From 5-8 November 2026, under the motto ‘Touchpoints: Artistic Freedom, AI & Collaborative Futures in Theatre’, the next ETC International Theatre Conference brings together more than 100 leading theatre professionals from over 30 European countries in the ETC network. The conference will focus on the nature of connection, both human and digital, with a future-oriented, collaborative spirit. As technologies continue to transform how people communicate and create, the conference will explore how theatres can embrace innovation while keeping human relationships at the heart of their work.

Hosted by Ivan Vazov National Theatre in Sofia/Bulgaria, the event will feature productions by the theatre with renowned artistic directors and curators. The full ETC Conference programme will offer a dynamic mix of artistic, professional and networking events on the key topics.

Registration deadline: thursday 15 october 2026, 17:00 CET

Hotels Transport Programme Performances

Conference Hotels

Book your hotel now

We recommend securing your accommodation in Sofia as soon as possible.
We offer a limited contingent of pre-reserved rooms at a preferential rate. We encourage you to book your room without delay- you can see the hotel booking deadlines below.

Please note the availability of the rooms is on a first-come, first-served basis. The agreed rate for booking requests cannot be guaranteed.

Rila Hotel

hotelrila.bg

6 Tsar Kaloyan Str., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
Google Maps

Reserved: 40 rooms at EUR 89 - If booked until 15th of September

Reservation: Sending an email to reservations@hotelrila.bg with Subject: ETC Autumn Conference in Sofia

Payment: Pre-payment 30% of the amount - 14 days after confirmation
Final payment 70% of the amount - 10 days before check in at the latest
Cancellation policy: Free cancelation of the whole group till first prepayment
Free cancelation of up to 30% of the group till second prepayment

City tax is additionally charged per person, per night.

Sofia Balkan Palace

sofiabalkanpalace.com

5 Sveta Nedelya Square, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
Google Maps

Reserved: 70 rooms at the price of EUR 110 (Singe)/ EUR 120 (Double) - If booked until 15th of August 2026 and EUR 120 (Single)/EUR 130 (Double) -  If booked from 16th of August 2026 until 15th of September

Reservation link

Cancellation policy: Free cancellation before 14:00 (local property time) on Tuesday, 6 October 2026.
One night's room revenue will be charged for each room cancelled 1 month prior to arrival date. Cancellation between 5 to 0 days prior to arrival, no-show or early departure: all cancelled guestrooms will be charged at full amount for the entire stay.

City tax is additionally charged per person, per night.

Grand Hotel Sofia

grandhotelsofia.bg

1, Gurko Str., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
Google Maps

Reserved: 10 rooms at EUR 125 -  If booked until 15th of September
20 rooms at EUR 140 - If booked until 15th of September

Reservation link 

Cancellation policy: 15 days or more prior to arrival - free of charge cancellation.
Between 14 and 8 days before the date of arrival - one overnight fee is applicable for each cancelled reservation
7 days or less prior to arrival - total stay fee for any cancellation, no show or early departure made

City tax is additionally charged per person, per night.

Transport

Conference Venue: 

Ivan Vazov National Theater 
ul. “Dyakon Ignatiy” 5, 1000 Sofia Center, Sofia

Arrival / Departure - Sofia Airport

• It takes around 30 minutes with the M4 line to get from the airport to
  Serdika station in the city centre
• Keep in mind that the metro only goes to Terminal 2 of the Sofia Airport. If you
  happen to arrive at Terminal 1, there are free shuttle buses every 30 minutes that can take you from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 and vice versa. If you land at Terminal 2, just head left past Departures to the metro’s entrance
  at one side of the terminal. The station is called Sofia Airport (Летище София) and this is where your journey begins.
• The first metro train from the airport is at 05:27. Once inside the metro
  trains, electronic signs and voice announcements mark the current and next
  stations, as well as line connections.
• You can also use apps such as Moovit or Google Maps to navigate the public
  transport in Sofia.
• You can use the virtual metro map
• It is also possible to reach the city centre from the airport by bus - there are two bus lines, which stop at the centre - E84. The bus schedule is from 5:10 AM to 23:45 PM from Terminal 2. It runs every 40 minutes until 8 AM and after that, it’s roughly every 30 minutes.

Arrival / Departure - Sofia Central Railway/Bus station

• It takes around 8 minutes with the M2 line to get from the Sofia Central Railway or Bus station to Serdika station in the city centre
  
  

Night Public Transport

• Sofia operates a night bus network every night, providing a safe and convenient
  way to travel after the metro has stopped running.
• The network consists of four night bus lines (N1–N4), all connecting at Knyaz
  Alexander I Square in the city centre, allowing easy transfers between routes.
• Night buses generally depart every 60 minutes between midnight and 4:00 a.m. The same contactless payment methods used on daytime public transport are also valid on the night buses. Night buses operate under a separate fare system and require a €1.00 night ticket, which can be purchased on board
• Good to know: The Sofia Metro does not operate overnight. If you're travelling late at night, the night buses are the city's main public transport option.

Tickets

• The price for a one-time ticket is 0.80 EUR.
• You don’t need a ticket for your luggage.
• Sofia's public transport network uses a single ticketing system for the metro,
  buses, trams and trolleybuses. Tickets can be purchased from ticket machines,
  ticket offices or by simply using a contactless bank card or mobile wallet.
• All your travels during the day would be added up and you won’t be charged
  more than the price of a daily ticket – 2 EUR.

Recommendation

For most visitors, the easiest option is to use contactless payment - there is no need to buy paper tickets or travel cards. Simply tap the same bank card or mobile wallet throughout the day, and the fare capping system will automatically ensure you receive the lowest applicable daily fare.

Alternative options

Taxi

Yellow Taxi Company is the official taxi company of Sofia Airport.
Look for the Yellow! cars at the main taxi ranks or request the service at the offices
of Yellow! in the Arrivals of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.

• You can order a car by calling the mobile phone: +359 2 9 11 19.
• You can also use the Yellow mobile app to order a taxi quickly.

More information at: www.yellow333.com 

SPARK Car Sharing 

Bulgaria's pioneering all-electric car-sharing service. At the user-
friendly SPARK app you can choose your vehicle and you’re ready to go! All you need is a category B driver's license, a bank card, and 1 year of driving experience.

Charges are based on the time you drive and the distance you travel, providing you with a flexible and cost-effective solution for every journey in a few easy steps.

1. Register in the app.
2. Choose an electric car:
   - The map in the app shows you all the electric cars and details about them.
   - Choose the one you want and reserve it.
3. Unlock and drive:
   With one click in the app, you unlock the car and drive as long as you need: a few minutes, hours, or days.
4. End your trip:
   - Park the car in a SPARK zone marked in the app and lock it with a click.
   - To stop for a short time, use the car key, then continue to your final destination.