Bucharest Airport Transfer to Varna, Ruse and Sofia
A Bucharest Airport transfer to Bulgaria takes you from the arrivals hall at Otopeni straight to your door in Ruse, Varna or Sofia, in one private car with one driver. Our pricelist gives Bucharest to Varna from 225 € and Bucharest to Sofia from 294 € for the whole car; the exact price for a pickup at Otopeni (OTP) and for Ruse is confirmed on request. The line is open 24/7, there is no prepayment, and a late landing costs you nothing extra.
| Route | Distance and time | Sedan (up to 4) | Minivan (up to 6) | Minibus (up to 8) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bucharest → Sofia | 385 km · about 5:30 h | 294 € | 353 € | 426 € |
| Bucharest → Varna | 265 km · about 3:45 h | 225 € | 294 € | 343 € |
| Bucharest → Burgas | 315 km · about 5:00 h | 274 € | 353 € | 431 € |
| Bucharest → Plovdiv | 390 km · about 5:30 h | 323 € | 421 € | 490 € |
| Bucharest → Ruse | just across the Danube | on request | on request | on request |
| Otopeni Airport (OTP) → any of these | given with your quote | on request | on request | on request |
Updated: 21 October 2026
Many travellers to North Bulgaria fly into Bucharest: Otopeni has far more flights than Varna, they are often cheaper, and Ruse has no airport of its own. The catch is the last part of the journey – the airport is north of the Romanian capital, Bulgaria starts on the other side of the Danube, and buses and trains do not wait for a late plane. This guide is about exactly that step: from Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP) to Ruse, Varna or Sofia, and back to the airport for your flight home. Starting from Sofia instead? Read our Sofia to Bucharest transfer guide.
Bucharest Airport to Bulgaria: prices per car
You pay for the car, not per seat, and each amount covers one direction. Choose a sedan for 1–4 travellers, a minivan for 5–6 and a minibus for 7–8. After a flight most people carry big suitcases, so a group of four with checked bags usually books the minivan.
Prices, kilometres and hours are the Bucharest lines of our Sofia pricelist, Varna pricelist, Burgas pricelist and Plovdiv pricelist. They are counted from the city of Bucharest. Otopeni Airport lies north of the city, on the far side from Bulgaria, so a pickup there is quoted on request – send us your flight and you get a fixed price before you travel. Ruse has no line of its own, so it is also on request. Bigger groups (9 and more) and stops along the way get their own quote.
How the trip goes: Otopeni, the Danube Bridge and on to your town
From the airport to Giurgiu
From Otopeni the driver goes round or through Bucharest to the south and takes the national road towards Giurgiu, the Romanian town on the Danube. The Romanian road vignette and the car papers are handled by the driver.
The Giurgiu – Ruse Danube Bridge
The Danube Bridge is the only road bridge between the two cities and the shortest way from Bucharest into Bulgaria. Since both countries joined Schengen in full, there is no regular passport control: the car slows down, the toll is paid and you drive on. The long renovation of the Bulgarian part ended in summer 2026, and short lane closures for maintenance can happen. We check the bridge before your pickup and plan the time to match.
Ruse, Varna or Sofia
- Ruse: the shortest transfer – Ruse starts right at the end of the bridge. The driver takes you to your hotel, flat, office or the railway station.
- Varna: from Ruse the car heads east through Razgrad and Shumen and joins the motorway to Varna. The drop-off can be any address in the city, Varna Airport or, on request, a hotel in Golden Sands or Albena.
- Sofia: the long way west across North Bulgaria, past the Pleven area and over the Balkan range on the Hemus motorway. Hotels, homes, offices and Sofia Airport are all fine. For the reverse direction see our Sofia Airport transfers.
You keep the same car and the same driver from Otopeni to the end of the trip, with breaks whenever you need them. Going further to Burgas, Sunny Beach or Plovdiv works the same way, and the table above shows those prices too.
How long does it take? Travel time by season
The table above shows driving hours from the city itself. Add the stretch from Otopeni around Bucharest, then look at what the calendar does to the road:
| When | What to expect | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Weekdays in spring and autumn | close to the time in the table | normal traffic and a quick bridge crossing |
| Weekday rush hours in Bucharest | extra time just to leave the city | heavy morning and evening traffic around the capital |
| June to September, Friday to Sunday | queues before the bridge and on the road to the coast | many Romanian families drive to the Bulgarian Black Sea for the weekend |
| Romanian holidays: 1 May, Pentecost, 15 August, 1 December | the busiest days on this road | long weekends and holiday trips in both directions |
| Winter, December to March | extra time after snow, ice or fog | fog along the Danube; in strong snowstorms roads on the Romanian plain can close for a few hours |
Arriving on a late August flight? Tell us when you land and we give you a realistic arrival time in Varna or Sofia, not an optimistic one. Romania and Bulgaria are in the same time zone, so your watch does not change at the border.
Where does the driver meet me at Otopeni and where does the car wait?
- Arrivals hall: collect your luggage, walk out through customs, and your driver is standing in the public part of the arrivals hall – with a name sign if you ask for one.
- The car: it is parked in the airport car park opposite the terminal; you walk there together in a few minutes, and the driver loads the bags.
- Flights from outside Schengen (for example from the UK, Turkey or the Middle East) go through passport control first, and travellers from outside the EU register in the Entry/Exit System, so this can take a little longer. Flights from Schengen countries have no passport check.
- Delays: with your flight number we track the landing. If the plane is late, waiting at the airport is free, however long it takes.
- Pickup from a Bucharest hotel or flat instead: the car comes at the booked time and the free wait at an address is 15 minutes.
- No driver in sight? Ring +359 89 444 8441; the dispatcher has the driver’s number and puts you in touch.
More pickup options in Romania are on our Bucharest Otopeni Airport transfers page.
Going back: Varna, Ruse or Sofia to Bucharest Airport
The pricelist lines are “from or to”, so Varna or Sofia to Bucharest costs the same as the other way. For a flight from Otopeni we plan the pickup time backwards: the driving time, a reserve for the Danube Bridge (bigger on summer weekends and holidays), Bucharest traffic on the way to the airport, and the time your airline asks you to be at check-in. From Varna a morning pickup is usually enough for an afternoon flight; from Sofia most people leave early in the morning. Coming from the coast near Burgas? Our Istanbul to Burgas and Varna guide shows the other airport many coast travellers use.
Varna and Burgas to Bucharest Airport (OTP)
Flying home from Otopeni? The car picks you up at your hotel or flat in Varna, Burgas, Golden Sands, Albena, Sunny Beach or Nesebar and drives you to the departures hall at Henri Coandă Airport, with no change of car on the way.
| Route | Distance and time | Sedan (up to 4) | Minivan (up to 6) | Minibus (up to 8) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Varna → Bucharest | 265 km · about 3:45 h | 225 € | 294 € | 343 € |
| Burgas → Bucharest | 315 km · about 5:00 h | 274 € | 353 € | 431 € |
| Varna or Burgas → Otopeni Airport (OTP) | city line plus the drive round Bucharest | on request | on request | on request |
The first two lines are the Bucharest lines of our Varna pricelist and Burgas pricelist. The airport is north of the city, so the drop-off at OTP gets its own fixed price: send us your flight and the address and you have the amount in writing before you travel.
When should the car pick me up?
Count backwards from your flight: the time your airline wants you at check-in (usually two hours before take-off), the drive in the table, the stretch round Bucharest to the airport, and a reserve for the Danube Bridge. As a rule of thumb, plan a pickup about 7 hours before take-off from Varna and about 8 hours before take-off from Burgas, and a little more on summer weekends and Romanian holidays. The dispatcher confirms the exact time when you book.
Which way does the car go?
From Varna the road leads west through Shumen and Razgrad to Ruse and over the Danube Bridge to Giurgiu. From Burgas and the southern coast the car heads north and joins the same road to Ruse. Bulgaria and Romania are both in Schengen, so there is no regular passport check at the bridge; still, keep your passport or ID card at hand. Stops for coffee or a meal are fine, just tell the driver.
- No deposit: the fare is paid to the driver when you arrive.
- Baby carrier, child seat or booster: included in the price – say how many you need.
- English-speaking drivers, plus a name sign in the arrivals hall on request.
- A big fleet behind the booking: sedans, minivans, buses and Mercedes E- and S-Class.
- Change of plans: there are no charges for booking modifications up to 24 hours prior to pick-up.
Book your Bucharest Airport transfer
Bucharest Airport transfer: FAQ
How much is a taxi from Varna to Bucharest Airport?
The Varna to Bucharest line is 225 € by sedan, 294 € by minivan and 343 € by minibus, per car. For a drop-off at Otopeni Airport (OTP) the fixed price is given on request before you travel. Plan a pickup about 7 hours before take-off.
How much is a transfer from Burgas to Bucharest Otopeni Airport?
The Burgas to Bucharest line is 274 € by sedan, 353 € by minivan and 431 € by minibus for about 315 km. The airport drop-off at OTP is quoted on request. Plan a pickup about 8 hours before take-off, a little more on summer weekends.
How much is a transfer from Bucharest Airport to Sofia?
The Bucharest – Sofia line in our pricelist is 294 € for a sedan (1–4 people), 353 € for a minivan (5–6) and 426 € for a minibus (7–8), per car and per direction. A pickup at Otopeni Airport (OTP) is priced on request, and we confirm the fixed amount before you fly.
How much is a taxi from Bucharest Otopeni to Varna?
The Bucharest to Varna line is 225 € by sedan, 294 € by minivan and 343 € by minibus for about 265 km. For a pickup in the Otopeni arrivals hall the fixed price is given on request: the chat answers almost instantly, and the price request form within 24 hours.
How long does it take from Otopeni Airport to Ruse, Varna and Sofia?
Ruse is the shortest trip, just across the Danube Bridge from Giurgiu. Our pricelist gives about 3:45 h from Bucharest to Varna and about 5:30 h to Sofia. From Otopeni add the drive around Bucharest, and on summer weekends, holidays or in winter weather plan extra time.
Where will the driver meet me at Bucharest Airport?
In the public arrivals hall of Henri Coandă Airport, after baggage reclaim and customs. On request the driver holds a name sign. The car is parked a few minutes away in the airport car park, and because we track your flight, a late landing means free waiting at the airport for as long as needed.
Is there passport control between Romania and Bulgaria?
Not on a regular basis. Both countries are full Schengen members since January 2025, so at Giurgiu – Ruse the car normally just pays the bridge toll and drives on. Police may still stop cars at random, so travel with a passport or national ID card.
Do I pay in advance for a Bucharest Airport transfer?
No. Booking costs nothing: you reserve by phone, chat or form and settle the fare with the driver after arrival. The amount agreed at booking stays the same even if the plane lands late or there is a queue at the bridge.
