Practical Info
Money
The official currency is the Lev (BGN), which is divided into 100 stotinki. The Lev is tied to the Euro at a fixed rate of 1 EUR = 1.955 Lev. Bulgaria has strict currency regulations. If you enter Bulgaria with cash of any currency amounting to the equivalent of 8,000 Lev or more, you must declare it to customs officials. Foreign currency may be exchanged in banks, hotels or at one of the numerous bureaux de change. A receipt called a bordereaux is issued when exchanging currency, indicating the amount that will be given, and it must be kept until departure. Not all banks accept travellers cheques and those that do usually charge a 5% commission. Major international credit cards are increasingly becoming accepted by tourist hotels, upmarket shops and restaurants, travel agents and car rental agents, but Bulgaria is still largely a cash economy. There are ATMs in the main cities and at Black Sea resorts.
Visa
Most nationals of EU countries are admitted without a visa for stays of less than 90 days. Nationals of some countries (including the USA, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada) are admitted without a visa for stays of less than 30 days.
Communications
The country dialling code for Bulgaria is +359, followed by the relevant city code. The city code for Sofia is (0)2. Bulgaria offers a direct dialling service to 58 countries, which can be reached by adding the prefix 00 to the country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). Calls to countries that cannot be accessed by direct dialling must be placed through an operator at 0123. Betcom or Bulgarian Telecommunication Company phone booths require a special card available from kiosks. Telephone offices are also available and are attached to post offices. Bulgaria is one of the few countries in Europe that has no peak or off-peak call times. The country has mobile GSM operators, and several Internet Service Providers. Internet cafes are on the increase in the big cities.
Time
Local time is GMT +2
Electricity
Electrical current is 220 volts, 50Hz. European two-pin plugs are in use.
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