Airline tickets from Chisinau to Sofia

Chisinau to Sofia by plane: an hour and a half in the air, no clock change

If you compare your options for getting from Chisinau to Sofia, the plane wins by a wide margin: the scheduled direct flight takes 1 hour 30 minutes, and in practice it often lands earlier. Moldova and Bulgaria share the same time zone, so the arrival time on your ticket matches what you'll see on your phone in Sofia.

Below we've gathered everything people ask before buying Chisinau Sofia flights: who flies the route, which passport you need, how to get from the airport, what money to bring and what to take home.

The Chisinau Sofia route in numbers

Departure airport	Chisinau International Airport (RMO)
Arrival airport	Sofia Airport (SOF), Terminal 1
Direct flights	Wizz Air, Airbus A321neo
Flight time	about 1 h 30 min scheduled
Time difference	none
Local currency	euro (since 1 January 2026)
Airport to city centre	about 10 km

Direct flight Chisinau Sofia: who flies and how to pick a date

Wizz Air is the only airline flying this route non-stop. The flight operates several times a week, but the departure days change from season to season: one set of days in winter, another in summer. So check the actual dates in the calendar at the top of the page rather than relying on last year's schedule.

There are also Chisinau Sofia plane tickets with a connection, for example via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines or via Bucharest with TAROM. The journey then stretches by several hours, so this option only makes sense if there's no direct flight on the day you need or if you want checked baggage included in a full-service airline fare.

A quick word about baggage on Wizz Air. The basic fare includes one small under-seat item (40×30×20 cm). If you plan to bring back rakia, wine or jars of lyutenitsa, add checked baggage right away: liquids over 100 ml aren't allowed in hand luggage, and buying baggage at the airport costs more.

The price calendar above shows that from October to July fares stay at their lowest, while in August and especially September they go up. If your dates are flexible, that's an easy way to save. You can pick your return trip straight away on the Sofia Chisinau flights page, and travellers from northern Moldova may find it handier to fly from Iasi: Iasi Sofia flights.

Do you need a visa and which passport to fly with

Bulgaria has been a full Schengen member since 1 January 2025, so standard Schengen rules apply to Moldovan citizens. The short answer: with a biometric passport you don't need a visa, while the national ID card (buletin) is not valid for this flight.

Documents required for a flight to Sofia

Your document	Visa required	What to check
Moldovan biometric passport	No	Up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The passport must have been issued within the last 10 years and remain valid for at least 3 months after the date you leave the Schengen area
Moldovan non-biometric passport	Yes, a Schengen visa	Getting a biometric passport is easier than getting a visa
Moldovan ID card	Not valid for entry	You need a passport
Romanian (or other EU) passport or ID card	No	You can fly with your ID card

One change from the past year. The EES system now operates at the Schengen border: on your first entry, passengers from non-EU countries have their fingerprints taken and their face photographed. It's a one-time procedure, but the first time it's worth allowing an extra 20 minutes or so for passport control. The border officer may ask about the purpose of your trip, your accommodation booking and your return ticket, so keep them on your phone.

Many people have heard of ETIAS (the €20 electronic travel authorisation), but at the time of publication the system is not in operation and no launch date has been announced. Websites that already claim to "process ETIAS" have nothing to do with the official system.

How to get from Sofia Airport to the city centre and how much it costs

Wizz Air flights from Chisinau arrive at Terminal 1, and that's an important detail. The metro only serves Terminal 2. A free shuttle runs between the terminals, but it makes the journey longer, so from Terminal 1 the bus or a taxi is usually more convenient.

Sofia Airport to city centre transfer

Option	From	Travel time	Cost	Best for
Bus 84	Right outside Terminal 1	30-40 min to Orlov Most and Sofia University	€0.80 (30-min ticket) or €1.10 (60-min ticket)	Those travelling light and staying in the centre
Metro (line to "Letishte Sofia" station)	Terminal 2, reached by free shuttle	about 20 min to Serdika station	€0.80	If your accommodation is near a metro station
OK Supertrans taxi	Official taxi rank at the arrivals exit	15-20 min	metered, about €9-12 during the day	With suitcases, in a group, in the evening
Bolt	Via the app	15-20 min	price shown in the app before you book	Those who want to know the fare in advance

A few things that will save you some stress. Bus and metro tickets in Sofia are different, and one won't be accepted in place of the other. On the bus you can pay with a bank card directly at the validator. Official taxis charge €1.50 to start during the day and about €0.75 per kilometre, with a higher rate at night. Drivers who approach you in the arrivals hall are best politely avoided: their price can be several times higher than the meter.

What currency to bring and how much money you need in Sofia

Bring euros. Since 1 February 2026, leva are no longer accepted as payment in Bulgaria, so if you have notes left over from a previous trip, you won't be able to pay with them. You can exchange them for euros free of charge and with no deadline only at the cash desks of the Bulgarian National Bank; after 30 June 2026, commercial banks are allowed to charge a fee.

Bank cards are accepted almost everywhere, and cash comes in handy at markets and small shops. Airport exchange offices usually give a poor rate, so it's better to buy euros while you're still in Chisinau.

Approximate costs in Sofia (Numbeo data, October 2026)

Item	Approximate cost
Lunch at an inexpensive café	about €15 (€10 to €25)
Dinner for two at a mid-range restaurant, three courses without drinks	about €60
Cappuccino	about €3
Local draught beer, 0.5 l	about €3
Bottle of mid-range wine from a shop	about €6.5
Single public transport ride	€0.80

Restaurant prices have risen noticeably over the past couple of years, and Sofia can no longer be called a cheap city overall. On the other hand, market produce and Bulgarian goods in supermarkets are still a better deal than what you'd pay for them in Chisinau.

What to bring back from Sofia to Moldova and where to find it

The most Bulgarian thing you can put in your suitcase has to do with roses. Rose oil, rose water, rose petal jam and cosmetics made with them are sold in pharmacies, souvenir shops and specialist stores. For everything else, head to the markets and ordinary supermarkets where Bulgarians themselves shop.

What to buy in Sofia as gifts and for yourself

Item	Where to look	How to bring it home
Rose oil, rose water, rose cosmetics	Pharmacies, cosmetics shops, souvenir shops	Bottles up to 100 ml can go in hand luggage
Lyutenitsa (roasted pepper and tomato spread)	Supermarkets, Zhenski Pazar	Glass jars, checked baggage only, wrapped in clothes
Sirene (Bulgarian white cheese) and kashkaval	Tsentralni Hali, Zhenski Pazar, supermarkets	Easier in vacuum packaging
Sharena sol (salt and herb blend with savory)	Markets, supermarkets	Light, fits in hand luggage
Rakia, Mavrud wine	Wine shops, supermarkets	Checked baggage only
Troyan pottery with its distinctive drip glaze	Souvenir shops, flea market	Fragile, best in hand luggage
Icons, vintage items, badges and vinyl records	Flea market by Alexander Nevsky Cathedral	Genuine antiques may require an export permit, ask the seller

How to shop at Sofia's markets

Zhenski Pazar (the Women's Market, Stefan Stambolov Boulevard, near Serdika metro station) is open every day, but it's at its best on Saturday morning, when traders lay out all their goods: cheeses, herbs, spices, vegetables. Tsentralni Hali (Central Market Hall) on Maria Luiza Boulevard is more of an indoor food hall: it's clean, there are pastries and ready meals, and it's a convenient place to grab a snack before a walk.

At the flea market by Alexander Nevsky Cathedral the rule is simple: don't buy from the first stall. The same item can cost noticeably less at the next one, and it's easier to haggle with cash. And remember the gestures: many Bulgarians, especially older people, nod their head to mean "no" and shake it from side to side when they agree. If in doubt, ask again in words.

On the way back, check the total value of your purchases. When entering Moldova by air, you can bring in goods worth up to €430 duty-free; separate quantity limits apply to alcohol and cigarettes.

Unusual trips: which dates are worth booking for

If you want more than a stroll around the centre, time your Chisinau Sofia flights to an event. Here are the dates that make the trip especially worthwhile.

Event calendar for a trip from Chisinau to Sofia

When	What happens	Where
6 January	Yordanovden (Epiphany): a priest throws a cross into icy water and men dive in after it	In Sofia and across the country
Second half of January	Surva masquerade festival: hundreds of kukeri in huge fur masks with bells. The 32nd edition took place in 2026, so before you travel check whether it's being held in your year	Pernik, about 30 km from Sofia
1 March	Baba Marta: everyone gives each other martenitsi made of red and white threads, much like our mărțișor	Streets, markets, offices
December-March	Skiing and snowboarding without a long journey	Vitosha mountain right above the city, Borovets resort
Late May, early June	Rose Festival and dawn petal picking in the Rose Valley	Kazanlak

Pernik is about 30 km from Sofia, so you can easily visit Surva as a day trip and be back in the city by evening. The roses are trickier: Kazanlak is further away, so it's best to plan a separate night for the festival.

Chisinau Sofia flights: how to book on Zbor.md

Choose your dates in the calendar at the top of the page: it shows which months the direct Chisinau Sofia flight is cheaper. Enter the number of passengers, tick whether you need a return ticket and compare the options. If anything is unclear about baggage, documents or connections, Zbor.md support is available 24/7 by phone at +373 22 844 111.