In any foreign country, the most convenient way to travel is taxi, and this is an axiom. Well, maybe besides the rented car. The first person who meets us at the airport or train station is a representative of this particular service. Taxi in Bulgaria, which has always been considered one of the most popular tourist destinations in our country, works this way. You don't have to look for a car for a long time. On the contrary, the hunting season for the client is open all year round, and the license and compliance with the rules are not always required. But this is not a wonder for Russians either.
How the Bulgarian taxi works
For the most part, carriers are only licensed. Both public and private. Many local taxi companies provide services in partnership with online order aggregators. True, Uber in Bulgaria no longer works: the company could not withstand the onslaught of competitors and bureaucratic arbitrariness.
Nevertheless, it is prohibited to engage in private carriage in the republic without special permission from the state. The cars are painted yellow, have special logos, checkered markings and a price list under the windshield (bottom right) and on the left rear door. There are counters, almost everyone has cash registers. Well, and how much a taxi costs in Bulgaria, we will tell you further.
Bulgarian drivers know Russian. Especially those working in central airports and resort areas. You can negotiate with them, but the driving style of some can cause shock.
Overspeeding, driving under prohibitory signs, violations of lane markings, sudden acceleration and braking, as well as disrespect for pedestrians are common. So be always on the lookout and be sure to wear your seat belts.
Car order
When planning a trip, you can order a transfer at home. “Kiwi Taxi” in Bulgaria offers this opportunity on its own website. The driver will meet at the airport, as close as possible to the arrivals area, and deliver the clients by the shortest route exactly to the specified address for the already known price, which will not change under any circumstances. It is possible to choose a vehicle for the group. Prices are Bulgarian.
Amazingly, just like in Russia, “Maxim” and “Yandex Taxi” work great in Bulgaria.
Local taxis can be found at stations, airports, large shops, markets, crowded places of the local population and tourists. Specialized parking lots are marked here with a Taxi sign.
You can simply vote with your hand to a passing car. Calling a taxi is also not a problem. This is available in several ways:
- by phone;
- via the Internet ─ using official websites, Facebook pages, popular instant messengers and even mobile applications.
Contact information can be obtained from the inscriptions and stickers on the doors of cars. And it is best to use the services of large taxi fleets. Below are their contacts in major cities:
- Transfer from the airport in Bulgaria: Bulgaria Taxi ─ bulgariataxi.ru, tel. +359 89 2998546, +7 499 3228407, skype: perevoz_bg.
- Sofia ─ OK Supertrans: oktaxi.net, Viber +359 2 973-21-21, tel. +359 2 973-37-70, www.facebook.com/oktaxisofia;
- Varna ─ Omega Taxi: omegataxivarna.com, tel. (052) 38-88-88, (0878) 38-88-88;
- Plovdiv ─ "Plovdiv taxi": tel. (0887) 41-72-31, (0894) 29-57-29, (0876) 66-05-30;
- Burgas ─ Burgas Taxi: www.burgastaxi.com, you can order a taxi in Burgas by calling +359 894-411-223 (plus Viber).
Tariffs
Bulgarian taxi drivers are accommodating, and if the client is aware of the prices, they willingly agree to compromise conditions. Payment is made in cash, less often by credit card. The client has the right to ask for a check. Tipping is not accepted, but no one refuses a couple of leva.
As is customary in the rest of Europe, the cost of a taxi in Bulgaria is not regulated by the state. Therefore, the price lists of different companies may differ significantly. Average tariff for the country (1 lev is equal to about 0.51 euros):
- for boarding - 0.7 levs (at night from 22:00 to 6:00 - 1 lev);
- basic rate - 0.75 levs per kilometer (0.9 levs at night);
- waiting ─ 5 minutes costs up to 1.25 leva.
Large and additional luggage (more than one bag, animals, bicycles, strollers) may be charged additionally in the amount of approximately 5 BGN.
Influence of the region on the cost
Where demand is higher, supply is more expensive. Bulgarian taxi drivers use approximately the same principle of activity. Rates at airports, as in many countries, are higher.
For example, for a taxi from the airport in Burgas to the city or Pomorie (located only some 10 km away), official carriers ask for 20 euros. And prices are significantly higher during the high tourist season.
The prices on the sites are updated quickly. Moreover, many drivers are trying to switch to paying in euros.
A taxi in Sunny Beach is estimated as follows, in euros:
- for a call - 1.45 during the day, 1.70 at night;
- landing - 1.5 during the day and 1.70 at night;
- cost per kilometer - 0.97 during the day, 1.13 at night;
- simple - during the day: 0.48, at night: 0.57.
But this is not a dogma, but only approximate sentences taken from real life. Carriers have fixed rates, and when the influx of tourists drops, prices go down.
Taxis in Varna are perhaps one of the cheapest near Slanchev Bryaga. Approximately the same 10 km from the airport to the city will cost only 10 euros. The road to Saint Vlas (95 km) costs 70 euros.
By the way, the most democratic prices on its website (triumftaxi.com) are offered by the local “Triumph taxi.” The operator does not charge for the call, the cost of boarding day and night is the same (1.09 leva), and the price of a minute of waiting is minimal: 0.25 / 0.35 leva day / night.
The further the departure point is from the main resorts, the more pleasant the prices. Thus, a trip from Sofia airport to Nessebar (430 km) will cost 230 euros. In the hinterland, taxi drivers lower prices more easily.
Service security
Getting into a car with an unfamiliar driver is always a certain risk. And Bulgaria in this sense is no exception, although the personal safety of customers is beyond doubt. There are no cases of outright crime, but they can try to deceive.
As for the accident rate, here the risk is 50 to 50: both the drivers are often undisciplined, and the car is not always in good technical condition.
Taxi scammers
There are a lot of options for relatively legal taking money from passengers from local taxi drivers:
- blatant overestimation of the fare;
- adding free services to the price list;
- "Lengthening" the route;
- correction of counters.
It is worth saying that basically such things are typical for singles who work independently and do not adhere to corporate rules and ethics. Here are some simple tips to help you avoid the complexities:
- If the car is not yellow, without obvious attributes in the form of "checkers", a board with inscriptions, logos with phone numbers and tariffs under the glass, it is better not to get involved. Even if they offer a cheap ride. They will try to deceive one hundred percent.
- The road must first be viewed on a Google or Yandex map. Knowing the distance, you can focus on the cost.
- Monitor the presence and inclusion of the counter. When boarding, it must carry a small amount for boarding (usually 0.99 BGN).
- Stock up on trifles, as the phrase "no change" is often heard here.
- Inquire in advance about taxi companies and their rates. Unfortunately, there is still a risk of getting into a company that imitates the logos and names of popular carriers.
Conclusions
Of course, not all Bulgarian taxi drivers are scammers. They just want to earn more. And the carelessness and carelessness of tourists help them. The easiest way out is to install the taxi application in Bulgaria “Taxi Bulgaria” or “Taxi Shofior in Bulgaria” on your smartphone and use it only. Both are free and don't require complicated registration. Immediately after starting and entering the route, the program starts searching and reviewing free cars. After linking the payment card, he offers to place an order. Nothing complicated.Good luck everyone.
