As Bulgaria joined Europe’s borderless travel zone on January 1st, Greeks have been freely flocking to the neighboring country, where petrol prices are cheaper, to fill up their tanks.
Bulgaria, along with Romania, are the latest European countries to become full members of the European Union’s border-free Schengen area. That means that as of January 1st, 2025 border checks for those traveling between the land borders of these two countries and any other Schengen member state have been scrapped.
At the Promachonas border crossing, connecting Bulgaria and northern Greece, the long lines of cars and trucks waiting to cross have vanished and the customs buildings appear empty, according to Proto Thema. This hassle-free travel has already been driving many Greeks to head to Bulgaria to fill up their tanks because of the lower prices at Bulgarian gas stations.
How much do Greeks gain from buying their petrol in Bulgaria
According to the latest EU Oil Bulletin data, at the end of December one liter (0.26 gallon) of 95-octane unleaded petrol in Bulgaria was sold at 2.50 BNG (1.28 euros/$1.32), while at the same time in Greece, it sold for 1.80 euros ($1.86). At the same time, the average petrol price per liter in Bulgaria from 2015 to 2024 was 2.23 BNG (1.14 euros/$1.18) while in Greece, prices have been steadily remained high, at times surpassing two euros ($2.07) per liter.
Greece maintains one of the highest average petrol and fuel prices across the European Union, largely because of the tax imposed by the Greek government on gasoline, which is almost twice the minimum limit provided by the EU legislation.
Given all this, a Greek driver with a car that holds a 50-liter tank (13.2 gallons), will pay 64 euros ($66.2) to refuel in Bulgaria, while doing so in Greece will cost him 90 euros ($93). In practice, this means a Greek driver, when refueling in Bulgaria, will save 26 euros ($26.9).
While the new, free movement between Greece and Bulgaria will help strengthen ties between the two countries, some have raised security concerns, with others citing a possible increase in illegal activities, involving unlawful transit of goods and substances.
Greeks filling up their tanks in Bulgaria not a new phenomenon
Greeks who live close to neighboring countries, like Bulgaria and Turkey, have been crossing borders to fill up their tanks years before Bulgaria became a full Schengen zone member.
In April 2024, Maria Zaga, the president of the Gasoline Stations Federation, raised alarms bells once again regarding the viability of the Greek gas stations near the border areas. Especially during times when gasoline prices soar in Greece, Zaga said, Greeks immediately head towards the border to fill up their tanks. As a result, Greek gas stations in border areas are called to survive in an unfair competition environment, created by the comparatively lower prices and taxation systems in the neighboring countries.
In addition to refueling their cars, over the years, Greeks have been flocking to Bulgaria to shop for clothing and even groceries, as prices there are estimated to be about 40 percent cheaper than in Greece.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
