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Bulgaria Airports-Varna-Burgas-Sofia-Plovdiv
There are several ways to get to Bulgaria:
There are 3 main airports - Sofia, Varna and Burgas.
Sofia airport is operating all year round and serves many regular destinations to/from most European big airports. Varna and Burgas airports are operating mostly from May to September because of the big touristic flow and charter flights to Black Sea resorts.
Car Rental -Varna Airport is situated 7 km West of Varna, in the North-East part of Bulgaria. It is easily accessible by road. Currently, Varna Airport is subject to heavy traffic following the growing tourist industry in Bulgaria and is in need of major investments to modernize, expand and handle projected passenger traffic. In June, 2006 the Bulgarian Government awarded Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide a 35 year long concession on Varna airport in return for investments exceeding 500 million, including a new passenger terminal by 2008.
VARNA
Car Hire-Bulgaria-"Varna" is the biggest city at the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Varna is situated 470 km east of Sofia. In the course of more than 7 millennia, the Gulf of Varna has been the cradle of several significant civilizations - humankind's oldest gold was excavated in Varna, created by people who inhabited that place around the 4th millennium BC and long before the Thracians, Greeks, Bulgarians and Turks. The third largest city, Varna, after Sofia and Plovdiv is Bulgaria's most animated metropolis and it rivals Sofia and Plovdiv in providing a wide range of sights and museums. The outstanding treasures of the Archeological Museum include the Chalcolithic necropolis with the oldest examples of gold jewellery ever discovered, and impressive Greek, Thracian and Bulgarian artifacts. Of particular interest are the National Revival Museum, the Ethnographic and City Historical Museum, the Art Gallery, the Navy Museum and the Aquarium, the Natural History Museum, the Zoo and the Dolphinarium, the Sea Gardens. Of more historical value are 17th century Cathedral of the Holy Mother, the Church of St Atanas, the 2 century Roman thermae. As well as being a beach resosrt in its own right, Varna offers access to the first-class resorts of Sveti Konstantin, Sunny Day, Golden Sands and Albena, the natural reserve at Kamchiya, the rock monastery of Aladja.
History
On 24 December 1919 the first mail-plane from Sofia to Varna landed here, but this airline was functional for only one month. It was not until 1947 that a permanent airline from Varna to Sofia started to operate. The first Junkers 52 aircraft landed at Tihina Airport on 2nd August. Their were said to be only four passengers on this flight, and the total flights that year came to six, with a total of 23 passengers on board. Tihina Airport itself was located in the outskirts of “Asparuhovo” district, to the west of the present-day Asparuhovo Bridge, in the place of the canal. It occupied an area of approximately 1000-15000 decares and its facilities included a hangar and a workshop. Flight directions were quite primitive at that time: stones held an enormous canvas in the form of the letter T (for Tihina) to the runway.
On 9th May 1948 the new airport of Varna was officially opened for business. as "Car Rental Varna-Bulgaria"The first aircraft from Sofia with its official guests on board landed on the aerodrome at 10:40 AM. The flight took 2 and a half hours. As was the case with “Tihina” airport, the aircraft used for that occasion was also a Junkers 52. A couple of wooden cabins were used for administrative needs, technical maintenance and storehouses. The total staff included only 4 people - the head of the department, a wireless operator and two mechanics. Construction work continued throughout the following years. In 1961 a new concrete runway 2500m in length and 24-26 cm in thickness was ready for use. A light-signaling system was also constructed there thus making night-flights much easier. In 1967 the stopping place was widened and 4 new tracks were built. Meanwhile radiolocation and radio navigation equipment was installed. The first AR1 survey locator was imported from England. After 1996 a TRAC VIEW-220 multi-radar flight control system was added to the airport facilities.
On 25th September 1972 a new airport reception building started functioning. It was designed by “Transproject Co.”& "Car Rental Varna-Bulgaria", Sofia and consisted of three wings: Administrative and Technical Department, Domestic Lines, International Lines, as well as a big parking lot outside the building. The second storey of the Domestic Lines wing hosts a 130-seat restaurant, and duty free shops and currency shops can be found in the international terminal. Bigger airplanes and heavier traffic led to the necessity of thickening the runway in 1974. The following year central heating facilities, fire precaution depot and a pumping station were completed.Taking into consideration the considerable flow of passengers and load, as well as the greater expectations for the role of Varna airport in the overall development of the region, a new general plan has been developed for the complex over the last couple of years. It provides for modernization of both the International Terminal and the Domestic Lines Terminal. Major changes will affect transportation and heavy load handling - lengthening of the existing runway; construction of a new landing strip for heavy load aircraft; heavy load truck parking lot; storehouses; loading terminal
Rent A Car-GOLDEN SANDS-BULGARIA
"Car Rental Varna-Bulgaria"The Golden Sands resort is the largest one on the northern Black Sea coast. It is situated 18 km northeast of Varna at the foot of hills, covered with virgin forests descending into the prime attraction of the resort - its 4 km long soft, pale golden beach. Summer sea temperatures are only a few degrees below the 27C air temperature which together with the ever growing number of modern hotels and restaurants, make Golden Sands one of the most desirable destinations on the Black Sea. Golden Sands also offers a wide range of bars, discos, a casino, outdoor pools, some of which mineral, and plenty of sports facilities and activities such as scuba diving, waterskiing and paraskiing. Golden sands is abundant in lush vegetation and with the numerous bushes and trees it resembles a real park. The transport between Golden Sands and the big city of Varna is well organised. Apart from the bus lines connecting the resort to the city and to the airport as well, there are a lot of minibuses and private taxis. Because of the big competition the prices of the tickets are moderate.
"Cars Rental Bulgaria Bourgas airport" is situated in a picturesque bay on the Southern Bulgarian Black Sea coast, 10 km Northeast of the city of Burgas. Within a 35 km radius of the airport are situated the attractive seaside resorts of Sunny beach, Nessebar, Elenite and Sozopol. In near proximity is also Varna airport. At the end of 2004 Bourgas Airport was rated "Bulgaria’s Best Airport"as Shams Co. Rent A Car Burgas, and received the award of the Ministry of Transportation for the most dynamically developing airport in Bulgaria. The potential of Burgas Airport for handling passengers and cargo has a strong effect on the trade and tourism development in Bourgas region.
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BURGAS BULGARIA |
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The city of Burgas is the second largest port on the Black Sea coast, situated in the western part of Burgas Bay, 390 km east of Sofia. Viewed from the bay, Bulgaria-Burgas Car rental looks as if emerging from the sea because it is located at an altitude of only 17 meters, between three lakes: Burgas, Mandrensko, and Atanassovsko. It is a major administrative, cultural and business center, transport junction, one of Bulgaria's most dynamically developing cities, and the fourth largest city in terms of population. This relatively young city is a descendant of ancient Thracian and Roman civilizations. Burgas has a typical cosmopolitan seaport atmosphere with full of sunshine summer, beaches, sea gardens, cultural events, fine restaurants and cafes. Places of interest are the Etnographic Museum, the Art Gallery, housed in what used to be a synagogue, the Archeological and Historical Museums, as well as the Armenian Church and the Church of SS Kiril and Metodii.
"Car Rental SUNNY BEACH "
BULGARIA
rent a car-"Sunny Beach" is the largest seaside resort on the Bulgarian Riviera located a couple of miles , north-west of Town of Nessebar. On the beach or in the quiet greenery of the specious park land, with a cottage settlements in orchards and vineyards, and a shady campsites you will find a place that suites style and budget. The estimated sun hours per day are 11 and 1700 for the period May to September. Conditions for water sports are excellent indeed. Hundreds of restaurants, taverns and entertainment places are open till early in the morning to satisfy any taste and preferences. This fine beach resort was awarded the prestigious Blue Flag International prize for proven ecological advantages. Sunny Beach has more than 100 hotels, 2 campsites, over 130 catering establishments: restaurants, taverns with folklore shows, bars with floor shows, night clubs, casino, discos and cafes, providing culinary pleasures and a good mood. "Car Rental Varna-Bulgaria"Every conceivable opportunity for sports: surfing, water skis and parachutes, hang-gliding and banana, sailing, yachts, paddle boats, cutters, scooters, rowboats, tennis courts, beach volleyball, playing grounds, mini-golf, skittle alley, bowling, riding ground, fitness halls, sports tournaments for amateurs and professionals. |
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Sofia airport is located within the Northeast boundaries of Sofia - the capital of Bulgaria. It is 7 km away from the city center and can be reached by taxi for 20-25 minutes. Sofia airport is the main Bulgarian airport and also take a central place on the Balkan peninsula. In December 2006, a new Terminal 2 has opened providing contemporary airport facilities to its passengers - free hot spot internet zone, duty free shops, information desks, variety of restaurants and coffee shops. Sofia airport also has a Business Class Lounge located on the 2nd floor of the Departure Hall.
"SOFIA BULGARIA Car Rental"
Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, lies in the Sofia plain, enclosed by the Balkan Range Mountain to the north, and Mount Vitosha to the south. A city with a 7000-year-old history where excavations in its very centre bring up objects from Neolithic man, and remnants of the stone and bronze era, Sofia was a settlement for Thracians, Romans, Bulgarians, Byzantines and Ottoman. Several buildings and most of the sites of particular interest are found in the center of Sofia within easy walking distance of each other: the Church of St Nedelya, the 13 century Chapel of St Petka Paraskeva- a medieval foundation dwarfed beneath turn-of-the-century buildings, the Banya Bashi Mosque near Sofia's mineral baths, the sunken Church of St Petka Samardzhiiska originally built in the 14 century, the 4th century Rotonda of St George-Sofia's oldest church, the Russian Church, the National Assembly, the National Art Gallery and the Ethnographic Museum housed in the former royal palace. One of the finest pieces of architecture on the Balkans and certainly Sofia's crowning glory, is the Alexander Nevski Memorial Cathedral honouring the Russsian casualties of the 1877-78 War of Liberation. Nearby is the Church of St Sofia dating from late Roman times believed to have given its name to the capital. Sofia's liveliest areas include the Ivan Vazov National Theatre, the monument of Cyril and Metodii in front of the National Library, the National Palace
Sofia International Airport
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Letishte Sofiya (Vrazhdebna) |
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History
Shams Co.Rent A Car at The airport was initially built in the late 1930s on a site 6.3 kilometres/3.8 miles (7.5km/4.5m by road then; later 9km/5.5m by road and today 10.2km/6.1m and up to 11.4km/6.8m) distant from the geographical centre of Sofia as a replacement of that city's small civil airport at Bozhurishte. Sofia then had under 250,000 inhabitants. The airport continues to serve the same city, which in 2006 passed the two million inhabitant mark.
During the Second World War, the facilities were used by the military. Mail, perishable freight and passenger operations began in 1947 from buildings on the north side of the airport. The passenger terminal (now Terminal 1) on the south side of the airport was completed during the Second World War in the manner of a then-modern European railway terminus to designs by the architect Ivan Marangozov. It opened after several years of delay in 1947. The structure comprised a government wing to the west, an international handling area in the middle, and a domestic handling area to the east. At that time, it was planned that the airport would eventually have two intesecting runways orientated at a 30-degree angle to each other.
The terminal had substantially reached its capacity of some 600,000 passengers a year by the later 1960s and was subjected to a number of refurbishments and extensions beginning in the spring of 1968. In 1975, a new international arrivals handling extension was opened to the west of the building, the domestic area to the east was enlarged, the government handling area was removed to a dedicated terminal some distance to the west, a VIP handling area opened in the old terminal, , apron area was extended to the east and new taxiways opened. A bonded warehouse opened to the east of the terminal square in 1969 and several new hangars followed to the east of the first maintenance base in the 1970s. A new checked baggage handling system opened to the north of the building in the early 1980s, cosmetic and traffic reorganising refurbishments were carried out in 1990, with a substantial landside extension following in 2000.
By the late 1970s, the terminal was handling in the region of three million passengers a year, a million of them on domestic routes. Passenger numbers fell off sharply after the 1979 CMEA ("Comecon") oil price shock and recovered to just over a million a year by the late 1980s. In the early and mid-1990s, domestic traffic practically ceased, while foreign traffic reduced significantly. The latter began growing apace in the late 1990s and early 2000s to reach its current levels. The terminal was last refurbished partially in 1990. In 2000 it underwent a wholesale update in which the international arrivals area was moved to the east wing where domestic handling had been, the former international arrivals area to the west was closed, and the layout of the central international departures area was changed in line with world developments. Despite the works to the old terminal, the airport was becoming overwhelmed with passenger traffic.
Options for different airport developments began to be examined in the mid-1960s. One option was to relocate the facility to a new site, with candidate locations up to 70 KM from Sofia). Another option involved extending the airport's area radically to the north-east and gradually removing the focus of the airport there. A third option was to develop substantially the same site. By the later 1980s the authorities had settled on the last option. Project design, involving a new terminal to the east of the old facility, a new runway to the north of (and parallel to) the existing runway, and taxiways, was completed by the mid-1990s. A finance package involving very significant European and Kuwaiti investment was initially agreed in 1998 and was in place by 2000. Works began in 2001. The new runway and some taxiways were completed in mid-2006. Terminal 2 was formally inaugurated on 27,Dec.2006
Design and construction of a new control tower was mooted in 2006 but this project appeared to be in abeyance by 2008. Over the years, Sofia Airport has been criticised for its lack of world class air freight facilities and for some access problems. Passengers to and from the Bulgarian interior have to access or egress the airport through crowded rail and coach facilities in central Sofia. A rail link has been mooted on several occasions since the 1960s but no moves have been documented to its implementation. The airport is occasionally criticised as a source of environmental noise and pollution and strict noise abatement procedures have been enforced for departing traffic since the mid-1970s, while arriving traffic is generally routed to approach the field from the east, clear of Sofia.
A significant and recurring operational criticism of "Car Rental-Sofia Airport" has concerned its historical lack of all-weather operations capability. Though the new runway was designed for ICAO Category 3 operations, in 2007 it emerged that radio interference from security fencing, and most significantly from a large newly-built lorry park, prevented certification (and hence use) of the associated radio navigational aids. During the winter months, the airport, located on a high alluvial plain surrounded by mountains, suffers from very significant and frequent fog precipitation. In such circumstances, flights are redirected to diversion airports in Bulgaria or neighbouring countries, lengthening journeys by many hours.
Airport reconstruction
A model of the new airport terminal in the departures hall
The old airport terminal, now known as Terminal 1
According to the plan a new car rentals-Sofia Airport terminal was built to the east of the current terminal, and a second runway was constructed alongside the existing one. The existing runway has been turned into a taxiway parallel to the newly constructed runway. Both cross the Iskar river. The new runway was opened in August 2006, while the new terminal opened in December, 2006.
Total cost of the project was planned at 200 million euro. Finance was secured in 1997-98 from the European Investment Bank (60 million euro), Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (12.3 million Kuwaiti dinars, approx. 41.5 million euro), and the European UnionPHARE Programme (7.6 million euro). In August 2000 an ISPA grant of 50 million euro was allocated and in December the Financing Memorandum was signed.
The construction works were in two lots: the new terminal with its surrounding infrastructure, and the new runway. The first lot was allocated to the German branch of Austrian company Strabag, while the second lot was won by a consortium of Kuwaiti company Mohamed Abdulmohsin al-Kharafi & Sons and UAE-based Admak General Contracting Company.all these arabian constructions companies are a regualer client to Shams-Car Rental-Bulgaria-Sofia-Varna-Burgas-Plovdiv-suuny Beach-Golden Sands..
Delays to terminal construction
Sofia's Airport as seen from space
shams Car Renatl Sofia Bulgaria...The initial completion deadline for the new terminal was 15 December 2004 to a total budget of 112.2 million euro. Immediately after works started, Strabag contested the geogegical surveys by Dutch consutants NACO B.V. and demanded additional funding for unexpected additional works. The delay was ten months, and construction resumed after the Bulgarian government agreed to augment the project's value by 4.8 million euro and extend the deadline to 31 August 2005.
In 2004 Strabag demanded an additional 6 million euro due to rising steel prices The Ministry of Transportation rejected the claim, backed by a report from NACO. In May 2005 the contractor threatened to take the case to international arbitration. In August 2005, it became clear that Strabag would not be able to meet the changed deadline, slippage being put at six to eight weeks In November 2005 Strabag asked for eight months' further extension.
Runway System
On 31st August 2006, Sofia Airport set its new runway system to operation, replacing the old and out-of-date facilities. The new runway is offset at 210 m to the north of the old runway, with the eastern end of its 3600 m long strip crossing over the Iskar river bed on a specially constructed bridge. New rapid and connecting taxiways are built additionally to open way for 200 aircraft movements per hour at a high level of safety. The navigational aids installed on the new runway enable landing operations under low visibility conditions at category III of the ICAO standards. Two de-icing platforms are constructed to allow centralised de-icing procedures in winter, They are just an element of the overall strategy of Sofia Airport for environmental protection and reduction of the harmful effects resulting from the airport operations.
Lufthansa Technik-Sofia
Lufthansa Technik Sofia was founded in late 2007 as a joint venture between Lufthansa Technik (80%) and the Bulgarian Aviation Group (20%). With the foundation of Lufthansa Technik Sofia, the Lufthansa Technik Group has created a fifth platform for the overhaul and maintenance of narrowbody aircraft in Europe. The Bulgarian facility serves customers in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The facility had undergone a major reconstruction & upgrading, the target was to be ready for the heaviest stage of aircraft maintenance checks D-Check, that will be carried out in Bulgaria. Meanwhile the more than 350 staff was trained in Bulgaria and at Lufthansa Technik facilities in Shannon Base Maintenance operations have started in the fourth quarter of 2008 with one Airbus A321 from Lufthansa, as the first customer.
New Control Tower
The director of RVD (Administration of Air Traffic) Emanuil Radev announced that the new control tower of Sofia airport must be ready by 2010 or at latest 2011. On August 4 a jury of 15 members has chosen a project for the flight tower at an open anonymous competition. First place takes the project of "Arhitektonika studio" OOD which will receive the sum of 20,000 levs. The choice of consultant and executors is forthcoming. The contract with the consultant is expected to be signed by the end of August. The executors must selected by the beginning of 2009. The engineering execution of the project will cost 177,000 levs, while the construction, according to preliminary calculations - at least 5-6 million levs. Taxes for the aero-navigational service are expected to decrease by 4-4,5 percent, the director of RVD informs. The process will continue stage by stage till 2011 and is run according to the partner agreement for cooperation with National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA). The agreement in question is conducted on free will and Bulgaria is the third country that is conducting such an agreement. One of the goals is to unburden the plight of the transporters, after the drastic increase of the price of fuels.
Bus
Two bus routes connect the airport to the Sofia University area of Sofia city centre. Travel time is some 20 minutes depending on traffic conditions. From/to Terminal 1 the link is by bus No84 and from/to Terminal 2 the bus line is No284. Ticket prices per trip in July 2008 were lev 1 (the equivalent of 50 euro cents), with pre-purchased tickets from kiosks or newsagents.
Shuttle bus
A small shuttle bus (No30) connects the two terminals with the city centre and Sofia's biggest residential area of Lyulin Ticket price in April 2008 was leva 1.50 (some 0.75).
Taxi : Save with "Shams Car Rental-Sofia-Bulgaria-Varna-Burgas"
Taxis are available at the landside of the arrivals areas of Terminals 1 and 2. The taxi fare to central Sofia is between leva 5 and 8 depending on traffic. Average daytime fares per kilometre started at leva 0.70 in April 2008. Tourists and visitors from outside Bulgaria should pay attention when looking for a taxi. They should look for the assistance of taxi companies whose front offices are located INSIDE the airport terminal. Any price higher than 1 leva/km for night-time is fraud. Sofia International Airport is well connected to both the Turkiya andHemus motorways.
Terminal 1
Rent A Car at this terminal, which is well known to the inbound/ outbound passengers in Sofia, now has a new name - Terminal 1. It was built in the first half of XXth century, extended and improved many times, fundamentally renovated in 2000, still making, though, curious allusions to the latest history of the continent. Terminal 1 offers easy access, simple procedures and efficient services up to the modern airport standard.
Terminal 2
Outside view of Terminal 2
The central area of Terminal 2
The waiting area of Terminal 2
Car Rental at the new Terminal 2 was officially opened on 27 December 2006 with the symbolic arrival of Bulgaria Air flight FB 408 from Brussels. It was one of the biggest projects in Bulgaria to receive funds from the EU ISPA programme. The price includes the new terminal, new aircraft parking aprons, upgrading the existing aircraft parking aprons and the construction of connecting taxiways. The terminal has 7 air-bridges, 38 check-in desks and covers an area of 50,000 sq m and has a car park for 820 vehicles.
The new terminal is located to the east of Terminal 1 and is significantly bigger than the old one which continues to serve low-cost and charter airlines.
The new passenger terminal building is designed with a capacity of 2,000 peak hour passengers or up to 2.6 million passengers a year, plus 26,000 tonnes of luggage. For the first time in Bulgaria, a terminal has airbridge-equipped gates instead of relying on airside busses.
The new Sofia Airport Centre a premiere corporate office for Shams Car Rental, hospitality and logistics centre in Bulgaria is being constructed in the vicinity.
The infrastructure surrounding the building was expected to be completed in 2007. It includes a new dual carriageway road connecting the terminal to the existing airport road, and landscaping including an artificial lake and a fountain.The airlines ticketing offices, tourist and car hire desks, banks, post office, and cafeterias in Terminal 2 are located in the public area. The travel retail shops, Bulgarian wine and spirits shop and Business lounges are located airside beyond the area of border control. Terminal 2 is designed with special attention to disabled passengers. Their access to the different terminal levels and the multi-storey car park is facilitated via lifts and escalators.
" Our Car Rental -Plovdiv airport" is located 10 km South-East of Plovdiv on the main motorway to Assenovgrad. It can be reached for a 15-20 minutes drive by taxi. Plovdiv airport is mainly specialized in servicing charter flights for the Bulgarian mountain ski resorts Pamporovo and Borovets which are respectevly 60 and 90 km away. It is also specialized in handling oversized and bulk cargo. The proximity of Plovdiv airport to the capital of Bulgaria - Sofia (130kms or a 1,5 hour drive) makes it a vigelant alternative to Sofia airport in bad wheater conditions.
Our Car Rental-Plovdiv -Bulgaria's second-largest city. Plovdiv is one of its most attractive and vibrant centers, situated in the Upper Thracian valley, along the two banks of Maritza, scattered upon six unique syenite hills. Certainly, there's plenty to see: the old town embodies Plovdiv's long and varied history - Thracian fortifications overlaid with Byzantine walls, and by great timber-framed mansions erected during the Bulgarian renaissance, looking down on the Ottoman mosques and artisans' dwellings of the lower town. But Plovdiv isn't merely a parade of antiquities: the city's arts festivals and trade fairs rival Sofia's in number, and its restaurants and hotels compare favourably with those of the capital. The Roman Plovdiv revolves around the ruins of a Roman stadium and forum, the Turkish Baths, the 15 century Imaret dzhamiya and the impressive Dzhumaya dzhamiya or "Friday mosque" with its diamond-patterned minaret and lead-sheathed domes. The old Plovdiv, most of which is designated as an Architectural-Historical Reserve, is remarkable with its cobbled, hilly streets, churches and colourful orieled National Revival-style houses that are Plovdiv's specialty. A splendid landmark and a venue for concerts and plays, is the Roman theatre, whose imposing ruins are practically the only remains of an acropolis which the Romans built when they made the town a provincial capital during the 2nd century
"Rent A Car Bulgaria- Varna-Sofia-Buorgas-Plovdev" http://www.
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