BGN 1.60 gets you from Sofia Airport to Orlov Most on Bus 84
Bus 84 runs from both T1 and T2 to Orlov Most/Gen. Gurko Street, taking roughly 30–50 minutes depending on traffic along Tsarigradsko Shose. It is the only direct public transport from Terminal 1, so you skip the T1–T2 shuttle and go straight into town for a fraction of a taxi fare.
Services start around 5:00 and run to about 23:30, with buses every 7–15 minutes on most days. The line is a standard blue city bus, signed 84 Orlov Most or 84 Sofia Airport, and stops right outside each terminal building. In rush hour, especially weekday evenings, locals report rides stretching past 50 minutes as traffic stacks up inbound.
Paper tickets cost about BGN 1.60–2.00 for a single ride and you buy them before boarding from the small urban transport kiosk near the stop at T1 or T2. TripAdvisor posts say it is “not obvious” to first-timers where that kiosk is, so budget five extra minutes to find it instead of racing the bus as it pulls in.
Once on board, you have to validate the ticket in the yellow punching machine immediately; unvalidated paper is treated as no ticket at all. Reddit users mention inspectors show up on 84 and “don’t care” that you are new in town, handing out fines on the spot if your ticket is not punched. Keep the validated stub until you step off at Orlov Most or any intermediate stop.
Regulars often skip paper entirely and tap in with a transport card or pay via the official mobile app, which also charges roughly BGN 1.60 per ride. Locals on r/sofia like this on 84 because they avoid kiosk queues at T2 after big arrivals and do not risk missing a bus while fumbling with cash and small change.
The city terminus is Gen. Gurko Street near Orlov Most, not Serdika, so plan for a 10–15 minute walk to many central hotels or a quick hop on the M1/M2 metro from Orlov Most station. A Bulgarian poster points out that for most visitors it is quicker to walk from Orlov Most than wait for another bus or tram, especially with light luggage.
Step-by-step: using Bus 84 from Sofia Airport
- 1. After exiting T1 or T2 arrivals, follow signs for public transport and walk 2–3 minutes to the Bus 84 stop.
- 2. Find the Sofia Urban Mobility kiosk by the stop and buy a single ticket (BGN 1.60–2.00); ask specifically for “Bus 84” if unsure.
- 3. Board the bus through any open door and immediately punch your ticket in the yellow validator, or tap in with your contactless card/app.
- 4. Ride 30–50 minutes along Tsarigradsko Shose and watch the stop display/listen for “Orlov Most” or “Gen. Gurko.”
- 5. Get off at the final Orlov Most/Gen. Gurko stop and walk 10–15 minutes or connect to metro or tram for deeper points in the centre.
One last tip: avoid peak weekday rush (around 8:00–9:30 and 17:00–19:00) if you can; during those windows, the 30-minute ride to Orlov Most often creeps closer to 50.