Bulgaria has been fully inside Schengen since 1 January 2025, land and sea borders included, so arriving from another EU country there is no passport check at all.
Bulgaria is in the EU, so EU roaming rules apply and most European plans work here at no extra cost. Non-EU visitors can buy a local prepaid SIM or eSIM at the airport or any operator shop; you will need your passport.
4G and 5G coverage is good in towns, along motorways and on most of the coast. It disappears in mountain valleys and in parts of the Rhodopes and Strandzha — which is exactly why this guide keeps everything on your device.
Free Wi-Fi is common in cafés and in the centres of the larger towns.
