A grand monument to former times: Location map
Sofia's main station is a grandiose structure, like a giant monument left from an empire long-gone. Which in a way, it is, even though it was only opened in 1974, a modern brutalist communist structure replacing the old station building of 1888. Indeed, cash-strapped BDZ (Bulgarian Railways) is apparently struggling with the cost of heating such a huge space in winter. However it underwent a major refurbishment in 2016 and now looks remarkably smart.
Sofia station after refurbishment. Courtesy Malte Fuhrmann.
The great hall at Sofia's central station, after refurbishment in 2016. Courtesy of @AndyBTravels, DiscoverByRail.com.
Another view of Sofia Central's main hall, looking the other way. Courtesy of @AndyBTravels, DiscoverByRail.com.
Platforms
Platform 1 is the one which runs alongside the station building, accessed directly from the station's main hall.
Platforms 2-11 are accessed by going down the escalator from the station hall into the passageway under all the tracks, then going up steps or escalator up to each pair of platforms.
Tip: Each platform is divided into east (изток) and west (запад) ends. On the departures board, the platform number is shown followed by a Cyrillic letter и or з to show which end of the platform the train is at. For example, 2и is the eastern end of platform 2, in other words the part of platform 2 that is to your right as you walk from the main hall through the passageway under all the tracks. 2з is the western end of platform 2, the half to your left.
Buying tickets
Domestic tickets for travel today can be bought at ticket windows 1-13 downstairs at the lower level.
Domestic tickets for future travel can be bought from ticket windows 14-20 in the main hall.
International tickets & reservations can be bought at ticket windows 21-23 in the main hall. Open 06:30-18:15 every day of the week, with short breaks 09:30-09:45, 13:00-13:30, 15:30-15:45. The break times change occasionally, so treat these as a guide not gospel.
Credit cards are normally accepted. If you need to pay in cash, there's an ATM opposite the ticket counters, inside the station.
Windows 21-23 sell tickets & reservations for international trains starting in Bulgaria. If you want to buy tickets or make reservations for journeys outside Bulgaria (for example, you wanted an onward ticket from Budapest to Munich), go to the unnumbered window in the corner to the right of windows 21-23, marked with a DB (German Railways) logo. This is equipped with a DB reservation terminal so can make reservations across much of Europe. It's open 08:00-18:15.
Left luggage, ATMs, food & drink
There is an ATM in the station if you need cash, opposite the ticket counters.
There's a left luggage office in the great hall downstairs, see here for left luggage opening times & prices.
You'll find plenty of kiosks selling snacks & drinks in the station.
There's a good Billa supermarket in the east end of the main station building, that's the right hand end as you face the station building from outside, accessed from the road in front of the station, see it on Google Maps. This is the best place to stock up for a journey.
Hotels in Sofia
For an inexpensive hotel with great reviews just outside Sofia Central station with great reviews, I recommend the Best Western Hotel Terminus, or 10 minutes walk away, the excellent Hotel Favorit which I've used myself.
Walk or metro to Sofia city centre
You can walk from the station into the city centre in 20 minutes, or ride the excellent metro, which is probably the most modern thing about Sofia. The Sofia metro website is www.metropolitan.bg/en.
