Uber alternatives in Sofia (Bulgaria)

To use a Uber alternative in Sofia, you’ll need internet on your phone. You can order a Holafly eSIM to get unlimited data and the benefit Always On (1 GB of backup data per month included for free, ideal in case of unexpected events).

The first time we took a taxi arriving in Sofia, we were tired and vulnerable after our overnight train from Istanbul. It was an official taxi, but I’m not sure we took it from the regular queue.

When I take a taxi, I’m always wary on principle and I regularly glance at the meter. Sure enough, it seemed to me that the meter had suddenly jumped abnormally. As I had no basis for comparison, I didn’t contest it. The next day, we took the reverse route and it cost us half as much (15 lev vs 30 lev). My suspicions were warranted; we got ripped off.

This isn’t specific to Sofia; everywhere in the world, many taxi drivers (but not all) try to scam tourists. That’s why whenever we can, we systematically use an app that gives an estimated fare and offers a way to dispute if there’s a problem.

Uber isn’t in Sofia, but there are at least two alternatives for hailing taxis.

The owner of our Airbnb recommended the TaxiMe (https://www.facebook.com/TaxiMeApp).

app. The app is in English, and you can pay in cash or by credit card.

I also used the Yellow! (https://www.yellow333.com/app. I found the interface a bit more intuitive, and it gives you an estimated fare before you book.

These apps aren’t as polished as Uber, but they work in a similar way and get the job done.

Unlike Uber, which sets the fare itself, the driver enters the amount into the app based on what their meter shows.

So it doesn’t completely eliminate the risk of being ripped off, but it greatly reduces it. And if the meter amount is way higher than the estimated fare, you can try to dispute it with the app.

We ordered a car at 4 a.m. to head to the airport, and another time at 1 a.m., and there was always one available. I recommend it!