Sofia Central Station is an interesting station with a Soviet style architecture and a durable construction. While some staff members can be rude and unhelpful, especially when it comes to directing passengers to the right platform, there are also kind and helpful staff members in sales, trains, and security. The station connects to the metro and has bus stops nearby. There are plenty of eateries around the station as well. However, the station can be a bit dirty, and there are individuals who may offer to carry your luggage in exchange for money. Despite its flaws, many people have experienced worse stations. It is important to note that buying tickets during peak hours can be a challenge, as long lines and unexpected closures may occur. The station also lacks English information on the boards, but train numbers and platform information are usually easy to understand. Some passengers have also encountered issues with reserved seats and incorrect seating arrangements. Nevertheless, the station is quite large, modern, and conveniently located near the bus station.
Address:
Bulgaria
Phone:
+359 700 10 200
Comment
24.07.23
Karlijn
The staff here is incredibly rude, you will get yelled out before you have even finished your sentence. No one will point you to the right platform (and probably yell at you again for asking, no matter how polite you ask) and quite a few people ended.. Read more » up missing the train because of this.
10.07.23
Joe
Interesting station. Definitely Soviet style and built to last. Not much English information on the board but it's not difficult to read a train number and platform information. Heading to Turkey and got the train no problem
Connects to th.. Read more »e metro and has busses outside. Lots of eateries around. I've been to worse stations
09.06.23
na.
Kind of dirty, and they allow some people to 'work' on the platforms, carrying your luggage with pushiness, in exchange for money (fixed fee) But the staff (sales, trains and security) is very kind and helpful.
30.05.23
Thomas
Cautionary tale! Coming to Sofia's train station during peak hours and hoping to buy a ticket for the next train is a recipe for disaster. I stood for 15 minutes in a line only to find out that the cash desk no 6 was going to be closed. Then I w.. Read more »ent to the next cash desk and waited for 10 minutes to be served. I had no cash on me and the cashier told me that card payment was not possible. So i had to go and get the cash out. By the time i got my ticket and went to the platform the train had already left. I returned to the same cash desk and told what happened. The cashier exchanged my ticket for the next available train. Initially I paid for the 1st class ticket and had a reserved seat. What I got in exchange was a 2nd class ticket with no reserved seat. When I got on the train, it was jam packed. There were no seats available. I found a spare seat but was kicked out by people who had tickets with reserved seats. Now I've been sitting on the floor for the last 40 minutes. From the first class to the floor. What a great service by Bulgarian railways.
12.04.23
Neo
Station is so-so. Staff barely speaks English, except for the international ticket booth (number 22) which is only open between 6:30 and 18:15.
Edit: took the train the next day, staff will not help you with any questions
20.03.23
Bozhydar
A the WC they charged me money because I helped my disabled father go to relieve himself, and the receptionist said that I received myself too while I was helping him.Y'all hungry for money. P.S I left her double the charge.
10.03.23
Luqman
Not a very pleasant experience but it is what it is. A few times I came there to ask for information but the information counter was empty. Help was hard to get. I did manage to buy internal tickets from the staff after some struggles to explain to h.. Read more »er my situation. On the day that I had to depart, I was looking for the platform, the staff just didn’t bother, answered me lightly and even one guy seem like a security guy gave me wrong platform, I almost missed the train! The station is nice actually with the modern renovations but surrounding area is just so old and a bit scary. Good luck purchasing your tickets here!
22.01.23
Glenn
Very large station with food station inside. Very modern and close to bus station.
28.12.22
Kateryna
Hi! I reserved a place near the window on the website and paid for it. Why arriving at the railway station and entering the train I discover that my actual place is straightly near the door? Why the visual on the website does not represent the actual.. Read more » layout of seats in the coach?
25.11.22
alessandro
A well organized station whit a couple of caffes to grab something on the go.
The only thing is that not all trains have the direction in Latin alphabet so check the train number before looking for the track.
29.10.22
Laura
The internet does not work, the cafes inside the station do not have internet and those outside the station that have wifi open late. There are also no places where they sell sim cards. It is a season that is not kind to international tourism. You.. Read more » will need a lot of patience and after 10 am if you are looking for wifi there. It is best to download the map offline, have the address already marked in the browser, they only have an ATM.
22.10.22
Josephine
Probably the worst customer service I’ve ever experience. Was told I needed to buy a seat ticket on the departure day, but when I showed up to buy it, the customer service assistant said she couldn’t help. When questioning why, she said s.. Read more »he didn’t have Wi-Fi and that we should go away. When trying to reason with her, she straight up ignored me. Do all your research beforehand, because you won’t get any help here!!!
04.10.22
Bozhidar
They did a great job with the renovation but the adjacent area is still underdeveloped.
29.09.22
Martin
Relatively clean and functional, much better than it was a few years earlier.
31.08.22
Димитър
Well they fixed it up, I guess, but the whole experience is still kinda backwards, not humans first.
29.08.22
Kostadinos
I went there very kindly to ask for some Informations..So she didn't understand English!!!!! After that she was answering in Bulgarian language ..when I said I don't speak bulgarian she start getting angry and was shouting..after I ask t.. Read more »o write down which train I have to take..guys she didn't even know to write numbers..I couldn't understand what number she was writing ..shes horrible and disrespectful..instead of being good example for new generation at her age..anyway I left and I found solution by myself.. The people in Bulgaria doesn't speak English in the 20th century ..the signs are only in Bulgaria language ..that country doesn't know what does it mean Tourist and hospitality..it's 70 years back..
18.08.22
Martin
Relatively clean and functional, much bey than it was a few years earlier.
10.08.22
Laura
Terrible service. The staff barely speak English and the person that was in the international desk was super rude, felt like I was ignored.
31.07.22
Brian
Extremely rude and incompetent staff, long lines, disorganization. Customers physically fighting each other, as they compete to get a chance to buy a ticket, after waiting in miserable conditions. We waited in three different lines only to be told .. Read more »they cannot sell us the ticket. "Same month only," apparently if you need a ticket for Sep. 1st, you cannot get the ticket until September starts, even though the train leaves before the ticket counter opens.
23.07.22
SPNH2233
As the train station of the capital in Bulgaria, it's NOT quite up to the task in term of facility and service.
People working in the ticket count are rude, don't speak much English; despite long waiting line for domestic train, there were.. Read more » only two counters open. Nobody at information counter while it was supposed to have someone there, the end result was having Bulgarian locals try to cheat the line of the ticket counter to ask for information which basically caused even longer waiting time for people just want to buy a ticket etc...
Not much around the train station but at least there is a BILLA supermarket.
Taxi, DO NOT use those waiting outside the station, they just try to robe you(foreigners), 25euros for just 4km, the taxi old man was just completely out of his mind!!!!! Use the application "Yellow!" for taxi, interface is quite similar to Uber.
17.07.22
Evgeniya
It is impossible to buy international tickets online (!!!), so you need to actually arrive to Bulgaria and buy tickets at the train station
16.07.22
Nic
It's a train station ? 3 fast food/coffee shops
14.06.22
Ronald
Needs a Lot of repairs,(paint and cleaning). People that works here very helpful and courtesy
31.05.22
fakhri
Every staff from every bus company is rude, can’t even show me the luggage storage is. Can barely speak english. Never again to Bulgaria.
21.05.22
Анна-Мария
literally no one speaks English. I'm not a native speaker myself but holy... You don't expect this level of service from one of the EU countries. Awful.
29.04.22
Luzie
Can only agree with the comments, very bad for foreigners. You can pay nothing with card as almost noone speaks English. The toilet lady wouldn't even let me use the toilet without Bulgarian cash. Not what you would expect in a capitol.
05.02.22
Spartan
i dont recomend train station because they have employees they dont know how to speak English to communicate with turists and afte all they lied us for beds we pay for beds but in train they said us we dont have free beds
im disappointed
31.12.21
Alberto
Recently restyled train station.
Hub to reach all destinations in & out ??.
Next to the domestic/int.nal bus station and all thinkable public transport stops.
All passengers' needs are catered for:
from ?? speaking friendly ticketing depart.. Read more »ment to refreshments to luggage deposit.
It might look a bit dodgy when darkness falls,but that's mainly harmless people.
Train riding in ?? is peaceful and sometimes very scenic too (narrow-gauge line in Septemvri).
21.12.21
Desislava
The biggest and most important railway station with lots of facilities, nicely decorated.
14.11.21
ivan
modern and renovated railway central station a lot offast foods bars and shops inside and arround
09.06.21
Johnny
Full of hobos and no toilets available at night
02.12.20
Franko
Station is easy to reach and clean
27.10.20
ALPER
Very sorry the place is run down, mach better from my last visit, the train service in Bulgaria is chep but don't aspire luxury service, my advice is to travel 1 classes the different in tickets is smol.
25.09.20
Stefan
Ok. Renovated.
23.08.20
Georgi
The main rail station of Sofia. One can catch trains from here to all the corners of the country.
20.06.20
Lora
I must admit, I got nicely surprised! I know the Central Station of Sofia since I was a child, but since I'm not living in the country the past many years, I felt a bit like a tourist in my own city. It has been renovated like a lot! Still a bit.. Read more » dirty, but which Central railway Station in Europe is not? The direct access with metro is a huge plus and making it so much easier for passengers to navigate to the train without the need of using a personal car or a taxi! The interior of the Central Station has improved too! Totally new design. Get ready to read in Cyrillic unless you are traveling to Plovdiv (written with Latin letters) or boarding an international train!
03.02.20
Guillaume
If you’re a tourist, beware of people presenting themselves as « officials ». Once they took you to your train, they will charge you for a LOT of money and run away if any official see them. CAUTION
28.08.19
Hakan
good station, but shops should accept credit cards. and time tables some times wrong.
22.04.19
Stan
Clean, bright, easy signage electronic displays. Not too many trains for the trainspotters though. Overall flawless experience. We did need to talk to information kiosk lady and she was superb! Called some phones and voila everything was settled and .. Read more »we were sent to the right person downstairs. Hopefully next time Sofia will have more trains to ride and see.
2.6 / 37
