SOF · Layover Guide
Sofia
Stop in Sofia.
Best layover: 4–15h
historyculturefoodnightlife
42
LayoverScore™
Base city score. Your route score varies by savings and timing.
Visa-free · US passport30 min to center
Exit realism
Comfortable window
Enough room in Sofia for a real stop. Keep the buffer at the end anyway.
Landside playbook
If time slips
- Drop the last stop. Go straight to the train, taxi rank, or ride pickup you already chose.
- Add 15 minutes to map ETAs for the return leg at rush hour.
- One ticket for the whole trip protects you when the inbound is late. Separate tickets do not.
Worth knowing
- Do not stack three stops. One solid block in the city beats a rushed loop.
- Do not treat one map time as gospel for immigration lines. Pad on your first pass through this hub.
Planning a stop in Sofia?
We'll alert you when fares drop through SOF.
Places to stay
Search hotelsLayoverScore™ breakdown
Score 42 · Discover 40 · Ease 17
Why Sofia scores 42
Airport qualityLounges, facilities, routing
42DiscoverThings to do in the city
40EaseTransit ease, visa access
17Getting there
Bus — 30 min to city center
30
min to center
bus- 01Bus — 30 min to city center
- 01Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and its crypt icon museum
- 02National Historical Museum in Boyana
- 03Vitosha Boulevard for Bulgarian wine and shopska salad
- 04Boyana Church with its medieval frescoes
- 05Zhenski Pazar (Ladies' Market) for local produce and street food
Experiences in Sofia
Timed tours and tickets for Sofia are listed on our partner site.
Open listingsOpens in a new tab.
Need a room for your layover? Browse hotels near the airport.
Where to stay →Getting there
Get an Uber from the airportAt the airport
2 lounges
More Eastern Europe layovers
BelgradeBEG · 52/100Belgrade's ancient fortress and legendary nightlife reward even a brief stopover.Velika GoricaZAG · 52/100Zagreb's cobbled Upper Town rewards even a short stopover with Central European charm.MoscowDME · 52/100Moscow's Red Square and golden domes reward even a short winter layover.ZurichZRH · 90/100Old Town Zurich in 3 hours: Grossmünster, fondue, train back in 8 minutes.
Ready to book?
Search layovers through Sofia
