two-star hotels, small cosy hotels and private
rooms, meeting all modern requirements. Reservations through tourist
agencies or local accommodation offices.
Meals
Troughout Bulgaria you will find catering establishments of different
categories serving different foods:renowned luxury restaurants, taverns
which serve national cuisine, restaurants serving foreign cuisine, fast
food outlets, pizzerias, numerous caf?s and pastry shops, entertainment
spots, etc.
Menus are usually printed in both Bulgarian and English. Restaurants
stay open from 11a.m. to midnight, but may work round the clock.
Click here for a list of Notary
in Bulgaria
