How to travel from Istanbul to Sofia

Fri, Feb 27
+ Add return
Travel by bus, flight with
City Lines
Pegasus Airlines
ArdaTur
FlixBus
Infobus
1,000+ more
City Lines
Pegasus Airlines
ArdaTur
FlixBus
Infobus
1,000+ more
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Travel Information

Compare bus and flight for Istanbul to Sofia

Omio recommends booking the bus as it is the most popular option from Istanbul to Sofia among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the bus with prices starting from $38. For those with little time consider booking a flight which can get you there in 2h 35m. In case you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint the bus is your best bet as it emits only 0.5 - 1.3kg. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of $38, and a flight costs an average of $51.

Distance: 311 miles (502 km)

Compare bus with

Most popular
Bus
Flight

$42

Average price

Cheapest

$213

Average price

9h 45m

Average total duration

9h 15m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

5h 35m

Average total duration

Fastest

2h 35m

Onboard

+

3h 0m

Additional time*

0.5 - 1.3kg

CO2 emissions

Lowest

1.5 - 3.0kg

CO2 emissions

City Lines

Most popular bus company

Pegasus Airlines

Most popular airline

Direct Options

Direct Options

Additional time: Average total travel duration to departure point, security checks and transfers.

Travel options
from Istanbul to Sofia

How to get from Istanbul to Sofia by train, bus or flight.

Our recommendation

bus

The best way to travel from Istanbul to Sofia is by taking a bus because it’s the best combination of price and speed.

FlixBusFlixBus
11:00AM8h30
Istanbul, Buyuk Otogar (Esenler)
06:30PMСофия, Централна Aвтогара 2 (Sofia, Centralna Avtogara 2)
$491One-way
0 transfers

Cheapest

ArdaTur0
11:30PM9h10
Istanbul, Buyuk Otogar (Esenler)
07:40AMSofia (София)
$451One-way
0 transfers

Fastest

Turkish AirlinesTK1027
08:30AM1h15
Istanbul Airport
08:45AMSofia Airport
$2331One-way
0 transfers

Other options

ArdaTur0
02:30PM9h00
Istanbul, Buyuk Otogar (Esenler)
10:30PMSofia (София)
$471One-way
0 transfers
FlixBusFlixBus
11:00PM9h00
Istanbul, Buyuk Otogar (Esenler)
07:00AMСофия, Централна Aвтогара 2 (Sofia, Centralna Avtogara 2)
$491One-way
0 transfers
Pegasus AirlinesPC271
09:30AM1h20
Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport
09:50AMSofia Airport
$1021One-way
0 transfers
Turkish AirlinesTK1031
02:50PM1h20
Istanbul Airport
03:10PMSofia Airport
$2141One-way
0 transfers
Aegean AirlinesA3991 · A3980
11:35AM4h15
Istanbul Airport
02:50PMSofia Airport
$2521One-way
1 transfer

Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .

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FAQs: Travel from Istanbul to Sofia

Travel to Sofia easily. Whether you want fast, cheap or something entirely different, our travel experts have collected everything you need to know so you can find the best option from Istanbul to Sofia.

FAQs
There are 2 options to travel between Istanbul and Sofia including taking a bus and flight.
The cheapest way to travel from Istanbul to Sofia is a bus with an average price of $38 (€30).

This is compared to other travel options from Istanbul to Sofia:

A bus is $13 (€10) less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Istanbul to Sofia costing on average $51 (€40).

The fastest way to travel from Istanbul to Sofia is by flight with an average journey time of 1h 20m.

Other travel options to Sofia take longer:

Bus takes on average 8h 50m.

The distance from Istanbul to Sofia is approximately 311 miles (502 km).
The average frequency per day from Istanbul to Sofia is:
  • Around 17 flights per day.
  • Around 6 buses per day.

However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route between Istanbul and Sofia as scheduled services by bus and flight can vary by season or day of the week.

These are the most popular departure and arrival points from Istanbul to Sofia:
  • Flights mostly depart from Istanbul Airport and arrive in Sofia Airport.
  • Buses mostly depart from Istanbul, Buyuk Otogar (Esenler) and arrive in Sofiya, Avtogara Serdika (София, Автогара Сердика).
If finding a good deal is your main consideration for your trip from Istanbul to Sofia, then we'll help you find the best value travel companies for you:
  • Travel with City Lines, ArdaTur, FlixBus, Infobus, Citylines, Alpar Turizm, Kamil Koc to go to Sofia by bus.
  • Travel with Pegasus Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Aegean Airlines, Air Serbia, TAROM, LOT Polish Airlines to go to Sofia by flight.
Yes, there are direct services available from Istanbul to Sofia with the following travel companies:
  • 6 direct buses per day with City Lines, ArdaTur, FlixBus, Infobus, Citylines, Alpar Turizm, Kamil Koc.
  • 4 direct flights per day with Pegasus Airlines, Turkish Airlines.
Omio customers who travel from Istanbul to Sofia often also extend their vacation to go to Plovdiv, Belgrade, Thessaloniki, Bucharest, Varna. Omio can help you plan your trip by finding the best connections between Sofia and these popular destinations at a great price.

Travelling from Istanbul to Sofia: related information

Here are some other resources that might have the information you need

HomeTravelTravel to SofiaHow to travel from Istanbul to Sofia

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