eSIM for Sofia
For a Sofia visit, a Bulgaria eSIM covers the capital and every day trip inside the country. Stays tend to last about three days, so a short plan fits. Install it at home before you fly, and switch it on after you land at Sofia Airport.
Plans for Bulgaria cover the whole country, including Sofia.
For a 3-day visit
How much data for 3 days in Sofia
- Light (maps and messages): about 1 GB
- Normal (plus social media and browsing): about 2 GB
- Heavy (video and video calls): about 4.5 GB
An estimate from typical use, not a measurement.
Arriving in Sofia
Sofia Airport sits east of the centre. Metro line M4 runs from beside Terminal 2 into the city, with a stop at Serdika, close to the old core, and there are city buses from the airport as well. Sofia Central Station, the main rail hub, is two stops from Serdika on line M2 and connects to Plovdiv, Varna and international trains. Many visitors pick a taxi or ride app at the airport instead.
Having data on landing helps you find the right metro direction and check a booking or a taxi. Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi by scanning the QR code from your order. After you land, switch the eSIM line on, turn on data roaming for that line, and switch cellular data off on your home SIM so it is not used by mistake.
Getting around
Sofia has a metro of several lines, plus trams, trolleybuses and buses. The Urban Mobility Center is the city body behind them, and its official pages explain current tickets, cards and any app. Look there before your trip, because fare systems change. The metro is simple, with signs in both Cyrillic and Latin letters.
Bolt operates in Sofia and is popular for short rides. Local taxi firms also take phone orders. Much of the centre is flat and walkable, and the main streets around Vitosha Boulevard are pedestrian. Offline maps help, as do translation apps for menus and signs in Cyrillic.
Where you'll use data
Visitors usually stay around Vitosha Boulevard, the Serdika ruins, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the National Palace of Culture and the Ivan Vazov Theatre. The Boyana Church, a UNESCO site on the edge of the city, and the cable-car trails on Vitosha Mountain take a half day each. A free walking tour is a common start, and you will use the phone for maps, bookings and translating Cyrillic signs.
Day trips stay inside Bulgaria, so the same plan keeps working. Rila Monastery, Plovdiv with its old town and the Seven Rila Lakes are popular choices. A day trip across the border, for example to Nis in Serbia or Skopje in North Macedonia, would not be covered by a Bulgaria plan there. A Europe plan can cover several countries, but check its country list on our Europe page, since regional plans can leave some out.
For a longer stay
Common questions
- Will the eSIM work as soon as I land at Sofia Airport?
- Yes, if you installed it at home before your flight. Switch the eSIM line on, enable data roaming for it, and wait a moment for it to register. If it does not connect, toggle airplane mode and check that the eSIM is the line used for mobile data.
- How much data do I need for three days in Sofia?
- About 2 GB for normal use: maps, a translation app, ride apps and messages. If you watch a lot of video or make video calls, plan on 1.5 GB a day, so around 4.5 GB for three days. The plan list on this page shows an estimate for each plan.
- Can I pay for the metro with my phone?
- Check the Urban Mobility Center's official pages before you go, because payment options on the metro, trams and buses have been changing. Carry a little cash or a card as a back-up, and use the app or machine that the official page names.
- Does the plan give me a Bulgarian phone number?
- No. These plans are data only. Calls and messages go through WhatsApp or FaceTime. Keep your home line on for SMS codes, with its data switched off.
- Does my plan work on a day trip to Rila Monastery or Plovdiv?
- Yes. Both are in Bulgaria, and a Bulgaria plan covers the whole country. A day trip into Serbia or North Macedonia is not covered by the Bulgaria plan there.