How to Hire a Taxi in Sofia

OK Супертранс

Sofia provides a lot of transportation means: subway, bus, tram, trolley, shuttle and taxi. Undoubtedly,  the taxi is the most comfortable option for tourists and people new in town. There are, however, some things to consider when you hire a taxi.

Once you land at Sofia Airport and pass through customs you are likely to be flooded with offers of a taxi. Beware! Some of those offers might be from normal taxi drivers, but there is a good chance that you take a rogue taxi. For you, this means spending money on a service that could have been several times cheaper. I’m sure a lot of tourists go into that trap and end up paying 50 $ for a 20 minutes drive.

The Bulgarian law does not limit the taxi fares. As a result, you can be charged between 0.7 and 10 leva per kilometer. There are however, some trustworthy companies whose fares are always the same. Such companies are:

• ОК Супертранс (OK Supertrans) – Known by the big “OK” sign on the cars. Some of the rogue taxis copy that sign. For example, one of the rogue companies is called “CK Superlux” and their car logo looks too much like the legitimate one.
• Такси С Експрес ООД (Taxi S Express) – Recognized best for their phone number written on the cabs: 9 12 80. Some rogue companies fake that as well.
• Радио СВ Такси (Radio CV Taxi)
• Такси за едно Евро (Taxi for one Euro) – The name is misleading because you still pay per kilometer. But the prices are fair.

Generally, it is best to learn to recognize the first two companies. They are the biggest and you can find such cabs everywhere. Their fare is about 0.7-0.8 leva per kilometer. Both companies have a cab stand on the right exit (from the viewpoint of someone who just landed) of Sofia Airport.

Note, that all taxis in Bulgaria are yellow and have the taxi sign on top. This is required by law.

All taxi companies are required by law to write their fares on the windows of the car. Always check that even if you think the cab is one of the legitimate ones. In case you accidentally hire a rogue taxi, you will be charged up to 10 times the amount of money a normal cab would charge you. If they have stated the price on the car’s window you cannot leave without paying the fare and it is useless to argue with the cab driver.

Most taxi drivers expect to be tipped, even if they did not provide outstanding service. Some of them may even “round up” the sum in their favor by themselves. Another way for a driver to trick you is to go by a longer way towards your destination. However, all those tricks can influence the final sum with just 1 or 2 leva and in most cases it is not worth the effort to argue.

Some precaution when choosing a taxi in Sofia can save you a lot of trouble, nerves and money. Be careful to watch for the taxi fares and you will have a much more pleasant stay in the Bulgarian capital.