Stara Zagora Getting there & around

Getting there & away

From the bus station (605 349; ul Slavyanski) you can get to almost anywhere in the country. Buses go very frequently to Sofia (14 lv, four hours, every hour), Plovdiv (7 lv, 1½ hours), Burgas (14.90 lv, three hours, every hour) and Sliven (7 lv, 1¼ hours, hourly). There are also services to Varna (8 lv, five hours, five daily), Veliko Târnovo (10 lv, three hours, seven daily), Ruse (7.10 lv, five hours, four daily) and Kotel (9.30 lv, three hours, four daily).

For Kazanlâk (3 lv, 45 minutes), catch a bus that passes through en route to Veliko Târnovo, or get a direct minibus (which departs when full) from the bus station. Minibuses from Kazanlâk will leave you in Stara Zagora’s centre. As with all big bus depots in Bulgaria, numerous private companies offer different prices and further destinations, including international lines to destinations such as Athens and Istanbul.

Stara Zagora’s train station (626 752) is located at the southern end of ul Mitropolit Metodii Kusev, a five-minute walk from the bus station. Stara Zagora is on the major train line between Sofia and Burgas, and thus has many connections. Six daily trains serve Sofia (10.30 lv, four hours), via Plovdiv (5.10 lv, two hours). Going the other way, eastwards to Burgas (7.60 lv, two hours), six trains depart daily. Five trains daily also serve Kazanlâk (5.10 lv, one hour), Veliko Târnovo (5.70 lv, three hours) and Ruse (9.60 lv, six hours); note that for these, as for Sliven, you sometimes end up having to change trains in Tulovo (about 45 minutes east of Stara Zagora). There are also three daily services to Varna (10.90 lv, five hours).

Rila Bureau (622 724) sells advance tickets for domestic trains and tickets for all international services; it’s at the train station.