Wondering if I need cash for taxis in Bulgaria or if I can just pay with card or app like in other countries?
My takeaway from Bulgaria is that taxis can go either way with payments. The larger companies in Sofia are usually okay with cards, but it’s not universal. Independent drivers are often cash-only. I mostly paid cash to avoid hassles. Apps worked well in Sofia, but outside of that, you’ll definitely need leva. I’d recommend carrying cash even if you plan to use apps, just in case the driver insists the terminal isn’t working.
I used taxis in Sofia and Plovdiv, and it really depended on the company. Some cars had working card machines, but a couple of times the driver said the terminal was “out of order” and asked for cash instead. Apps were much more reliable if you want to pay by card. If you’re going to smaller towns, assume cash is the rule. Don’t rely solely on cards, because drivers often find reasons not to accept them.
In Bulgaria, I’d say cash still dominates with taxis. Yes, some bigger companies offer card machines, but it’s inconsistent, and I had two occasions where they said it wasn’t working. Apps like TaxiMe are great for Sofia if you want to pay digitally, but outside the major cities, forget about it-drivers will want cash only. My advice is to plan for cash as your main option, and consider card or apps as a backup where available.
Bulgaria is a bit mixed. In Sofia, I found several taxi companies that accepted card payments, but you had to specifically request a car with a terminal when booking. Hailing one from the street often meant cash only. Outside the capital, it was much harder to find card-accepting taxis. Apps like TaxiMe in Sofia let you link a card, which was convenient. Still, I’d say always keep some leva in cash, because not every driver takes cards.