Is There Uber in Bulgaria? What to Use Instead

No. Uber is not operating in Bulgaria as a regular ride-hailing app. It launched UberX in Sofia on 9 December 2014 and suspended the service in 2015, after the Supreme Administrative Court upheld the fines imposed by the Commission for Protection of Competition. For a ride today, take a licensed taxi or book a private transfer at a fixed price: with True Drivers, Sofia Airport to the city centre costs 30 € by sedan for up to 4 people, 24/7 and with no prepayment.

To book: call us or send a message on WhatsApp, Viber or Telegram. We reply to the chat almost straight away, day and night.

Updated: 12.10.2026

Is Uber available in Bulgaria today?

Not as a regular service. Uber’s only Bulgarian city was Sofia, where UberX started on 9 December 2014. In 2015 the Commission for Protection of Competition found that the service broke the rules on fair competition and fined the Uber companies involved. The Supreme Administrative Court upheld that decision in September 2015, and at the start of October Uber suspended UberX in Bulgaria. At the time the company called the stop temporary and said it was not leaving the market.

Since then Uber has not come back as an everyday app service in Bulgarian cities. Companies and rules change, so if you want to be sure, check the app for current status when you land. Just do not build your arrival plan around it, especially if you land late at night, travel with children or need to get to a ski resort or another city.

Sources: Sofia Globe, “Uber launches car-sharing service in Bulgarian capital Sofia” (9.12.2014); Sofia Globe, “Uber suspends services in Bulgaria” (6.10.2015); Bulgarian National Radio, “Uber Bulgaria ceases activity?” (2015).

What can I use instead of Uber in Bulgaria?

A licensed taxi for short trips in town, or a private transfer booked in advance for the airport, other cities and the resorts. Public transport works for some trips too. In practice you choose between these:

• Licensed taxi. Yellow cars of registered taxi companies with a meter. Good for a short ride across the city when you travel light. The fare depends on the company’s tariff, the route and the traffic, so you know the total only at the end.
• Taxi ordered by phone or app. Several taxi companies take orders by phone or through their own app. It is still a metered taxi, just called in advance. Check your app store for the companies that work in your city.
• Pre-booked private transfer. The price is fixed for the whole car before the trip, the driver comes to the arrivals hall or to your door, and the car fits your group and luggage. This is the closest thing to what people expect from Uber, with the price agreed first.
• Public transport. In Sofia the metro reaches Terminal 2 of the airport, and there are buses between the big cities. It is the cheapest option, but less practical with suitcases, ski bags, children or a late flight. Check timetables on the operators’ own websites.

Other international ride apps come and go in different countries. If you have one on your phone, open it and see what it offers in Sofia on the day; do not assume it works.

How much does a fixed-price transfer cost instead?

From 30 € by sedan between Sofia Airport and the centre of Sofia, and the price is for the whole car, not per person. These prices come from the True Drivers price lists for Sofia and Sofia Airport, which are the same in all five languages of this site:

The rows to Plovdiv, Bansko and Borovets are the trips from Sofia or Sofia Airport. The way back is a separate line in our price lists, so we confirm the return price when you book. Groups of more than eight people: on request.

Compare this with a metered taxi: there, the fare grows with every kilometre and every minute in traffic, and on a long trip to the mountains the total is hard to predict. A fixed price is agreed before the driver sets off and does not change if the road is slow.

How do I recognise a licensed taxi in Sofia?

Look for a yellow car with the company’s name and phone number on it, a taxi sign on the roof and the tariffs displayed in the window, and make sure the meter is switched on when you start. Rates differ from company to company, so read the price per kilometre before you get in. At the airport, use the official taxi rank outside the terminal rather than accepting an offer inside the hall. If anything about the car or the price is unclear, simply take the next one.

Where does the driver meet me at Sofia Airport?

In the arrivals hall of your terminal, after baggage claim. Send us your flight number when you book. If your flight is delayed, waiting at the airport is free and has no time limit, so you do not need to call us from the plane. For a pick-up at a hotel or a home address, for example on your way back to the airport, the driver comes at the agreed time and waits up to 15 minutes. For the terminals and your first steps after landing, read our Sofia Airport arrivals guide.

How do I pay for a True Drivers transfer?

You pay at the end of the trip; there is no prepayment and no deposit when you book. The price you were quoted is the price you pay, also at night and also if your flight is late.

Uber, taxi or pre-booked transfer: which fits your trip

• A short ride in the city by day, light luggage: a licensed taxi is usually the quickest choice.
• Landing at Sofia Airport, especially at night or with children: a pre-booked transfer, so the car is already waiting.
• Sofia to Plovdiv, Bansko or Borovets: a fixed-price transfer, door to door, without changing buses.
• A group of five to eight: one minivan or minibus instead of two taxis.

We compare the two models in more detail in Pre-booked transfer vs ride hailing.

True Drivers in short

True Drivers has been driving private transfers in Bulgaria since 2015. We work 24/7, quote a fixed price per vehicle before the trip and ask for no prepayment. Infant carriers, child seats and boosters cost nothing extra; just tell us how many children are travelling. A sedan takes up to 4 passengers and a minivan up to 6. All destinations from the airport are in our Sofia Airport price list, and trips from the city in the Sofia price list.

Book in three steps

1. Send us the date, your flight number or pick-up address, where you are going and how many people and bags there are.
2. You get the fixed price back in the chat or by e-mail.
3. The driver meets you at the agreed place; you pay at the end of the trip.

Prefer a form? Use the online booking form.

FAQ

Did Uber ever work in Bulgaria?

Yes, for a short time. UberX ran in Sofia from 9 December 2014 until Uber suspended it in 2015, after the Supreme Administrative Court upheld the fines of the competition authority.

Can I get a child seat if I book a transfer instead of a taxi?

Yes. Infant carriers, child seats and boosters are free with a True Drivers transfer; tell us the number of children when you book and the car comes fitted.