Travel to Armenia from Bulgaria: Sofia Nonstop Due 7 Nov
14 October 2026
A nonstop between Sofia and Yerevan is due to return on 7 November 2026. As of October 2026, the Bulgarian airline GullivAir is due to fly Sofia to Yerevan on Thursdays and Saturdays, and the schedule we found runs to 25 March 2027. If you want to travel to Armenia from Bulgaria this winter, that is your flight. On every other day, and before 7 November, you connect, and the first season is a winter one, so plan the car for snow.
The decisive facts for Bulgarian travellers
- NonstopGullivAir, Sofia to Yerevan, Thursday and Saturday, 7 November 2026 to 25 March 2027
- Flight timeAbout 3 hours; departure and landing times not confirmed
- EntryPassport; visa-free up to 180 days in one year
- Bulgarian foreign ministryArmenia at Level 2, increased caution (updated 17 February 2026)
- MoneyEuro in Bulgaria since 1 January 2026; entry costs on this page are in AMD with a euro figure
- Winter tyresCompulsory in Armenia 15 November to 31 March
How to travel to Armenia from Bulgaria: the Sofia flight is back
Armenian and Bulgarian press reported the restart in late August 2026, and Bulgarian national radio quoted a GullivAir captain on the 7 November start. Schedule data suggests Wizz Air’s last Sofia to Yerevan flight was on 25 October 2025, so if you remember that route, there has been a year without a nonstop.
| Route | Airline | Frequency | Block time | Usual landing time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sofia (SOF) to Yerevan (EVN) | GullivAir | Thursday and Saturday, from 7 November 2026 to 25 March 2027 (schedule seen) | About 3 h; aggregators range from 2 h 30 to 3 h 30 | Not confirmed |
| Varna (VAR) to Yerevan (EVN) | Wizz Air | Twice a week, from 6 June 2027 | n/a | Not for this winter |
| Plovdiv, Burgas, Gyumri | none | No direct flight found | n/a | n/a |
We have not seen confirmed departure times or aircraft details, and nothing is known beyond 25 March 2027. Check the airline’s timetable before you book: winter schedules change, and a new route can change quickly. For other days you will connect. Flight searches for Sofia to Yerevan mostly return one-stop journeys, and we have not verified a specific hub or timetable, so look hard at the Yerevan landing time, which on many European flights is late at night or very early.
Work out your trip length from the weekdays. A Saturday arrival and a Thursday return gives about five days. Thursday to Thursday, or Saturday to Saturday, gives a week. Thursday to Saturday is a short two. Yerevan is two hours ahead of Bulgaria once the clocks change on 25 October.
A winter schedule changes the trip
Because the flight is sold for winter, your first Armenian drive may be on ice. From 15 November to 31 March, winter tyres are compulsory on passenger cars, with tread above 4 mm. Ask when you book that your car is fitted, and read winter driving in Armenia before you plan routes.
Stay low in winter. Khor Virap with Ararat behind it in snow is the signature image, and Garni and Geghard sit close to Yerevan. The Kari Lake road shuts from late November to mid-May (Aragats and Kari Lake), and passes such as Selim become difficult or restricted. Black ice is regularly reported around Gegharkunik, Aragats, Spitak, Vayk, Sisian and Goris, and any mountain pass in winter needs real capability. Check the Rescue Service bulletin every morning, drive by daylight, and keep slack in the schedule.
Passport and entry
The Bulgarian foreign ministry’s Armenia page says a regular passport needs no visa and describes a visa-free stay of 180 days within one year. Armenia’s own list agrees: Bulgaria is visa-exempt for up to 180 days per year, on all passport types.
Bring your passport. We found no official confirmation that a national ID card is accepted for entry, so do not count on one. Six months of passport validity is common airline advice, not an Armenian rule.
Your Bulgarian licence
Bulgaria is a party to the 1968 Vienna Convention, so Armenia’s rule for national licences applies. Our rule: a national licence in Latin script is accepted for stays up to one year, otherwise you need an IDP alongside it. Check that your card prints your name and category letters in Latin characters. We have not verified how every Bulgarian card prints, so if you are unsure, carry an IDP and avoid an argument at the counter.
Sixt Armenia’s terms list only Iceland, Ireland, Cyprus, Malta and Spain as EU exceptions needing an IDP, and Bulgaria is not among them. See our IDP guide and documents needed to rent a car in Armenia.
What Sofia says: Level 2, and what the page leaves out
The Bulgarian foreign ministry’s English page on Armenia, last updated 17 February 2026, gives a risk index of Level 2, increased caution, and asks you to inform yourself on the situation before you go. The text we could read says nothing about the Azerbaijani border, Nakhchivan, roads or driving, so we will not attribute a border warning to Sofia. The embassy in Yerevan lists a hotline, +374 96 405210.
Benchmarks help here. The UK’s FCDO advises against travel within 5 km of the eastern border and on the M16/H26 between Ijevan and Noyemberyan. Germany’s Auswärtiges Amt (15 October 2026) names roads east of Vardenis, the M16 north of Ijevan, the M2 between Yeraskh and Karki, the area north of Jermuk and everything east of Goris.
On the road: the standard loops do not touch those strips, namely Sevan and Dilijan, Garni and Geghard, Khor Virap, Areni and Noravank, the Debed canyon, Gyumri and Aragats. The M2 at Yeraskh is transit-only: drive through, do not stop. Syunik south and east of Goris, and the roads north of Jermuk, need care. The borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey are closed, and traffic, not conflict, is the main day-to-day risk. See driving in Armenia.
Collecting the car at Zvartnots
With evncar, pickup at the Zvartnots arrivals hall is free on every booking. Add your flight number: we track the flight, the handover moves with a delay, and there is no waiting fee. Handover takes about ten minutes. Yerevan city centre and a hotel in Yerevan are also handover points. The details are on the airport pickup page and in the Zvartnots guide.
Pickup at Zvartnots is free. The rental terms list a separate out-of-hours fee for handovers before 08:00 or after 21:00, so email info@evncar.com with your flight number and we will confirm whether it applies to your arrival time. For a very late landing, a chauffeur airport transfer has no night surcharge and 60 minutes of free waiting after landing. See driving at night in Armenia before a first drive in the dark.
Bring your passport, licence, booking confirmation and a card or cash for the deposit. The deposit is shown on each car page, taken at handover by credit card or cash, and released within five working days of return if the car comes back as it left with no unpaid fines (deposits and excess). Entry costs here are in AMD with a euro figure, and the euro is now your home currency too: Bulgaria has used it since 1 January 2026. Change cash in the city centre, not at the airport. EU roaming does not cover Armenia, so buy a local SIM or eSIM. See the rental terms and car rental insurance.
Armenians in Bulgaria, and a roots drive
The 2011 census counted 6,552 Armenians in Bulgaria, down from 10,832 in 2001, though community organisations give higher estimates. In 2001 the biggest groups were in Plovdiv and Varna provinces, at 3,140 and 2,240. Armenian Apostolic churches and chapels serve twelve Bulgarian cities. If you are visiting relatives, note that Yerevan to Gyumri is 121 km, 1 h 45 to 2 h on the M1, the best road in the country.
Your first 48 hours, planned around an unknown landing time
Day one. Take the handover and drive to your hotel. If you landed late, leave the car and sleep, and collect it at a handover point after 08:00. Yerevan parking is zoned (parking in Yerevan).
Day two. Garni is 31 km from Yerevan, 40 to 50 minutes, with Geghard 10 km beyond. Garni costs 1,500 AMD (about €3.50) and Geghard is free (Garni, Geghard and the Symphony of Stones).
Day three. Khor Virap is 43 km out, 45 to 55 minutes, and it is free. Go early, drive through Yeraskh without stopping, and decide on Areni and Noravank by the bulletin (the day trip). For a longer stay, use the self-drive itineraries, and when to drive if you may return in spring.
Questions people actually ask
Is there a direct flight from Bulgaria to Armenia?
Yes, from 7 November 2026. As of October 2026, GullivAir is scheduled to fly Sofia to Yerevan on Thursdays and Saturdays through 25 March 2027. Times are not confirmed, so check the airline’s timetable before you book: winter schedules change.
Does Wizz Air fly from Bulgaria to Yerevan?
Not this winter. Wizz Air is listed to start Varna to Yerevan on 6 June 2027, twice a week. Schedule data suggests its Sofia route ended on 25 October 2025.
Do Bulgarians need a visa for Armenia?
No. Both countries’ foreign ministries describe visa-free stays of up to 180 days in a year. Bring a valid passport, not just an ID card.
Does the Bulgarian foreign ministry advise against travel to Armenia?
Its English page rates Armenia Level 2, increased caution, updated 17 February 2026. The text we could read does not mention the border or roads. Germany and the UK name border strips to avoid.
Do I need an International Driving Permit with a Bulgarian licence?
Not if your card prints your details in Latin letters, since Bulgaria is a Vienna 1968 party. An IDP removes the doubt, and Sixt Armenia does not list Bulgaria among its IDP exceptions.
Do I need winter tyres in Armenia?
Yes, from 15 November to 31 March, with tread above 4 mm. Ask us to confirm when you book.
The Sofia flight is back, and the car is waiting
Free airport pickup, nothing charged online, and free cancellation before handover. Questions about pricing, extras or your arrival time? Write to info@evncar.com.
Starting from somewhere else?
Planning from a neighbouring country? Read Travel to Armenia from Romania, Travel to Armenia from Greece, Travel to Armenia from Cyprus or Travel to Armenia from Hungary. Questions first? Contact us.
Last verified 15 October 2026. Flights: Arka.am (26 August 2026) and BNR (27 August 2026) on the GullivAir restart; AeroRoutes on Wizz Air Varna; timetable aggregators for earlier Wizz Air Sofia service. Departure times unconfirmed. Bulgarian advice: mfa.bg English page on Armenia, updated 17 February 2026. Benchmarks: UK FCDO and Germany’s Auswärtiges Amt. Entry: Armenian foreign ministry visa-free list. Community figures: Bulgarian census data.