Transports in Sofia

If you have chosen to settle in Sofia, you will probably have to move around the city, whether to go to work, go shopping, or visit the surroundings. This should not be a major issue as the Bulgarian capital city hosts a developed transport network, allowing you to travel anywhere, even to neighboring cities. You can choose among the bus, tramway, subway, etc., and purchase their tickets which generally cost between four and five leva. You can also opt for combined tickets which will allow you to travel both by bus and subway.

Good to know:

Sofia's transport network can be quite difficult to understand for foreigners, especially if they are not familiar with the Cyrillic alphabet. In fact, most station names, schedules and routes are displayed in Cyrillic. You are therefore advised to purchase a Sofia transport network plan in kiosks that are found near station.

Bus

Sofia hosts many bus companies which provide several bus lines across the city. These particularly serve the following neighborhoods: Boyana Zlatni Mostove, Aleko and Hladilnika which are the busiest ones. You are likely to find many bus stops across the city besides the bus station. In general, buses start from the bus station and head towards the city-center, the outskirts, as well as surrounding villages.

Tramway

Tramway is the most popular means of transport in Sofia, although most of these vehicles are old. Some tramway lines are marked with special stops, allowing exchanges with buses and subway. Note that the tramway is an ideal solution to travel to areas which are not covered by the bus and subway networks.

Subway

A subway network plan is available on the Sofia Urban Mobility Center website. Note that two subway lines are available in the Bulgarian capital city. Moreover, subway tickets can be purchased at the entrance of the subway station. Otherwise, you can opt for a membership card which is available for regular travelers.

Taxi

As public transport is generally crowded, you can opt for the taxi to travel more independently and comfortably. You can find yellow taxis everywhere across the city. Note that most taxis are equipped with a meter which issues a ticket indicating the fare according to the distance traveled, as well as information on the taxi company. This ticket is compulsory.

Important:

Two taxi rates apply in Bulgaria: the day fare and the night fare. Parking fees also apply. However, rates per kilometer are lower than in many other European countries.

Useful links:

Expat.com ' Taxi Companies in Bulgaria
Metropolitan ' Sofia subway system www2.metropolitan.bg
Sofia Urban Mobility Center ' Public transport network map www.sofiatraffic.bg
Sofia Urban Mobility Center ' Fares www.sofiatraffic.bg/en/transport