The cheapest and fastest buses from Thessaloniki to Sofia
Cheapest price
$25
Average price
$34
Fastest journey
4 h 30 m
Average duration
4 h 45 m
Buses per day
13
Distance
231 km
The best way to find a cheap bus ticket from Thessaloniki to Sofia is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid traveling at rush hour.
The average ticket from Thessaloniki to Sofia will cost around $34 if you buy it on the day, but the cheapest tickets can be found for only $25.
Of the 13 buses that leave Thessaloniki for Sofia on Tue, Mar 03, 13 travel direct so it’s quite easy to avoid journeys where you’ll have to change along the way.
On Tue, Mar 03 the direct buses cover the 231 km distance in an average of 4 h 45 m but if you time it right, some buses will get you there in just 4 h 30 m .
On Tue, Mar 03 the slowest buses will take 4 h 55 m and usually involve a change or two along the way, but you might be able to save a few pennies if you’re on a budget.

6640287

6603612
6640285
6640287
6487925
6640285Travel Information
Compare bus and flight for Thessaloniki to Sofia
Omio recommends booking the bus as it is the most popular option from Thessaloniki to Sofia among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the bus with prices starting from $14. For those with little time consider booking a flight which can get you there in 2h 15m. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of $14, and a flight costs an average of $141.
Distance: 143 miles (231 km)
Compare bus with
Most popular Bus | Flight |
|---|---|
$25 Average price Cheapest | $247 Average price |
5h 44m Average total duration 5h 14m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 5h 15m Average total duration Fastest 2h 15m Onboard + 3h 0m Additional time* |
![]() Most popular bus company | ![]() Most popular airline |
Direct Options | Direct Options |
Thessaloniki to Sofia Bus Timetables
| Operator | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Duration | Departure days | Cheapest price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Operator ArdaTur | Departure Time 12:05AM | Arrival Time 05:00AM | Duration 4h55 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat | Cheapest price $32 |
Operator Infobus | Departure Time 12:10AM | Arrival Time 06:00AM | Duration 5h50 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat | Cheapest price $32 |
Operator Ilias Travel | Departure Time 12:20AM | Arrival Time 05:30AM | Duration 5h10 | Departure days Thu | Cheapest price $26 |
Operator ArdaTur | Departure Time 12:30AM | Arrival Time 05:00AM | Duration 4h30 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat | Cheapest price $32 |
Operator Ilias Travel | Departure Time 12:30AM | Arrival Time 06:00AM | Duration 5h30 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $18 |
Operator Infobus | Departure Time 02:00AM | Arrival Time 06:45AM | Duration 4h45 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat | Cheapest price $28 |
Operator ArdaTur | Departure Time 08:00AM | Arrival Time 01:00PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat | Cheapest price $32 |
Operator ArdaTur | Departure Time 08:15AM | Arrival Time 01:00PM | Duration 4h45 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat | Cheapest price $32 |
Operator Union Ivkoni | Departure Time 09:00AM | Arrival Time 02:50PM | Duration 5h50 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $25 |
Operator Euroticket | Departure Time 01:00PM | Arrival Time 05:50PM | Duration 4h50 | Departure days Tue, Sat | Cheapest price $57 |
Operator Union Ivkoni | Departure Time 03:00PM | Arrival Time 08:30PM | Duration 5h30 | Departure days Tue, Fri, Sat | Cheapest price $18 |
Operator ArdaTur | Departure Time 03:10PM | Arrival Time 08:30PM | Duration 5h20 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat | Cheapest price $32 |
Operator ArdaTur | Departure Time 03:30PM | Arrival Time 08:30PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat | Cheapest price $32 |
Operator Union Ivkoni | Departure Time 04:00PM | Arrival Time 09:30PM | Duration 5h30 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $18 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 05:30PM | Arrival Time 10:45PM | Duration 5h15 | Departure days Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $17 |
Live departures
Thessaloniki to Sofia bus times
The table below shows live departures for Thessaloniki to Sofia buses for today, Monday, March 2. You can also manually refresh the results below to see updated bus journeys.
| Provider | Departs | Duration | Arrives | Transfers | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6605103 | 1:10 PM Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη) | 5h20 | 6:30 PM Sofia (София) | 0 transfersDirect | |
6605103 | 1:30 PM Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη) | 5h00 | 6:30 PM Sofia (София) | 0 transfersDirect | |
FlixBus | 3:30 PM Thessaloniki, Monastiriou - KTEL (Θεσσαλονίκη, Μοναστηρίου - ΚΤΕΛ) | 5h15 | 8:45 PM София, Централна Aвтогара 2 (Sofia, Centralna Avtogara 2) | 0 transfersDirect | |
6640285 | 10:05 PM Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη) | 4h55 | 3:00 AM Sofia (София) | 0 transfersDirect | |
6603612 | 10:10 PM Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη) | 5h50 | 4:00 AM Sofia (София) | 0 transfersDirect | |
6640285 | 10:30 PM Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη) | 4h30 | 3:00 AM Sofia (София) | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | 10:30 PM Thessaloniki, Station Monastiriou (Θεσσαλονίκηб, Στάση Μοναστηρίου) | 5h30 | 4:00 AM Sofiya, Avtogara Serdika (София, Автогара Сердика) | 0 transfersDirect | |
| Tuesday, March 3 | |||||
6640287 | 12:00 AM Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη) | 4h45 | 4:45 AM Sofia (София) | 0 transfersDirect | |
6487925 | 6:00 AM Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη) | 5h00 | 11:00 AM Sofia (София) | 0 transfersDirect | |
6487925 | 6:15 AM Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη) | 4h45 | 11:00 AM Sofia (София) | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | 7:00 AM Thessaloniki, Station Monastiriou (Θεσσαλονίκηб, Στάση Μοναστηρίου) | 5h50 | 12:50 PM Sofiya, Avtogara Serdika (София, Автогара Сердика) | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | 11:00 AM Thessaloniki, Central Bus Station Makedonia | 4h50 | 3:50 PM Sofia, Centralna Avtogara (София, Централна Автогара) | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | 1:00 PM Thessaloniki, Station Monastiriou (Θεσσαλονίκηб, Στάση Μοναστηρίου) | 5h30 | 6:30 PM Sofiya, Avtogara Serdika (София, Автогара Сердика) | 0 transfersDirect | |
This is the last bus of the day. | |||||
Find all the dates and times for this journey
Compare prices and tickets Thessaloniki to Sofia by bus or flight
Compare bus and flight prices over the next three weeks. See the best deals at a glance, find the lowest fares, and choose the option that fits your budget.
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Why should you book Thessaloniki to Sofia buses with Omio?
Why book with Omio vs Ourbus?
- Compare with other providers: On Omio, you can not only buy tickets for Ourbus, but also compare tickets for the likes of FlixBus, ArdaTur, City Lines or Infobus to find the best option for your trip from Thessaloniki to Sofia.
- Designed for International Travelers: Omio is in your language including 24/7 customer service and offers multiple payment options, including PayPal, credit cards, and bank transfer, in your preferred currency.
- Compare all your options: Omio allows you to compare Ourbus with all available travel options, which are bus and flight to ensure you get the best deal for traveling from Thessaloniki to Sofia.
Why book with Omio over Checkmybus, Wanderu or Trainline?
- Compare with other providers: On Omio, you can also compare tickets for the likes of FlixBus, ArdaTur, City Lines or Infobus to find the best option for your trip from Thessaloniki to Sofia.
- Multiple modes of transport: Omio allows you to compare travel options including bus and flight to find the ideal travel option from Thessaloniki to Sofia.
Journey information
Overview: Bus from Thessaloniki to Sofia
Buses from Thessaloniki to Sofia run on average 10 times per day, taking around 5h 14m. Cheap bus tickets for this journey start at $14 (€11) if you book in advance.
There are 10 buses per day. The earliest bus runs at 00:05, the last at 23:45. The fastest bus covers the 143 miles (231 km) distance in 4h 45m.
Distance 143 miles (231 km) |
Average bus duration 5h 14m |
Cheapest ticket price $14 (€11) |
Buses per day 10 |
Direct buses 10 |
Fastest bus 4h 45m |
First bus 00:05 |
Last bus 23:45 |
Bus providers: Ourbus, FlixBus, ArdaTur, City Lines, Infobus, Citylines, Union Ivkoni - Unibus from Thessaloniki to SofiaYou can travel by bus between Thessaloniki to Sofia with Ourbus, FlixBus, ArdaTur, City Lines, Infobus, Citylines, Union Ivkoni - Unibus for as low as $14 (€11). When you search for schedules and tickets, Omio will show you the best journey
FlixBus
City Lines
Infobus
Ourbus
ArdaTur
Citylines
Union Ivkoni - Unibus
FAQs: Bus from Thessaloniki to Sofia
Find answers to the most common questions about traveling from Thessaloniki to Sofia by bus. From journey times and ticket prices to direct connections, first and last departures, and even whether the route is scenic, our FAQs cover everything you need to plan your trip. Whether you’re looking for the fastest bus, the cheapest option, or tips for making the most of your visit at Sofia, this guide helps you travel smarter and with confidence.

- FlixBus
- Assistance
- Priority boarding
- Wheelchair-accessible buses.
- ArdaTur
- Passengers with disabilities receive discounts and priority seating, and folding wheelchairs are transported free of charge with advance registration.
- Ourbus
- Assistance
- Priority seating
- Service animals allowed.
- Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, a stunning Orthodox cathedral known for its impressive architecture and golden domes
- Vitosha Boulevard, a vibrant pedestrian street lined with shops, cafes, and restaurants
- National Palace of Culture, a multifunctional conference and exhibition center surrounded by beautiful gardens
- Boyana Church, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its medieval frescoes
- Sofia Central Mineral Baths, a historic building showcasing beautiful architecture and housing a museum.
- Borisova Gradina, a large and scenic park ideal for leisurely walks and outdoor activities
- Sofia Zoo, one of the oldest and largest zoos in the Balkans, home to a wide variety of animals
- Sofia History Museum, offering insights into the city's rich past and cultural heritage
- Serdika Archaeological Complex, where you can explore ancient Roman ruins in the heart of the city
- Sofia Opera and Ballet, where you can enjoy world-class performances in a beautiful setting.
- FlixBus
- You can cancel your ticket up to 15 minutes before departure and receive a voucher for future travel. Refund requests for delays over 120 minutes are possible.
- ArdaTur
- Cancellation policies vary by ticket class, individual trips, or promotions, with refunds ranging from 50% to 100% depending on the time before departure, and no refunds for cancellations less than 24 hours prior.
- Ourbus
- You can cancel your ticket up to 30 minutes before departure for a full refund in the form of a travel credit.
- FlixBus
- One carry-on bag up to 7kg (42x30x18 cm) and one checked bag up to 20kg (80x50x30 cm).
- ArdaTur
- One piece of hand luggage up to 15 kg and two pieces of checked luggage up to 35 kg each are included.
- Ourbus
- One carry-on bag up to 25 lbs and one checked bag up to 50 lbs.
- FlixBus
- Additional luggage can be purchased for a fee.
- ArdaTur
- Additional baggage or cargo is accepted for transport if there is free space and for a separate charge.
- Ourbus
- 10 USD per additional bag.
- City Lines
- Small pets allowed in carriers
- larger pets must be leashed and muzzled.
- Infobus
- Small pets allowed in carriers
- larger pets may require a separate ticket.
- FlixBus
- Small pets in carriers allowed
- guide dogs travel for free.
popular bus stations
Popular bus stations from Thessaloniki to Sofia
- 06:00-22:00
- Free Wi-Fi
- Available outside the station.
- Elevators, ramps
- Available in the station.
- Bus: 8, 12, 31 Train: Thessaloniki Railway Station
- 06:00-22:00
- Free Wi-Fi
- Available outside the main entrance.
- Elevators, ramps
- Available in the station.
- Bus: 213, 305, 404 Metro: M2 Train: Sofia Central Station
- 00:00-23:59
- Free Wi-Fi
- Cafeteria Serdika (in the station)
- Bistro Bulgaria (0.2 km)
- Sofia Grill House (0.5 km).
- Available outside the main entrance.
- Elevators, ramps
- Available in the station.
- Bus: 213, 305, 404 Metro: M1, M2 Train: Sofia Central Station
Most popular bus connections from Thessaloniki
More options for your journey from Thessaloniki to Sofia
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