Connectivity Guide for Bulgaria
byCharles McQuainBulgaria has three mobile networks: A1, Vivacom, and Yettel. Yettel is the former Telenor Bulgaria, renamed in 2022, so older guides may still call it Telenor. All three have held 5G licences since 2021. In Opensignal's January 2026 report, A1 had the fastest downloads and Vivacom won every coverage award, so whichever network your eSIM uses, you're in good shape in populated areas.
Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, and Burgas all have fast, reliable coverage, as do the ski towns of Bansko and Borovets. Up on the hiking trails of the Rila and Pirin mountains — including the walk to the Seven Rila Lakes — don't count on signal the whole way; download offline maps before you set out. 112 is the emergency number.
Bulgaria is in the EU, fully joined Schengen in 2025, and switched to the euro on January 1, 2026, so any Europe-wide eSIM covers it. One thing that catches visitors out: Uber doesn't operate in Bulgaria, and Bolt runs scooters there rather than rides. Locals book taxis through apps like TaxiMe or by calling companies such as OK Supertrans and Yellow Taxi.
Combining Bulgaria With Romania or Greece?
Bulgaria is a popular add-on to Romania, Greece, and Turkey trips. For the EU countries, one Europe-wide eSIM covers the whole route. Turkey isn't in the EU, though, so check that a regional plan lists it explicitly before you rely on it for an Istanbul leg.
Why trust this comparison?
We compare 14 providers for Bulgaria using published plan data and real-world testing. Affiliate commissions keep AvailSim free but never influence rankings. Read our methodology