Getting to Bulgaria by Land or Sea

By Land

Borders: Greece (472 km), North Macedonia (162 km), Romania (605 km), Serbia (344 km) and Turkey (223 km).

From Neighbouring Countries

By Sea

Ferries

Several ferry routes connect Bulgaria to neighbouring countries, as well as further afield via the Black Sea and the Danube, which forms the border with Romania.

Across the Black Sea

Georgia and Ukraine are linked to the port of Varna by cargo/ferry services, with activity often quite intense during the summer season. Navigulgar and Ukraine Line are among the companies operating routes, including services to Ilyichevsk (Ukraine) and Batumi (Georgia). However, connections to and from Russia and Crimea have been suspended due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Via the Danube

This long river, which crosses much of Europe, also serves as a transport route, with ferries and especially summer cruises that sometimes end at its mouth after starting in Vienna or even Germany. The river port of Vidin (in the far northwest) is the main stop in Bulgaria. From there, Vienna and Budapest (among others) are easily accessible.

In addition, small ferries connect the two banks of the Danube (Bulgarian and Romanian) at various points along its course. This is the case, for example, between Vidin and Calafat in Romania.

Cargo

Burgas and Varna are the two main Bulgarian commercial ports on the Black Sea.

Cruises

In addition to being a commercial and ferry port, Varna is also the classic Bulgarian stop for cruises operating in the Black Sea region.