--- iata: SOF name: Vasil Levski Sofia Airport city: Sofia country: Bulgaria lastUpdated: '2026-09-01' officialWebsite: 'https://sofia-airport.eu/en/' sources: - 'https://sofia-airport.eu/en/' - 'https://sofia-airport.eu/en/access/transportation/' - >- https://sofia-airport.eu/en/sof-connect-and-a-world-leader-in-the-industry-tav-operation-services-signed-a-contract-for-the-building-and-management-of-new-business-lounges-at-vasil-levski-sofia-airport/ - >- https://www.metropolitan.bg/en/information-for-citizens/trip-cards-sofia-metro - >- https://www.prioritypass.com/en-GB/lounges/bulgaria/sofia/sof6-primeclass-lounge - >- https://www.veolia.bg/en/news/sofia-airport-passengers-already-fill-their-bottles-water-smart-water-fountains - 'https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofia_Airport' quickFacts: - >- Two passenger terminals (T1 low-cost/charter; T2 full-service) linked by a free 24/7 shuttle — metro is at Terminal 2 only - >- Record 8,413,762 passengers in 2025 (+6.2% vs 2024) — first year above 8 million - >- Bulgaria is full Schengen; euro is legal tender since 1 Jan 2026 (dual BGN/EUR displays still appear in places) - >- Metro M4 from Terminal 2: ~18 min to the centre, single from €0.80 (Metropolitan Sofia from 1 Jan 2026) - Base for Wizz Air (mainly T1) and Bulgaria Air (T2); Ryanair also uses T2 - >- Official taxi partner is Yellow! — book at the arrivals desk/kiosk, not curb touts bentoTips: - label: Timing title: Confirm T1 vs T2 before you leave for the airport detail: >- Terminals are separate buildings with a free shuttle between them (interval often 20–40 minutes by time of day). Allow extra transfer time if your ticket and the live departures board disagree, or if you are connecting T1↔T2 with checked bags. summary: >- Wrong terminal is the classic SOF fail — check the airline/board, then the free shuttle clock if you must switch. category: timing - label: Layout title: Metro only serves Terminal 2 — T1 needs the free shuttle detail: >- Follow the blue floor line in Terminal 2’s public area to Sofia Airport Metro Station (east side). From Terminal 1, ride the free inter-terminal bus first, then metro. Bus 84 stops at both terminals if you prefer surface transit. summary: >- T2 is the rail-connected terminal; treat T1 as a short shuttle hop away from the metro. category: terminal - label: Food title: 'Expect solid café fare, not a food-hall destination' detail: >- Terminal 2 has the wider mix (Bulgarian spots, pizza/pasta, Starbucks/Costa, bakery). Terminal 1 is thinner but has Bulgarian and Italian options. For a real meal on a long layover, the city is ~20 minutes by metro — eat there instead of camping airside. summary: Adequate airside cafés; city food wins if you have two-plus hours. category: food - label: Live checks title: Use sofia-airport.eu departures for the terminal letter detail: >- Carrier apps and OTAs sometimes lag on terminal assignments. The airport departures board is the authority for T1 vs T2 and gate. Reconfirm after check-in and again after security. summary: >- Terminal mistakes cost a shuttle ride — trust the airport board over third parties. category: status lounges: - name: Primeclass Lounge zone: Departures (Schengen and non-Schengen T2) hours: 'Listed 00:00–23:59; in practice follows the daily departure bank' access: - Priority Pass - DragonPass / LoungeKey (when contracted) - Airline business / eligible status on participating carriers - Paid walk-up / day pass when space allows (often pricey vs membership) bestFor: - Terminal 2 departures with Priority Pass - 45–180 minutes of quiet before boarding summary: >- Rebuilt TAV Primeclass on Level 2 opposite duty free near Gate C1 — cold buffet, drinks, kids’ area, Wi-Fi; Priority Pass max stay 3 hours. T2 departing passengers only. Stairs to the lounge are steep; ask staff about step-free access if needed. verdict: worth-it terminal: Terminal 2 amenities: - Cold buffet - Soft drinks and standard alcoholic drinks - Children’s play area - Wi-Fi - Quiet / work seating - name: BAR 09-27 (Priority Pass dining credit) zone: Terminal 2 airside hours: '07:00–23:00 (Priority Pass listing)' access: - Priority Pass dining / experience credit (not a lounge seat) bestFor: - Priority Pass holders who prefer a sit-down drink/meal over the lounge summary: >- Priority Pass “Eat” experience at Terminal 2 — a dining credit, not a quiet lounge. Use when the Primeclass queue is full or you want a proper table. verdict: depends terminal: Terminal 2 amenities: - Food and bar service - Priority Pass experience redemption waterOptions: - kind: refill name: Smart drinking-water fountain (Terminal 2) zone: airside summary: Free bottle refill after security in the T2 pre-departure area. location: >- Airside Terminal 2 pre-departure — fountain near toilets by Gate B5; another downstairs between Gates B1 and B3 terminal: Terminal 2 isBestValue: true - kind: refill name: Smart drinking-water fountain (Terminal 1) zone: airside summary: Free bottle refill after security in Terminal 1 departures. location: >- Airside Terminal 1 pre-departure hall (one fountain in the gate area; Schengen vs non-Schengen split can block access to some gates) terminal: Terminal 1 - kind: purchase name: Bottled water at airside cafés / retail zone: airside price: Typical café bottle pricing (varies by outlet) summary: Buy a sealed bottle if you are past the last fountain toward remote gates. location: >- Duty free and café counters airside in Terminal 2 (and café retail in Terminal 1) terminal: Terminal 2 airportistScore: 7.3 slug: sof region: Europe --- > Markdown for [/airports/sof](/airports/sof). Append `.md` to any page URL (or send `Accept: text/markdown`) for an agent-readable copy. - [HTML page](/airports/sof) - [Lounge directory](/airports/sof/lounges.md) - [Sitemap](/sitemap.md) # Vasil Levski Sofia Airport (SOF) Sofia, Bulgaria · Europe A practical two-terminal Balkan capital airport: excellent metro access at Terminal 2, a free shuttle to Terminal 1’s low-cost hall, and a rebuilt Priority Pass lounge — offset by terminal-split gotchas and average airside food. ## Airportist Score **7.3 / 10** - Comfort: 6.9 - Navigation: 7.0 - Food: 6.6 - Transport: 8.3 - Disruption resilience: 7.0 ## At a glance - Passengers: 8.4M (2025) - Terminals: 2 (T1 + T2) - Typical security: 14 min - On-time: 78% - Disruption: normal ## Best for - City trips using Terminal 2 + metro - Wizz Air and other low-cost departures from Terminal 1 - Priority Pass holders departing Terminal 2 - Short Schengen hops on Bulgaria Air and network carriers ## Watch out for - Arriving at the wrong terminal — T1 and T2 are separate buildings - Terminal 1 passengers who need metro must ride the free shuttle to T2 first - Non-Schengen gate pockets that cut you off from some Schengen-side fountains and shops - Winter fog delays on the high plain east of Sofia ## More intel - [Lounge directory](/airports/sof/lounges.md) (free) - [Getting there](/airports/sof/getting-there.md) (free) - [Amenities](/airports/sof/amenities.md) - [Traveler tips](/airports/sof/tips.md) - [Water](/airports/sof/water.md) - [Full guide](/airports/sof/guide.md) - [Disruptions](/airports/sof/disruptions.md) - [Reviews](/airports/sof/reviews.md)