Bulgaria Travel Guide
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Guide
Bulgaria's borders changed on 1 January 2025. On that date Bulgaria and Romania became full Schengen members and checks on persons at their internal land borders were lifted, so the frontiers with Greece and Romania are no longer checked. Turkey, Serbia, and North Macedonia stay on the other side of the line, which makes them external borders where non-EU travelers are registered.
Bulgaria also adopted the euro on 1 January 2026, so prices on vignettes and at the border shop are now in euros. The electronic motorway vignette has been the only kind since 2019, and 2026 prices were reported at 4.09 euros for one day, 5.11 for a weekend, and 49.60 for a year, with self-service terminals at checkpoints such as Kalotina on the Serbian border.
Border crossings
- Kapitan Andreevo and Kapıkule, the giant one
The busiest of the three crossings with Türkiye, and described as one of the busiest checkpoints in the world. Kilometer-long queues have been reported for cars entering Bulgaria, with a reported three hour wait to get in from Türkiye. One source noted that the EES was not yet active there even after it became fully operational elsewhere, so ask what applies on the day.
- Lesovo and Malko Tarnovo, the quieter Turkish gates
Lesovo faces Hamzabeyli, and Malko Tarnovo faces Dereköy. They are the two other crossings with Türkiye. This site's Türkiye guide describes the Turkish side.
- Serbia and North Macedonia, external borders
Travelers arriving from Serbia, for example at Kalotina, are registered in the EES and should have any required ETIAS authorization ready once that system starts. Gyueshevo is the crossing toward North Macedonia.
- Greece and Romania, no checks
These are internal Schengen borders. The Danube bridge to Romania and the roads to Greece carry traffic without passport control, though police can still carry out spot checks.
Transit routes
- Buy the vignette at the border or online
Kalotina has self-service terminals, and the National Toll Administration sells them online. Do not drive on a motorway without one, and be aware that a new one-day option was introduced from February 2026.
- Check the queue before Kapitan Andreevo
The waits vary a great deal by the day, so look at a live queue tracker before you set out for Türkiye.
Entry point notes
- Schengen rules now apply on entry
For most visa exempt visitors that means 90 days in any 180 day period, and time already spent in other Schengen countries counts toward it.
- Prices are in euros
Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026, so check that any old price list you find has been converted.