The drive from Burgas Airport to Sunny Beach is about 34 km north on the coast road, around 40 minutes in light traffic. You can take a taxi from the airport rank, book a transfer or hire car ahead, or ride city bus 15 into Burgas and change there to a regional bus heading north.
The bus in two stages: line 15, then a coastal bus north
Public transport gets you to the resort with one change in Burgas.
- Line 15 into the city. Bus 15 runs from the airport to the central bus station in Burgas. The airport is about 10 km from the centre, around 10 minutes by road.
- A coastal bus north. From Burgas, buses and minibuses leave for the resorts on both sides of the city. The northbound ones follow the coast through Pomorie, Aheloy, Ravda and Nessebar before they reach Sunny Beach.
For regional bus times and fares, check the South Bus Station timetable rather than an old schedule. Two vehicles and a wait in between make this the slowest way north, and juggling luggage across both is the real drawback. It works for light packers who are in no hurry.
Changing at the Burgas bus stations
Two names turn up for the change in Burgas. The airport's information sends bus 15 to the central bus station, where resort buses leave, while the city's tourist information calls the South Bus Station the transfer hub for the resorts.
- Ask the bus 15 driver where to get off for coastal buses heading north.
- Check that your second bus shows Sunny Beach, since buses for resorts south of Burgas leave from the same hub.
- Keep your hotel's name and address written down to show the second driver.
Landing late can make the connection a scramble. A night in one of the Burgas hotels and a morning bus is a calmer way to start.
Eko Taxi in front of Terminal 2
Eko Taxi is the airport's taxi service, working 24 hours a day with cars in front of Terminal 2. It is the most direct way north if you have booked nothing in advance. Check the airport's taxi information for current rates before you get in.
A Burgas Airport to Sunny Beach transfer booked ahead suits families who need child seats and anyone arriving in the small hours, because the pick-up is arranged before you land. If you are planning a Sunny Beach airport pick-up through your accommodation, ask the hotel whether it can arrange one.
What each stage costs
Walk through the trip leg by leg and the bus route adds up in small sums, while the taxi is a single fixed price you know before you set off.
Stage one, airport to Burgas. Bus 15 costs 0.80 EUR paid on board, or 0.66 EUR with the city's e-wallet, on the 2026 Burgas tariff. For a single ride, paying on board is the simpler choice.
Stage two, Burgas Yug to Sunny Beach. Burgas Yug is the South Bus Station. Buses north leave from sector 3 about every 20 minutes and alternate between two routes: one through Pomorie and Nessebar old town, the other through Kableshkovo. Tickets are sold on board. The municipality publishes the timetable but not the fare, so check locally when you board. If you are stopping in Nessebar, take the coast route.
The alternative, one fixed taxi fare. EkoTaxiBurgas, the airport's exclusive taxi provider, publishes one-way prices. To Sunny Beach, a car for up to four passengers costs 50 EUR, a car for six costs 60 EUR and a minivan for eight costs 70 EUR. Nessebar is listed at 50 EUR and Sveti Vlas at 55 EUR, which helps if you are still choosing between the three bases.
Prices checked October 2026.
Road 9 north: Pomorie, Aheloy, Ravda, Nessebar
Driving yourself is straightforward. OpenStreetMap routing puts you on road 9 and keeps you on it the whole way, about 34 km and about 40 minutes in free-flowing traffic. Nessebar's visitor information gives Sunny Beach as about 30 km from Burgas itself.
The driving route passes Pomorie and Nessebar. The northbound buses call along the same stretch of coast in this order:
- Pomorie
- Aheloy
- Ravda
- Nessebar
- Sunny Beach
Traffic on the coast road adds time, so leave a margin on the way back if you have a flight to catch or a hire car to return.
Sunny Beach or nearby Nessebar and Sveti Vlas
Nessebar comes before Sunny Beach on road 9, so staying there trims the airport run a little. Sveti Vlas is a separate base with its own hotels; ask the hotel there how guests usually arrive from Burgas, or check the South Bus Station timetable for buses.
If the Sunny Beach list does not fit your plans, compare Nessebar hotels and Sveti Vlas hotels before you book the ride.
Sunny Beach hotels
Six hotels in this guide sit in Sunny Beach, all in the top official category. Two of them are adults-only: Secrets Sunny Beach Resort & Spa takes guests over 18, and Noma Hotel is also adults-only.
| Hotel | Official category | Board | Adults only | Good fit for | Page | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barceló Royal Beach | 5-star | AI | No | families: kids club for ages 4 to 12, spa, heated indoor pool | View hotel | Check availability |
| Secrets Sunny Beach Resort & Spa | 5-star | ask the hotel | Yes (18+) | adults travelling without children | View hotel | ask the hotel |
| Helena Resort | 5-star | HB, UAI | No | guests who want a choice of HB or UAI | View hotel | Check availability |
| Nobel Hotel | 5-star | UAI | No | a UAI board in the Iztok quarter | View hotel | Check availability |
| Noma Hotel | 5-star | AI | Yes | couples and friends travelling without children, also in Iztok | View hotel | Check availability |
| Planeta Hotel | 5-star | UAI | No | guests who want a UAI board | View hotel | Check availability |
Compare the full Sunny Beach hotels shortlist before you settle on how to get there.
Questions
Which bus goes from Burgas Airport into the city?
Bus 15. It runs from the airport to the central bus station in Burgas, about 10 km away, and from there buses and minibuses leave for resorts north and south of the city. For Sunny Beach, change to a northbound coastal bus and check its departure time at the South Bus Station.
Where do buses to Sunny Beach leave from in Burgas?
From the city's bus station hub. Burgas tourist information names the South Bus Station as the transfer point for the resorts, and the airport says bus 15 runs to the central bus station, where resort buses depart. Ask the bus 15 driver which stop to use, then check the timetable there.
Which towns does the coast road pass?
Pomorie, Aheloy, Ravda and Nessebar, before Sunny Beach. That is the line the northbound buses from Burgas follow, and the driving route on road 9 passes Pomorie and Nessebar too. If you are staying in Nessebar, you leave the road a little earlier than guests heading for Sunny Beach.
Is the taxi fare to Sunny Beach fixed?
Yes. EkoTaxiBurgas, the airport's exclusive taxi provider, sets one-way prices in advance: 50 EUR for a car taking up to four passengers, 60 EUR for six and 70 EUR for a minivan taking eight. Cars wait in front of Terminal 2 around the clock, so a booking is not essential.
Is Nessebar closer to the airport than Sunny Beach?
Yes. Nessebar comes before Sunny Beach on road 9, so both the drive and the coastal bus reach it first. The full route to Sunny Beach is about 34 km from the airport, and Nessebar sits short of that on the same road, which makes for a slightly quicker arrival.
