Arriving in Bansko/Bulgaria

The nearest airport to Bansko is Sofia(the capital of Bulgaria), 150km northwest, although some companies use Plovdiv town, 150km to the east.Transfer time from Sofia to Bansko is about two hours in normal conditions, and from Plovdiv is about three hours because of the curving and tigh roads.

Sometimes takes longer at weekends because of the road traffic, or in snow weather.


Arriving in Bansko

Arriving in Bansko/Bulgaria

The nearest airport to Bansko is Sofia(the capital of Bulgaria), 150km northwest, although some companies use Plovdiv town, 150km to the east.Transfer time from Sofia to Bansko is about two hours in normal conditions, and from Plovdiv is about three hours because of the curving and tigh roads.

Sometimes takes longer at weekends because of the road traffic, or in snow weather.


Arriving in Bansko

Arriving by Foot

By foot

There are very few things that can ruin a nice evening in Bansko and getting lost ( with or without being drunk ) is one of them. Apart from making a fool of yourself, by helplessly roaming the streets in search of your hotel, in the winter it may be pretty dangerous, wet and annoying. The stone walls and look-alike houses can turn this little town into the Labyrinth of King Minos, but actually all you will need are good land marks.

There are two main streets in Bansko - Pirin and Glazne, all the rest are either parallel, or crossing them. Find your way to the main streets and remember any shop, hotel or mehana, which is at the beginning of the street, leading to your new holiday residence, or just use a map.Follow the same route every night and everything should be just fine.

Arriving by Foot

By foot

There are very few things that can ruin a nice evening in Bansko and getting lost ( with or without being drunk ) is one of them. Apart from making a fool of yourself, by helplessly roaming the streets in search of your hotel, in the winter it may be pretty dangerous, wet and annoying. The stone walls and look-alike houses can turn this little town into the Labyrinth of King Minos, but actually all you will need are good land marks.

There are two main streets in Bansko - Pirin and Glazne, all the rest are either parallel, or crossing them. Find your way to the main streets and remember any shop, hotel or mehana, which is at the beginning of the street, leading to your new holiday residence, or just use a map.Follow the same route every night and everything should be just fine.

Arriving by Car

By car

Bansko lies two-and-a-half hours’ drive from Sofia, although journey time can lengthen to three or four hours on busy weekends (when getting out of Sofia is often half the problem). Quickest route is to take the main E79 south to Simitli, from where a well-marked east-bound turn leads over the Predela Pass to Bansko. Parts of the Simitli-Bansko road have been re-surfaced and offer a smooth ride. Several kilometres in the middle however are still badly surfaced and can be slow going.

Construction work in Bansko itself has made it a difficult town to navigate: some roads are blocked off altogether and road signs are either non-existent or unhelpful

Arriving by Car

By car

Bansko lies two-and-a-half hours’ drive from Sofia, although journey time can lengthen to three or four hours on busy weekends (when getting out of Sofia is often half the problem). Quickest route is to take the main E79 south to Simitli, from where a well-marked east-bound turn leads over the Predela Pass to Bansko. Parts of the Simitli-Bansko road have been re-surfaced and offer a smooth ride. Several kilometres in the middle however are still badly surfaced and can be slow going.

Construction work in Bansko itself has made it a difficult town to navigate: some roads are blocked off altogether and road signs are either non-existent or unhelpful

Arriving by Train

By train

Nobody ever takes the train to Bansko if they’re in a hurry. The journey from Sofia takes over 7 hours and involves a change of trains at the middle-of-nowhere junction of Septemvri. However the trip from Septemvri to Bansko is one of the most scenic that Bulgaria has to offer, with a narrow-gauge track, snaking its way across the western spurs of the Rhodope mountains. It’s an especially magical journey in winter, with the fir trees covered in frost, and snow-white minarets spearing skywards from the Bulgarian-Muslim villages, sprinkled along the route.

Bansko’s train station is near the bus station, an easy 10-minute walk north of the town centre. If you need a taxi and there are none in the forecourt, head for the bus station (turn right outside the train station then bear left) to find one. The train station has a ticket hall but no other facilities, although the pair of vintage steam locos, parked outside, add an air of jollity to the scene.