Bulgaria attracts travellers heading to the Black Sea coast and its mountain regions – whether for a holiday, a business trip, or while travelling towards Greece and Turkey.
To drive on roads in Bulgaria where a vignette is required, you need a valid electronic vignette linked to your vehicle registration number.
Types of Bulgarian vignettes
Which vehicles require a Bulgarian vignette?
- Passenger cars up to 3.5 tonnes.
- Vans and light commercial vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes.
- Minibuses and motorhomes up to 3.5 tonnes.
- Trailers if the total weight of the vehicle and trailer exceeds 3.5 tonnes.
Where is the Bulgarian vignette required?
In Bulgaria, the vignette requirement also applies to many roads outside the motorway network. This includes designated sections of first, second and third class roads outside built-up areas. The most frequently used motorway routes include:
- A1 Trakia – Sofia – Plovdiv – Burgas
- A2 Hemus – Sofia – Shumen – Varna
- A3 Struma – Sofia – Blagoevgrad – Kulata (Greek border)
- A4 Maritsa – Chirpan – Kapitan Andreevo (Turkish border)
Before your trip, check whether your planned route includes roads where a vignette is required. Avoiding motorways alone does not mean that you will not need a vignette.
What should you check before travelling to Bulgaria?
Bulgarian regulations place particular emphasis on mandatory vehicle equipment. Before departure, we recommend checking that you have everything required in the vehicle in case of a breakdown or roadside inspection.
In Bulgaria, mandatory vehicle equipment includes:
- a warning triangle
- a vehicle first aid kit
- a fire extinguisher
- a reflective vest
- from 15 November to 1 March, tyres designed for winter conditions or tyres with a tread depth of at least 4 mm
Roadside inspections in Bulgaria focus not only on vignette validity, but also on the technical condition of the vehicle and compliance with mandatory equipment requirements.
Practical information for travelling in Bulgaria
- The weekend vignette is valid from Friday 12:00 until Sunday 23:59. The weekly vignette is valid for 7 consecutive calendar days from the selected date.
- A separate vignette for the trailer is only needed if the combined weight of the vehicle and trailer exceeds 3.5 tonnes. In this case, an additional electronic vignette must be purchased for the trailer.
- When crossing the Danube into Romania, expect a separate fee for using the bridge at Ruse or Vidin. The Bulgarian vignette does not include this fee.
Speed limits:
- 140 km/h on motorways
- 120 km/h on expressways, 90 km/h outside built-up areas
- 50 km/h in built-up areas
Lower speed limits apply to vehicle combinations with a trailer. For category B+E, the maximum is 100 km/h on motorways and expressways, 80 km/h outside built-up areas and 50 km/h in built-up areas.
The values shown are general maximum speed limits. If road signs indicate a lower speed, the local restriction always applies.
Bulharsko
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