Plovdiv to Varna: route and travel time

Updated: October 29, 2026

Plovdiv to Varna is about 380 km via the Trakia motorway and Burgas, around 4 h 30 min of driving. A shorter route over the Balkan range via the Shipka Pass and Veliko Tarnovo is about 350 km but usually slower, at 5 hours or more, and less predictable in winter. A private transfer from central Plovdiv to central Varna costs 290 € per vehicle.

The routes compared

Plovdiv lies in the Thracian plain, south of the Balkan range, and Varna on the northern coast. You either go round the eastern end of the mountains via Burgas, or straight over them. The motorway option is longer on the map and faster in practice.

Route	Approx. distance	Approx. time	Season	Best for
Trakia motorway to Burgas, then north to Varna	about 380 km	4 h 30 min	All year	Speed and predictability
Via Stara Zagora, Shipka Pass, Veliko Tarnovo, Shumen	about 350 km	5 h – 5 h 30 min	Best April to October	Scenery, stops at Shipka and Veliko Tarnovo
Via Sliven, Kotel and Shumen	about 340 km	5 h or more	Not ideal in winter	Travellers going to Kotel or Shumen

Via Burgas: the default

You join the Trakia motorway at Plovdiv and follow it east for about 2 h 30 min to Burgas. From there, the main road north to Varna takes another 1 h 30 min to 2 h, depending on summer traffic and which of the inland or coastal lines the driver takes. There are no high passes, so this is the winter choice.

• Motorway for about two thirds of the trip.
• Plenty of fuel stations and cafés on the Trakia.
• Summer weekends bring heavy traffic around Burgas and on the road north.
• Good if you are combining Varna with a stop on the southern coast.

Over the Balkan range

The direct line goes north from Stara Zagora to Kazanlak, over the Shipka Pass to Gabrovo, then east via Veliko Tarnovo to Shumen, where the eastern section of the Hemus motorway runs to Varna. It is the more interesting drive, with the Shipka Memorial and Veliko Tarnovo on the way, but the pass is a winding mountain road.

In winter Shipka is maintained but can be slowed or temporarily closed by heavy snow. Our article Is the Shipka Pass open in winter? explains how to check and which alternatives to use.

Planning by season

Season	Recommended route	Why
November to March	Via Burgas	No mountain passes
April to June, September to October	Either	Choose by whether you want stops
July to August	Either; leave early	Coast traffic around Burgas; the mountain route avoids it

Stops worth making

If you go over the mountains, Veliko Tarnovo is the obvious stop, about halfway. Our guide to stops between Sofia and Varna covers it and others east of it, such as Madara. On the Burgas route, Stara Zagora and the Black Sea at Burgas itself are the natural breaks.

Other options

There is no direct flight between Plovdiv and Varna. Coaches and trains connect the two cities, typically with longer journey times than a car. Check timetables with the operators. For families and groups, the per-vehicle price of a private transfer often compares well with several individual tickets.

If you are starting in Sofia instead, see Sofia to Varna by car. For a Danube destination, see Sofia to Ruse.

Between November and March, check the forecast and road status for the Shipka Pass the evening before; if snow is expected, the Burgas route is the sensible default.