Charging an Electric Car on the Way to Nesebar: Rules, Payment and Prices

Driving to Nesebar in an electric car is no longer an adventure, but it does take a little more planning than a petrol stop. This guide explains what EU law requires from charging station operators, how to pay without a subscription or an app, how to read the price on the charger, and how to plan the drive from Sofia or from Varna.

Prices here were checked in November 2026 and they change, so always look at the current price on the charger itself or in the operator's app before you plug in.

In short

Since 13 April 2024 the EU Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), Regulation (EU) 2023/1804, has applied across the EU, Bulgaria included. It covers payment, prices and data at charging stations.
At new public charging points you must be able to pay ad hoc, without a contract, with a widely used payment instrument. At points of 50 kW or more that means a card reader or a contactless device.
At points of 50 kW or more built from 13 April 2024, the price must be per kWh and shown to you before you start.
Along the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), countries must gradually provide charging pools no more than 60 km apart in each direction.
Example prices as of November 2026: the Eldrive network lists €0.41 per kWh for AC and €0.46 per kWh for DC, VAT included, without a subscription.

What the EU regulation promises

AFIR is a regulation, not a directive, so it applies directly in Bulgaria. It sets targets for countries and requirements for charging point operators.

There are two kinds of target for cars. The first is tied to the fleet: at the end of each year from 2024, there must be at least 1.3 kW of publicly accessible charging power for every registered battery electric car, and at least 0.8 kW for every plug-in hybrid.

The second is tied to roads. Charging pools must be placed in each direction of travel no more than 60 km apart:

Deadline	TEN-T core network	TEN-T comprehensive network
31 Dec 2025	at least 400 kW in total, at least one 150 kW point	—
31 Dec 2027	at least 600 kW, at least two 150 kW points	along at least 50% of its length: 300 kW, one 150 kW point
31 Dec 2030	—	300 kW, at least one 150 kW point
31 Dec 2035	—	600 kW, at least two 150 kW points

These are obligations on governments, and the regulation allows some exceptions that countries notify to the European Commission. So the goal is clear, but do not count on a free fast charger every 60 km. Which roads belong to TEN-T is shown on the European Commission's interactive TENtec map.

Paying without a subscription or an app

This is the most useful part of the regulation for someone on holiday who does not want five apps on their phone.

At all public charging points built from 13 April 2024, you must be able to charge ad hoc, without a contract with the operator, paying with a payment instrument widely used in the EU.
At points of 50 kW or more this means a payment card reader or a contactless device that can at least read payment cards.
At slower points below 50 kW, an internet-connected payment device such as a QR code is also allowed.
From 1 January 2027 the card or contactless requirement also covers older points of 50 kW or more on the TEN-T network or in safe and secure parking areas.
If a station offers automatic authentication (through an app or a contract), the operator must still let you choose to pay ad hoc.

AFIR also says prices must be reasonable, easily and clearly comparable, transparent and non-discriminatory. Different prices for different customers are allowed only when the difference is proportionate and objectively justified.

One practical warning: when you pay by card at the terminal, some operators block an amount first. Eldrive, for example, says a pre-authorisation of €50 including VAT is made for POS terminal payments, and the difference above the final price is released after charging. Keep this in mind if your card has a low limit.

Reading the price on the charger

The regulation says what you must see before you start:

At points of 50 kW or more built from 13 April 2024, the ad hoc price is based on the price per kWh delivered. An occupancy fee per minute may be added. Both must be shown at the station before the session starts.
At points below 50 kW, all price components must be clearly and easily available at the station, in this order: price per kWh, price per minute, price per session, and other components.
If you charge through a mobility service provider (an app or card that works across many networks), it must show you the price for that session before it starts, by electronic means.

Example as of November 2026 from Eldrive's Bulgarian price list, VAT included:

Charging type	No subscription	SMART plan (€4.60 a month)	PRO plan (€9.71 a month)
AC (7–22 kW)	€0.41 per kWh	€0.33 per kWh	€0.30 per kWh
DC (24–500 kW)	€0.46 per kWh	€0.38 per kWh	€0.30 per kWh

At AC points Eldrive also charges €0.03 per minute after the fourth hour. At the DC price without a subscription, 40 kWh costs €18.40. Whether a subscription pays off depends on how many kWh you will charge in the month: compare the monthly fee with the discount. Other networks set their own prices, so check on the spot.

Which cable and how much power

The European Commission's European Alternative Fuels Observatory describes the standards like this:

AC (alternating current) uses the Type 2 (Mennekes) connector. Slow single-phase charging is below 7.4 kW, three-phase is 7.4 to 22 kW, and fast AC is above 22 kW.
DC (direct current) in Europe uses CCS/Combo 2. DC below 50 kW counts as slow, 50 to 150 kW as fast, and 150 kW and above as ultra-fast.
CHAdeMO is the Japanese DC standard and its importance in Europe is fading.

AFIR requires DC points to have a fixed cable (deadline 14 April 2025), so at fast chargers you usually do not need your own. The regulation does not require a fixed cable at AC points, so at an AC point without one you will need your own Type 2 cable.

The route from Sofia and from Varna

From Sofia. You take the Trakia motorway (A1), 360 km long, to Burgas. From there you head north on road I-9 (E87): on the stretch towards Burgas it is a four-lane dual carriageway that bypasses Nesebar, Aheloy and Pomorie to the west. To compare the other ways of making the trip, see Sofia to Nesebar by bus, train, plane or car.

From Varna. Again you are on road I-9 (E87): it passes through Byala and Obzor and comes down to the northern end of Sunny Beach. This is a first-class coastal road, not a motorway. To see whether a stretch is part of the TEN-T network, check the TENtec map.

How to prepare:

Work out your car's real range with luggage and air conditioning, and keep a reserve.
Mark two possible stops for each leg: if one charger is busy or out of order, you go to the other.
Check on the operator's map or your app whether the point is free. Under AFIR, operators must make available data on location, connector type, power, availability and the ad hoc price.
Arrive in Nesebar with enough charge for the first day, so you are not hunting for a charger straight away.

If you are coming from another country, for the borders and the e-vignette see Driving to Nesebar from abroad.

Charging in the resort

In Nesebar and Sunny Beach your car will spend most of its time parked, so slow overnight AC charging is often the most convenient. Before you book, ask the hotel or host whether there is a charging point, what power it has, whether it costs extra and whether you need to reserve it.

Parking in the Old Town (the historic peninsula of Nesebar) is limited, so plan where you will leave the car before you arrive. See where to park for free in Nesebar and the Old Town: accommodation and parking.

Where to find charging stations

Operators' apps and maps can show whether a point is free and what it costs: AFIR requires operators to make this data available.
The European Commission's European Alternative Fuels Observatory (EAFO) has an interactive map of charging infrastructure and calculators for charging costs by country.
The TENtec map shows the trans-European road network where the 60 km targets apply.
AFIR provides for a common European access point for charging station data by 31 December 2026, built on the national access points through which countries must already publish this data.

Sources

Regulation (EU) 2023/1804 on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure (AFIR) — EUR-Lex, European Union (read 8 November 2026)
Alternative Fuels Infrastructure — European Commission, DG Mobility and Transport (read 8 November 2026)
Recharging systems — European Alternative Fuels Observatory, European Commission (read 8 November 2026)
European Alternative Fuels Observatory — European Commission (read 8 November 2026)
Pricing in Bulgaria — Eldrive (read 8 November 2026)
Trakia motorway — Wikipedia (read 8 November 2026)
I-9 road (Bulgaria) — Wikipedia (read 8 November 2026)