A grand monument to former times:  Location & city 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.

The ticket office at Sofia station.  Windows 21-23 for international tickets, open 09:00-21:00 (with several 15-min breaks).		The impressive Sofia metro will take you from the station to Sofia city centre, www.metropolitan.bg/en.

Platforms...

Platform 1 runs alongside the station building, accessed from the station hall.

Platforms 2-11 are accessed by going down the escalator from the station hall to the underpass linking all the platforms, then going up steps or escalator up to each pair of platforms.

Buying tickets...

• Domestic tickets for travel today can be bought at ticket windows 1-13 at the lower level.

• Domestic tickets for future travel can be bought from ticket windows 14 upwards 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.

  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, 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.

Hotels in Sofia...

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.

Sofia's national theatre...		Sofia's Alexander Nevsky cathedral...