The conference will be hosted by Community cultural centre in Chepelare.
How to get there
Plovdiv is situated in the vicinity of motorway Trakia (A1) that links the city with the capital Sofia.
Travelling by air
From Sofia Airport
Sofia Airport provides daily flights from and to many cities all over the world. Plovdiv is only a 70-minute-drive away from the airport. Sofia Airport provides all services necessary for completing your transfer.
For more information: http://www.sofia-airport.bg/
At the airport take the subway and get off at the Bus Station.
At the bus station take the bus to Smolyan and get off at Chepelare:
This is the current timetable December 2017 (I can not guarantee that they are valid for September 2018 !!) from Sofia directly to Smolyan:
8.00 am
at 13.00
at 15:00
at 16.00
at 18.00
Otherwise there are other connections by changing in Plovdiv: i.e. by metro firt, then bus from Sofia to Plovdiv and final bus from Plovdiv to Chepelare
From Plovdiv Airport
Plovdiv Airport (Airport Krumovo) is located 10 km from the city.
For more information: http://www.plovdivairport.com/
There is a bus every hour leaving from Plovdiv bus station to Smolyan with a stop at Chepelare.
Transfer from Sofia & Plovdiv Airport
You can arrange it through: http://www.motoroads.com/airport-hotel-transfers.html
Travelling by bus
From Central Bus Station Sofia
There are busses from Sofia & Plovdiv to Smolyan Chepelare
For more information: http://www.bgrazpisanie.com/en
Travelling by train
From Central Railway Station Sofia
You can take both direct express or fast trains travelling from Sofia to Plovdiv
and trains travelling the lines Sofia - Svilengrad and Sofia – Burgas and later take a bus from Plovdiv to Smolyan via Chepelare from Rhodopi Bus Station.
The trip duration is 2,30 hours.
For more information: http://www.bdz.bg
Travelling by car in Bulgaria
Highway vignettes Bulgaria
When passing through Bulgaria without vignettes probably can not do, vignette is necessary to possess not only when passing highway sections, but also on some roads 1st-3rd class. The validity of the mark may also be controlled border crossing departure from Bulgaria. Vignettes in Bulgaria are designed for both vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes, but also for trucks over 3.5 tonnes and buses. Since the drivers of trucks and vehicles with more than 8 seats according to the official website at border crossings road tax levied even 43-58 euros. In addition to highways and roads are still charged the passage of some bridges and tunnels.
Bulgarian vignette prices for foreign vehicles for 2018
validity/category | up to 3,5t with max. 8 seats | up to 12t | up to 12t | trucks over 12t | trucks over 12t |
1 day | - | € 11,00 | € 11,00 | € 11,00 | € 11,00 |
Weekly | € 8,00 | € 27,00 | € 21,00 | € 45,00 | € 34,00 |
Monthly | € 15,00 | € 54,00 | € 41,00 | € 89,00 | € 69,00 |
Annual | € 50,00 | € 537,00 | € 413,00 | € 891,00 | € 685,00 |
Monthly vignette applies the same day of the following month (if the day neexsituje eg. 31 applies to the last day of the month)
Annual vignette is valid from 1.1. to 31.1. next year
Weekly vignette is valid for 7 days including the day of purchase
Information about the signs
§ Toll highway and some roads
§ Links api.bg, aebtri.com
§ Motorcycles probably for free (no guarantee)
§ Sales at major border crossings
§
Fees for crossing bridges and ferries
In Bulgaria, in addition to road user charges in the form of toll stickers have collected a fee for crossing some bridges and transport vehicles using the ferry (ferry). These are places at the border crossing with Romania. A list of these segments, including indicative prices for cars up to 3.5 tons (could be transported and trucks) is shown in the table.
Indicative prices for ferries and bridges crossing
bridge/ferry | motorcycles | vehicles up to 3,5t | vehicles up to 3,5t with trailer |
Giurgiu - Ruse (bridge to RO) | for free | - | € 6,00 |
Silistra - Kalarash (ferry to RO) | € 3,00 | € 7,00 | € 25,00 |
Vidin - Kalafat (bridge to RO) | ? | € 6,00 | € 6,00 |
Oriahovo - Beket (ferry to RO) | € 3,00 | € 12,00 | € 40,00 |
Nikopol - Turnu Magurele (ferry to RO) | € 2,00 | € 12,00 | € 32,00 |
Svishtov - Zimnicea (ferry BG - RO) | € 3,00 | € 4,00* | € 8,00 |
* price for cars with max. 5 seats
Where to buy Bulgarian vignette?
In Bulgaria, it is possible to highway sticker purchased at most usual places such as border crossings (the list nonstop stores at border crossings can be found at the end of this page) and petrol station (OMV, Petrol, Shell, Lukoil). Stamps can also be purchased online at vinetka.com, but since they are vignettes distributed in the form of classical labels (you must wait for it to arrive), we rather buy 'em at one of the border crossings or at the gas station.
Replacing damaged vignette
In case of damage or theft of the windshield with a valid annual highway signs, vehicle owners have the right to request a duplicate mark. For approval of the application is required with the completed form to add a protocol for damage or theft of the glass, the rest of the damaged highway signs and the second (control) portion of the annual mark.
Exemption from payment for persons with reduced mobility
The official website failed to trace the opportunity to claim a rebate of tolls for those with limited mobility, even for people living in the territory of Bulgaria or foreigners.
Road tax for vehicles with more than 8 seats
If you are going to Bulgaria with a lorry, bus or car, with more than 8 seats, it is likely that you will be the border crossing in addition to payment for the vignette still required fee for road tax of 43-58 euros. For more information on road tax for trucks and vehicles with more than eight seats can be found either in this document or on this website aebtri.com.