There are 12 ways to get from Sofia to Essen by plane, bus, train, night train, car, or car train
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly to Düsseldorf International Airport
best- Fly from Sofia Airport (SOF) to Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS)plane SOF - DUS
7h 9m€72–222Fly to Dortmund Airport
cheapest- Fly from Sofia Airport (SOF) to Dortmund Airport (DTM)plane SOF - DTM
6h 52m€36–356Bus, train
- Take the bus from Sofia to Dresdenbus
- Take the train from Dresden Hauptbahnhof to Berlin Hbftrain 27 / ...
- Take the train from Berlin Hbf to Essen Hbftrain 10 / ...
25h 29m€157–352Train, night train
- Take the train from Sofia Sever to Gorna Oryahovitsatrain
- Take the night train from Gorna Oryahovitsa to Bucharestnighttrain
- Take the night train from Bucuresti Nord to Wien Hbfnighttrain
- Take the train from Wien Hbf to Aschaffenburg Hbftrain Ice
- Take the train from Aschaffenburg Hbf to Essen Hbftrain 41 / ...
35h 56m€263–528Drive 1,914.3 km
- Drive from Sofia to Essencar 1,914.3 km
17h 8m€274–395Fly to Cologne Bonn Airport, train
- Fly from Sofia Airport (SOF) to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN)plane SOF - CGN
- Take the train from Köln Hbf to Essen Hbftrain
6h 11m€51–245Fly to Frankfurt, train
- Fly from Sofia Airport (SOF) to Frankfurt (FRA)plane SOF - FRA
- Take the train from Frankfurt to Essen Hbftrain
7h 8m€119–298Fly to Eindhoven Airport, train
- Fly from Sofia Airport (SOF) to Eindhoven Airport (EIN)plane SOF - EIN
- Take the train from Eindhoven to Venlotrain
- Take the train from Viersen Bahnhof to Essen Hbftrain
8h 24m€58–270Bus via Hanover
- Take the bus from Sofia to Hannoverbus
- Take the bus from Hannover Hbf to Essen Hbfbus Dnipro
29h 45m€90–132Bus
- Take the bus from Sofiya, Avtogara Serdika to Niš, Autobuska Stanicabus
- Take the bus from Niš, Autobuska Stanica to Essen Hbfbus
33h 6m€144–344Bus #2
- Take the bus from Sofiya, Avtogara Serdika to Niš, Autobuska Stanicabus
- Take the bus from Niš, Autobuska Stanica to Bochum Hbfbus
38h 14m€146–314Drive, car train
- Drive from Sofia to Villach Hbfcar
- Take the car train from Villach Hbf to Düsseldorf Hbfcartrain
16h 43m€271–1,248
Sofia to Essen by bus
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Sofia to Essen is to bus via Hanover which costs €85 - €140 and takes 29h 45m.
The fastest way to get from Sofia to Essen is to fly and train which takes 6h 11m and costs €50 - €250.
No, there is no direct bus from Sofia to Essen. However, there are services departing from Sofia and arriving at Essen Hbf via Hannover Hbf. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 29h 45m.
No, there is no direct train from Sofia to Essen. However, there are services departing from Sofia Sever and arriving at Essen Hbf via Gorna Oryahovitsa, Bucuresti Nord, Wien Hbf and Aschaffenburg Hbf. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 35h 56m.
The distance between Sofia and Essen is 1627 km. The road distance is 1914.3 km.
The best way to get from Sofia to Essen without a car is to bus and train which takes 25h 29m and costs €150 - €360.
It takes approximately 7h 9m to get from Sofia to Essen, including transfers.
Sofia to Essen bus services, operated by Union Ivkoni, depart from Sofia station.
Sofia to Essen train services, operated by Bulgarian Railways (BDZh), depart from Sofia Sever station.
The best way to get from Sofia to Essen is to fly which takes 7h 9m and costs €70 - €230. Alternatively, you can bus via Hanover, which costs €85 - €140 and takes 29h 45m.
What companies run services between Sofia, Bulgaria and Essen, Germany?
Austrian Airlines, Eurowings, and two other airlines fly from Sofia Airport (SOF) to Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS) every 4 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Sofia to Essen Hbf via Hannover and Hannover Hbf in around 29h 45m.
- Website
- lufthansa.com
Flights from Sofia Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 31m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €80–330
Flights from Sofia Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 23m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €80–330
Flights from Sofia Airport to Cologne Bonn Airport via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €85–340
Flights from Sofia Airport to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 33m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €65–230
Flights from Sofia Airport to Frankfurt via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €65–230
- Website
- austrian.com
Flights from Sofia Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Vienna
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 23m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €75–310
Flights from Sofia Airport to Cologne Bonn Airport via Vienna
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 30m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €80–320
Flights from Sofia Airport to Frankfurt via Vienna
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 48m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €70–280
- Website
- ryanair.com
Flights from Sofia Airport to Cologne Bonn Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 25m
- When
- Monday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €30–190
Flights from Sofia Airport to Cologne Bonn Airport via Vienna
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 50m
- When
- Wednesday and Friday
- Estimated price
- €30–190
Flights from Sofia Airport to Eindhoven Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 45m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- €50–240
- Website
- airserbia.com
Flights from Sofia Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Belgrade
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 40m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €60–120
- Website
- air.bg
Flights from Sofia Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Belgrade
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 35m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €60–120
Flights from Sofia Airport to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 40m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- €90–170
- Website
- wizzair.com
Flights from Sofia Airport to Dortmund Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €29–280
Flights from Sofia Airport to Eindhoven Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 45m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €35–130
- Phone
- +49 30 311 682904
- Website
- bahn.de
Train from Dresden Hauptbahnhof to Berlin Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 36m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €30–75
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Berlin Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 51m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €85–200
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Wien Hbf to Aschaffenburg Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 52m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €120–280
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Aschaffenburg Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 30m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €50–130
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Köln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 47 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- €14–35
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Frankfurt to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 41m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €40–100
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Viersen Bahnhof to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 9m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- €9–22
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
- Phone
- +43 5 1717
- Website
- konzern.oebb.at
Train from Dresden Hauptbahnhof to Berlin Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 48m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €40–65
- Website
- https://konzern.oebb.at/en/
- Phone
- +46 40 669 62 00
- snalltaget@snalltaget.se
- Website
- snalltaget.se
Train from Dresden Hauptbahnhof to Berlin Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 23m
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- €18–30
- Website
- https://www.snalltaget.se/en
- Phone
- +35929311111
- onlineticket@bdz.bg
- Website
- bdz.bg
Train from Sofia Sever to Gorna Oryahovitsa
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 38m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €7–13
- Website
- https://www.bdz.bg/en
- 2nd Class
- €7–11
- 1st Class
- €10–13
Night train from Gorna Oryahovitsa to Bucharest
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 15m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- €5–10
- Website
- https://www.bdz.bg/en
- 2nd Class
- €5–9
- 1st Class
- €8–10
- Phone
- 0219521
- petitii@cfrcalatori.ro
- Website
- cfrcalatori.ro
Night train from Bucuresti Nord to Wien Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 17h 53m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €80–95
- Website
- https://www.cfrcalatori.ro/en/
- Phone
- +49 30 2970
- Website
- bahn.de
Train from Köln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 35m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- €17–26
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Viersen Bahnhof to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 44 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €11–17
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
- Phone
- +44 343 218 6186
- Website
- eurostar.com
Train from Köln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 58 min
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €23–40
- Website
- https://www.eurostar.com/rw-en
- Phone
- +49 9126 301 90 70
- fahrgaeste@train-rental.com
- Website
- train-rental.com
Train from Köln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 57 min
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Schedules at
- train-rental.com
- Phone
- +31 30 751 5155
- Website
- ns.nl
Train from Eindhoven to Venlo
- Ave. Duration
- 39 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €5–13
- Website
- https://www.ns.nl/en
- Phone
- +49 (0) 221 800 20 820
- info@urlaubs-express.de
- Website
- urlaubs-express.de
Car train from Villach Hbf to Düsseldorf Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 39m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- €100–1,000
- Website
- https://urlaubs-express.de/?lang=en
- Car Single Bed
- €270–550
- Car Compartment
- €550–1,000
- Phone
- +359 88 949 0000
- office@union-ivkoni.com
- Website
- union-ivkoni.com
Bus from Sofia to Dresden
- Ave. Duration
- 18h 55m
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- €50–80
- Website
- https://union-ivkoni.com/en
Bus from Sofia to Hannover
- Ave. Duration
- 26h 54m
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- €75–110
- Website
- https://union-ivkoni.com/en
- Phone
- +380 98 815 4444
- support@ewe.ua
- Website
- ewe.ua
Bus from Hannover Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 51m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €13–23
- Website
- https://ewe.ua/
- Phone
- 02 952 50 04
- matpu96@abv.bg
- Website
- matpu.com
Bus from Sofiya, Avtogara Serdika to Niš, Autobuska Stanica
- Ave. Duration
- 4h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €18–25
- Schedules at
- matpu.com
- Phone
- +381 18 255 177
- Website
- nis-ekspres.rs
Bus from Sofiya, Avtogara Serdika to Niš, Autobuska Stanica
- Ave. Duration
- 4h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €14–23
- Schedules at
- nis-ekspres.rs
- Phone
- +381 (11) 761-4545
- Website
- srbijatours.com
Bus from Niš, Autobuska Stanica to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 28h 6m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- €120–140
- Schedules at
- srbijatours.com
- Prices
- €120–140
- Phone
- +381 800 334 334
- iuc@lasta.rs
- Website
- lasta.rs
Bus from Niš, Autobuska Stanica to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 32h 35m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- €130–320
- Schedules at
- lasta.rs
- Book at
- lasta.rs
Bus from Niš, Autobuska Stanica to Bochum Hbf
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More Questions & Answers
Sofia to Essen bus services, operated by Union Ivkoni, arrive at Hannover station.
Essen is 1h behind Sofia. It is currently 11:38 PM in Sofia and 10:38 PM in Essen.
Sofia to Essen train services, operated by Bulgarian Railways (BDZh), arrive at Gorna Oryahovitsa station.
Yes, the driving distance between Sofia to Essen is 1914 km. It takes approximately 17h 8m to drive from Sofia to Essen.
Book your Sofia to Essen bus tickets online with Omio.
There are 2272+ hotels available in Essen.



























































