Route · Bulgaria · ~1750 km
Road charges Warsaw → Sunny Beach
A route to the Black Sea through Slovakia, Hungary and Romania to Bulgaria - each of these countries requires an electronic vignette (the cheap rovinieta in Romania, the e-vinetka in Bulgaria).
Trip summary
- Distance
- ~1750 km
- Countries with charges
- 4
- Road charges from
- ~€42
Updated: July 2026
What you need on this route
Slovakia
Vignette (time-based charge)
Hungary
Vignette (time-based charge)
Romania
Vignette (time-based charge)
Bulgaria
Vignette (time-based charge)
Driving to Bulgaria: the practical guide
Which way to drive?
The classic route to the Bulgarian coast runs east: a short transit through Slovakia (Kosice), then Hungary past Debrecen, into Romania at Bors near Oradea, across Transylvania via Cluj and Sibiu, and over the Danube bridge at Ruse into Bulgaria. An alternative runs through Serbia and Belgrade - sometimes faster, but Serbian motorways charge section tolls at gates and the EU border queues at both ends can eat the difference.
Vignettes for the classic route
- •Slovakia - short transit, a 1-day e-vignette for 45 zł is enough,
- •Hungary - 10-day country vignette, 99 zł (returning later than 10 days? take the monthly, 159 zł),
- •Romania - rovinieta 10-day for 26 zł, or 30-day for 41 zł if you stay two weeks or more; it is required on ordinary national roads too, not just motorways,
- •Bulgaria - weekly e-vignette 45 zł, or 30-day 79 zł for a longer stay; also required outside motorways,
- •the Danube bridge at Ruse charges its own small toll on crossing.
Watch out in Romania and Bulgaria
Both countries enforce vignettes by camera on regular roads, so buy before you cross each border, not when you first see a motorway. Plates with a typo count as no vignette. Keep some cash or a card ready for the Ruse bridge and for Serbian gates if you pick that variant.
Distance and time
Warsaw to Sunny Beach is roughly 1,750 km - around 20 hours of driving, so nearly everyone splits it with a night near Cluj, Sibiu or Bucharest. From Krakow it is about 250 km less. Two drivers swapping can do it in one push, but the Romanian mountain sections are slow and best driven in daylight.
Frequently asked questions about this route
Do I need a vignette to drive to Bulgaria?
Yes. Bulgaria requires a vignette on motorways and expressways, including foreign-registered cars. It is electronic and tied to your plate.
How much are the road charges on the Warsaw - Sunny Beach route?
The full set of official charges on this route starts from about 179 zł (vignettes and tolls for the transit countries). We calculate the exact amount from your departure date and chosen route variant - you pay the official operator price plus a transparent Roadence service fee, with no hidden costs.
Which vignettes do you need when driving to Bulgaria?
On this route vignettes are required in: Slovakia (from 45 zł), Hungary (from 79 zł), Romania (from 26 zł) and Bulgaria (from 29 zł). Each is tied to your registration number, so you enter it once at checkout and we buy the whole set for your chosen period.
What is the penalty for missing a vignette in Slovakia?
Mandat do 300 EUR. That is why it pays to have the vignette from the first motorway kilometre - we buy it in advance and assign it to your registration so it is valid when you enter.
From when is the vignette valid after purchase?
Electronic vignettes bought through Roadence are valid from the start date you choose (usually straight away). We send confirmations with your registration number by email, normally within a few hours - in good time before your trip. Travelling today? Email kontakt@roadence.com and we will prioritise it.
Where to sleep on the way
Popular overnight stops on this route - compare stays on Booking.com:
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