Riding a scooter in Sofia

kaminoge wrote:

Hi All,

I'm moving to Sofia in a few months and I'm wondering how it would be to ride a scooter there. Weather wise would it be a feasible thing year round? Anything else I need to take into account?

At first I was planning to buy a used car but now I'm wondering about just using a scooter and paying to rent a car if I want to get away for a weekend etc.

Any thoughts? I've spent the last decade living in Asia and haven't needed to own any sort of vehicle.

Hi, I wouldn't recommend riding a scooter all year long, as the winters here can be quite harsh. Although, this is a great alternative during the rest of the seasons, you would definitely need a car or use public transportation during the winter. Rent a car is quite expensive compared to the States, so I don't think that is a very feasible option as well.

Thanks for the reply. I think I've decided against the scooter option for now. If I do decide to get one and occasionally rent a car that would just be for weekends I want to go out of town etc. I'm not American so I have no idea how much it costs to rent cars in the States but I wasn't particularly expecting it to be cheap.

I actually haven't rented a car in Bulgaria as I have my own but this is what I've heard. Anyway, there are buses going to every point in Bulgaria so if you want to go to the sea side or anywhere else you can always take advantage of that option. Or you can just buy a used car

Hi,

I have used a scooter in Sofia for quite some time and like others have said - it is nearly impossible to use it in the winter. Apart from the low temperatures the street are not properly cleared from the snow the first day(possibly some of the next as well for the smaller streets). Other than that it is a great option for the other seasons - no parking problems, no traffic jams...perfect for the traffic situation in the city center.

Just keep in mind you can't get insurance on it(I mean the one against theft) and you should get a safe place to keep it in, as mine got stolen the first week I changed my nightly parking spot.

Let me know, if you decide to really get a scooter and I will point you to a great mechanic that is working specifically with scooters in Sofia.

As for weekend holidays and renting a car - there is always the option of getting a bus to the place you want to go to(way better and comfortable than the trains in Bulgaria) and you may need a car mostly if you are planning to visit a lot of places and stop a lot, as there are no split journey options in Bulgaria - you buy a ticket for specific bus and can't get off in the middle of the journey and jump on the next with the same ticket.

Good luck and have a great time in Bulgaria!

Ventsislav Tomev

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. If I do end up getting a scooter I'll definitely contact you for details of the mechanic.

For now I'm waiting to find out more information about where I'll be living and whether or not I'll have parking. Hopefully I will.

hi kaminoge,

Deciding against the scooter is worth reconsidering. Here are the pros:

1. you can drive it for at least 7 months April - October;
2. It is small, easy to park, cheap to maintain and the fuel consumption is very low;
3. it is a very fast transport, no traffic jams will stop you;
4. you can buy a used scooter for less than 300 euro;

of course there are cons:

1. Theft is possible, though scooters are rarely stolen in Bulgaria;
2. it is not suitable for long distances and weekend tours;
3. for the rest of the year mid November - mid March it is nearly impossible to drive it in Bulgaria,
4. Traffic in Sofia is not very polite.

Actually, you can buy a second hand VW Golf, or Polo or Fiat Punto, Brava, or Renaut Clio, og Ford Fiesta for 600 euro or even less and use it all year long, plus have sufficient security when driving it intown.
Renting a car in Bulgaria costs at least 30 euro per day, so you will soon reach this amount if you like to travel for the weekends.