EUROPCAR

359 884 111143

+359 (0) 889 40 90 90

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HERTZ

( +359 56) 870 371 ; (+ 359 899) 855 036

Traveling around Bulgaria on a rented car.

Bulgaria is a state located in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula (South-Eastern Europe). Borders Greece, Romania, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey ; washed by the waters of the Black Sea.

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Historical background. Bulgaria is a fairly ancient country, the first peoples - the Proto-Bulgarian tribes, appeared on the territory of the modern state in the 5th century BC. In the 7th AD, the Byzantine Empire tried several times to conquer the Bulgarian kingdom, but all attempts were unsuccessful. Later, Byzantium was still able to capture a small part of the Bulgarian kingdom, as a result of which rather protracted conflicts between states took place in the 11th-12th centuries. Bulgaria's independence was declared in 1908.

Interesting facts about Bulgaria:

Business card (a symbol) Bulgaria - rose oil, which is one of the most expensive ingredients in perfumery. The state is the largest supplier of this oil worldwide;
Bulgaria is in third place in terms of the number of objects protected by UNESCO (after Italy and Greece);
Bulgaria is home to one of the oldest trees in the world, the Granite Oak, which is about 1650 years old;
Flag of Bulgaria refers to tricolors (flags that use stripes of three colors).

Bulgaria 2

Today Bulgaria is a rapidly developing state. The country is popular with tourists all year round (in summer they come to relax on the coast; in winter - to ski resorts; in spring and autumn - for wine tasting (winemaking is one of the key industries in Bulgaria) and sightseeing). The climate in Bulgaria is Mediterranean, temperate continental. The area of the state is about 110,900 km²; The population is about 6.8 million people.

The official website of the country is government.bg

There are five airports on the territory of the state. The largest of them - Vrazhdebna International Airport is the capital's airport, serving about 220 flights per day. Among tourists, car rental for the duration of a tourist trip is in demand. You can rent a car directly from the airport, which can greatly facilitate your trip to the cities of the state.

Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria, is the largest city of the state and one of the oldest cities in Europe. The city is an industrially developed, cultural and economic center of the country. During its centuries-old history, it was destroyed and rebuilt several times. A large number of sights are concentrated on the territory of Sofia, the age of which is several centuries. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.

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How to rent a car in Bulgaria without a franchise.

Arriving in Bulgaria, many tourists rent a car for a comfortable trip. In most car rental companies in Bulgaria, you can rent a car with a zero deductible, for this you need to pay for an extended insurance package - full insurance. In order to clarify about this possibility, you need to contact a specific rental company. One of the largest car rental companies in Bulgaria, which has offices in several airports and central areas of cities, is Top Rent A Car.

Peculiarities of driving in Bulgaria.

When arriving in Bulgaria, many tourists rent a car from a rental company. Road transport is one of the most convenient ways to travel around the cities of Bulgaria, it should also be noted that car rental in this state is very budgetary. Bulgaria has a developed road and transport network, therefore, traveling by car, most often, does not cause inconvenience (the total length of roads in Bulgaria is about 44,000 km).

Before driving a car in Bulgaria, It is strongly recommended that you familiarize yourself with the traffic rules and driving habits in the state.

First, you need to clarify whether the driver's license of your country is suitable for driving a car on the territory of Bulgaria. If not, then you need to get an international driver's license.

Speed limits in Bulgaria.

In built-up areas, speed should not exceed 50 km/ h;
Outside built-up areas, driving at speeds up to 90 km/h is allowed;
Also, there are high-speed routes in Bulgaria, the maximum speed on which can be 120-140 km/h.

Toll roads.

Like some other European countries, Bulgaria has a vignette (tolls on some roads). Roads that require its presence are marked with a special sign. Vignette can be purchased using the terminal, in the application or on the official website.

Traffic rules and fines.

One of the most important traffic rules in Bulgaria, as in most other countries, is the ban on driving under the influence of alcohol. intoxication. Penalty for violation of this rule: first violation - 300-600 dollars; subsequent violation - 1200 dollars.

All passengers in the car must be fastened, otherwise, threaten a fine of 30 dollars, the same fine will be if the child in the car is not in a child seat.

There is a $12 fine if low beam headlights are turned off.

Minor parking violations are punishable by a $12 fine, and parking in a handicapped space can be fined up to $120 dollars.

Fine for non-compliance with the speed limit starts at 12 dollars and goes up to several hundred dollars.

Parking.

Regarding parking, then near large cities most of them are paid (from 8 am to 18 pm). In many car parks on weekends and at night, you can leave your car for free. Also, some parking lots have blue markings, in which case you can leave the car for no more than 2-4 hours (depending on the type of parking).

Some features.

Be aware that in some places the roads in Bulgaria are quite narrow, so you should pay attention to the side mirrors of parked cars;

In some areas of the state on the roads you can meet animals harnessed to carts (most often donkeys).

Rent an electric car in Bulgaria.

Electric cars are considered to be more environmentally friendly, cost effective and less noisy than fuel-filled cars.

The topic of electric cars is not very popular in Bulgaria, but it is possible to find such a car for rent. For example, the SPARK rental project is a car sharing of electric vehicles. The company presents several options for cars for rent, the main advantage is that their charging is completely free for the user. This rental company is available in Sofia and Plovdiv. The car mileage limit per day is 150 km, it can be increased for an additional fee. The most popular models in this company are:

BMW i3 - about 50 euros per day;
Hyundai IONIQ 30 - about 45 euros per day;
Nissan Leaf (economy option) - about 25 euros per day.

Good to know

Monthly price chart. Approximate prices for 7 days rental

January

€177

February

€132

March

€126

April

€147

May

€209

June

€255

July

€286

August

€200

September

€107

October

€73

November

€116

December

€509

The most popular cars in Bulgaria

Fiat 500

€13 / Day

Citroen C1

€14 / Day

Ford Fiesta

€18 / Day

Ford Focus

€23 / Day

Opel Astra Estate

€28 / Day

Audi A4

€32 / Day

BMW X1

€33 / Day

Ford Foxus Estate

€33 / Day

Mercedes C Class

€43 / Day

BMW 5 series

€45 / Day

Ford Tourneo

€55 / Day

BMW 4 Cabrio

€65 / Day

Audi A6

€70 / Day

Audi A5 Cabrio

€75 / Day

Mercedes Vito

€80 / Day

Popular car rental places in Bulgaria

Bourgas - Airport

Varna - Airport

Sofia - Airport

Plovdiv Airport

Sunny Beach

Sofia - Downtown

Burgas

Varna

Plovdiv

Dobrich

Pomorie

Balchik

Kavarna

Bansko

Nessebar

Sozopol

Kiten

Primorsko

Chernomorets

List of required documents

Driving license

Credit card

Voucher

Passport

A valid international driver's license is required!

A complete guide to car rental in Bulgaria

Download desired area of Google maps for offline access

The presence of an offline navigator allows you to save on roaming. It is enough just to download the necessary maps from Google Maps and get directions even without a network connection. To do this, enter the phrase "OK MAPS" in the application, select the desired area and download offline maps to your smartphone.

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Early Booking Discount

Bulgaria is a popular holiday destination and the car rental service is in great demand here. Therefore, it is recommended to book a car in advance. When booking online, you know exactly which car, for what price and under what conditions you will get in Bulgaria. The main advantage of early booking is the cost savings. The less time left before the start of the rental, the higher the cost of the rental becomes. The optimal period for booking in rental companies is 6 weeks before receiving the car. If you book early, two days before receiving the car, you can cancel the order without any penalties.

Which car to choose for rent

Tourists who expect to drive only around the city and its immediate surroundings prefer to rent compact cars, Fiat 500 or Opel Astra. For trips to the mountains, you need a car with increased power. You should go on such a trip with a full tank, as fuel consumption in the mountains increases one and a half to two times. An all-wheel drive crossover would be the ideal car for this. Renting Peugeot 308 Estate in Bulgaria will cost €30 per day.

What you need to pay attention to when receiving a car

Before picking up, you are required to carefully inspect the car and point out to the rental company manager for scratches, damage and defects, such as dirty seat upholstery. You should check the ignition and the fuel level in the tank. You need to know the conditions for returning the car - where exactly, with what amount of fuel to return the car.

The rental agreement must include a telephone number to contact the rental company. It is designed so that customers can get help in emergency situations, such as when a car breaks down or in the event of an accident. A call to the rental company should be done first, even before the arrival of the police.

Insurance recommendations

Rental companies in Bulgaria may offer different insurance options. They differ in price and set of options. Here are the basic types:

Third Party Liability (TPL)/Third Liability Protection (TLP). This is a third party liability protection. If you are the culprit of an accident, the insurance will compensate for the costs of the victims for you.
Collision Damage Waiver (CDW). This is to protect your vehicle from any damage. She works with a franchise. This is the amount that you will have to pay in case of damage in any case. The company will cover anything over the limit. The insurance does not cover theft.
Theft Insurance (TI)/Theft Protection (TP)/Theft Waiver (TW). This is car theft protection. Operates with a franchise.
Super Loss Damage Waiver (SLDW)/Theft Protection+Collision Damage Waiver (TP+CDW). Full protection against theft and damage, even if you are the culprit of the accident.
Personal Accident Insurance (PAI). This is medical insurance for the driver and passengers.

If you want to save money and choose the cheapest insurance, carefully inspect the car upon receipt. Make sure the machine is not damaged. Bulgaria 5

Fuel prepayment terms

When renting a car, you should pay attention to the fuel policy of rental companies. Often, when renting, tourists have to pay the cost of a full tank of fuel. This option is suitable for long-term rentals and long trips. But if you're only renting Bulgaria for a day or two, or if you're only planning short trips, such as to a small island, then you probably won't need a full tank. You can get acquainted with the fuel policy in the "Important information" section of the car you have chosen.

Bulgaria 6

Rent without mileage limit

The rental company may set a daily mileage limit. You will have to pay extra for exceeding the limit. Please check this condition before booking. It is possible that a more expensive rental option will turn out to be more profitable in the end: it will not require any additional expenses. To filter cars with unlimited mileage - use the "Mileage" filter in the search results.

Bulgaria 7

Compare prices and conditions from different car rental companies

When choosing a rental car in Bulgaria, you should carefully read all the terms of the rental. This is due to the fact that different companies may differ not only in rental prices, but also in conditions for limiting mileage, the cost of additional services, and the amount of the deposit. To compare rental conditions, it is convenient to use the search and booking system on our website.

Which rental company to choose

It is recommended to rent a car in trusted companies, that is, in those whose services you have already used. You can also focus on the rating of our site, which is displayed next to the name of the company in the search results.

Ceteris paribus, preference should be given to larger companies that have a high level of service and a large selection of cars. The best rental companies in Bulgaria are EUROPCAR with an average rating of 9.9 points and SIXT (rating - 9).

Car pick-up procedure

Before signing a car rental agreement, it should be carefully checked for damage and defects. Do not be shy to point out the identified problems and problems - then you will not have to answer for them. When returning, pay attention to the fuel in the tank. Its volume must correspond to that prescribed in the agreement.

Also, do not ignore the phone number provided by the technical support representative when concluding the contract. After all, even the most experienced driver is not insured against a breakdown, accident or other force majeure event. In such a case, contact a specialist before the arrival of the police.

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Based on 8255 reviews

Tony

4,8

Without a doubt, I will continue to use Bookingautos on a regular basis. Thank you very much for your assistance!

Michael

4,7

Excellent value for money. The pick-up process was a little confusing, but I would use it again!

Luna

4,5

The search was very simple to use, the price was really low, and there were no problems with the rental car company.

Jody

4,9

Everything proceeded as expected. The complete coverage compensation really worked.

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