Sofia Metro

Sofia Metro
Krasno Selo Metro Station, 26 August 2020
Overview
Native name	Софийско метро
Owner	City of Sofia
Locale	Sofia, Bulgaria
Transit type	Rapid transit
Number of lines	4
Number of stations	47 10 under construction
Daily ridership	450 000
Chief executive	Stoyan Bratoev
Website	www.metropolitan.bg
Operation
Began operation	28 January 1998 (1998-01-28)
Operator(s)	Metropoliten JSC
Number of vehicles	272
Technical
System length	52.0 km (32.3 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	825 V DC from third rail (M1/M2/M4 lines) 1,500 V DC from overhead catenary (M3 line)
Average speed	40 km/h (25 mph)
Top speed	80 km/h (50 mph)
System map

The Sofia Metro (Bulgarian: Софийски метрополитен, romanized: Sofiyski Metropoliten, also colloquially called Bulgarian: Софийско метро, romanized: Sofiysko Metro) is the rapid transit network servicing the Bulgarian capital city Sofia. It is the only metro in Bulgaria. It began operation on 28 January 1998. As of 2024, the Sofia Metro consists of four interconnected lines, serving 47 stations, with a total route length of 52.0 kilometres (32.3 mi) and also being among the top 20 of the most extensive European metro systems, ranking 14th as of 2023. The Metro links the densely populated districts of Lyulin – Mladost (M1 line – Red) and Nadezhda – Lozenets (M2 line – Blue), and serves the Sofia Airport.

History

Planned since the 1960s, construction of the metro started in the 80s with the demolition of a significant number of buildings. At the beginning of the 90s, construction stopped due to a lack of funds and the complexity of the construction work. Being one of the oldest cities in Europe, Sofia contains many historical layers underneath its central areas. Evidence of antiquity can be clearly seen at the Serdika Station, which exhibits a wealth of unearthed Thracian and Roman ruins. During the construction of the enormous complex of the National Palace of Culture, two stations forming part of the M2 line and their connecting tunnels were built.

The construction of the system began from the route that sees the highest volume of passenger traffic, reaching 38,000 at rush hour.

Lines

Due to an increased population, there are a large number of passengers heading toward the city center during weekday mornings, and away from the city centre in the weekday evenings. The necessity of efficient public transport in the direction of the largest passenger flows, transport, and Sofia's environmental problems precipitated the start of the construction of the Sofia Metro. Following the ratification of a technical and economic report on the metro by the Council of Ministers of Bulgaria, and the subsequently approved General City Plan, the general scheme for the development of the lines should consist of three diameters with extensions in the periphery, with a total length of 62 kilometres (39 mi), 63 metro stations, and a 1.1 million daily passenger capacity at the final stage of implementation.

Line	Icon	Opened	Current length (km [mi])	Current stations	U/C length (km [mi])	U/C stations	Planned length (km [mi])	Planned stations
M1		1998	14.8 (9.2)	16	0 (0.0)	1	17.7 (11.0)	19
M2		2012	11.4 (7.1)	13	0 (0.0)	0	18 (11.2)	18
M3		2020	11.8 (7.3)	12	9.0 (5.6)	9	17.8 (11.1)	18
M4		2015	26.1 (16.2)	20	0 (0.0)	0	26.1 (16.2)	20
Total:			52 (32.3)	47	9.0 (5.6)	10	79.6 (49.5)	75

M1 line (Red)

M1 line
All stations are wheelchair accessible
4 To Obelya Obelya Depot Slivnitsa Lyulin Zapaden Park Suhodolska River Vardar Konstantin Velichkov Vladayska River Opalchenska Serdika2 SU St. Kliment Ohridski3 Perlovska River Vasil Levski Stadium Joliot-Curie Novachitsa River G.M.Dimitrov Musagenitsa Darvenishka River Mladost 1 4 To Sofia Airport Aleksandar Malinov Akademik Aleksandar Teodorov - Balan Banishka River Business Park Sofia Mladost 4 Station names in italics are not confirmed.
Detailed track map 1 – 4 to Depot   ↓Opened 1998↓ 0' Slivnitsa 2' Lyulin 4' Zapaden Park Suhodolska National Rail to Pernik-Kulata/Kyustendil 7' Vardar 9' Konstantin Velichkov   ↓Opened 1999↓ Vladayska 11' Opalchenska   ↓Opened 2000↓ 13' Serdika Serdika II 2   ↓Opened 2009↓ 15' Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski Orlov Most 3 Perlovska 17' Vasil Levski Stadium 21' Joliot-Curie WTC Novachitsa 23' G.M.Dimitrov 24' Musagenitsa Darvenishka 26' Mladost 1 00' 4 to Sofia Airport 00'   ↓Opened 2012↓   29' Mladost 3 31' Inter Expo Center – Tsarigradsko shose   ↓Opened 2015↓ 33' Druzhba 36' Iskarsko shose National Rail to Ihtiman/Karlovo 38' Sofiyska Sveta gora 40' Sofia Airport Terminal 2 Airport branch end 00'   ↓Opened 2015↓   28' Aleksandar Malinov 30' Akademik Aleksandar Teodorov - Balan Banishka 32' Business Park Sofia Mladost branch end

The first 6.5 kilometres (4.0 mi) long section of M1 line consisting of five stations linking Slivnitsa Boulevard through Lyulin and K. Velichkov Boulevard was inaugurated on 28 January 1998. Opalchenska station entered into service on 17 September 1999 and Serdika station situated on St Nedelya Square followed on 31 October 2000, extending the total system length to 8.1 kilometres (5.0 mi). The operational section of the line was further extended with a 1.8 kilometres (1.1 mi) long section, reaching Obelya housing estate in April 2003.

The extension of M1 line continued in 2005 with the start of the construction of 4.8 kilometres (3.0 mi) of tunnels and three stations linking St Nedelya Square and the Interped World Trade Center in Izgrev (station Frédéric Joliot-Curie). 2006 saw the start of the construction of another section of the same line (consisting of 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) of tunnels and three stations) linking Izgrev and Mladost I housing estate. The completion of the first three stations was projected for the autumn of 2007, however as a result of various delays it was the second section from the first line (Vasil Levski stadium – Mladost 1) that first entered into service on 8 May 2009, operating for a brief period of time separately from the north-west portion of the line. The remaining section between Serdika and Vasil Levski stadium station finally entered into service on 7 September 2009 establishing an uninterrupted link between Obelya and Mladost 1 stations.

The construction of the section from Mladost I to Business Park Sofia station (2.62 kilometres (1.63 mi), with three new underground stations) began on 25 April 2013, and was completed on 8 May 2015. It cost BGN 85,767,683 (EUR 43,852,320), VAT exclusive, and serves the majority of the second most densely populated area in Sofia. Part of the sections of "Sofia Airport" - "Iskarsko Shose" and, Ovcha kupel" -, Krasno selo" are not underground.

Station	Image	In service since	Exits	Intermodality	Location
Tsaritsa Yoanna (Царица Йоанна)		proposed			near Lyulin 3 housing estate, on Sofia Ring Road
Lyulin II (Люлин II)		proposed			near Lyulin 2 housing estate
Slivnitsa (Сливница)		28 January 1998	4	first station of the section, shared with M4	On the intersection of Slivnitsa Blvd and Pancho Vladigerov Blvd
Lyulin (Люлин)					On Tsaritsa Yoanna Blvd in Lyulin
Zapaden Park (Западен парк)			8		On the intersection of Tsaritsa Yoanna Blvd and Dr. Petar Dertliev Blvd
Vardar (Вардар)			6		On the intersection of Tsaritsa Yoanna Blvd and Vardar Blvd
Konstantin Velichkov (Константин Величков)			3		On the intersection of Todor Aleksandrov Blvd and Konstantin Velichkov Blvd
Opalchenska (Опълченска)		17 September 1999	6		On the intersection of Todor Aleksandrov Blvd and Opalchenska St
Serdica (Сердика)		31 October 2000	12		On the Intersection of Todor Aleksandrov Blvd and Knyaginya Maria Luisa Blvd
Sofia University Sveti Kliment Ohridski (СУ „Св. Климент Охридски“)		7 September 2009	13		On Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd in front of Sofia University
Vasil Levski Stadium (Стадион „Васил Левски“)		8 May 2009	2		In the north-eastern tip of Borisova gradina park, near the Vasil Levski National Stadium
Frédéric Joliot-Curie (Фр. Жолио Кюри)				Yug Bus Station	On Dragan Tsankov Blvd in Iztok
G.M.Dimitrov (Г.М.Димитров)			4		On the intersection of doctor Georgi Mihov Dimitrov Blvd and Dragan Tsankov Blvd
Musagenitsa (Мусагеница)			1		On the western end of the Prof. Marko Semov Blvd bridge
Mladost I (Младост I)			5	last station of the section, shared with M4	On the intersection of Jerusalem St and Andrey Sakharov Blvd
Aleksandar Malinov (Александър Малинов)		8 May 2015	6		On the intersection of Aleksandrov Malinov Blvd and Andrey Lyapchev Blvd in Mladost II and Mladost III
Akad. Aleksandar Teodorov-Balan (Акад. Александър Теодоров-Балан)					On the intersection of Aleksandrov Malinov Blvd and Dr. Atanas Moskov str. in Mladost II and Mladost III
Business Park (Бизнес Парк)			4	Park and ride facility	On Aleksandar Malinov Blvd, adjacent to Business Park Sofia in Mladost IV

M2 and M4 lines (Blue/Yellow)

The second and fourth lines of the Sofia Metro links the districts of Obelya, Nadezhda, the city centre and Lozenets to the south of the city. Half of the construction cost was covered by the European Union, with the remaining part funded by the state and city budgets. Construction of the 6.4 km (4.0 mi) section between Nadezhda interchange and Lozenets district via Central railway station and the National Palace of Culture started on 14 December 2008. Work on the section between Obelya residential District and Nadezhda started in February 2010. Both sections of the line entered into service on 31 August 2012.

NDK and European Union stations and their connecting tunnels were partly completed during the construction of the National Palace of Culture and the redevelopment of the surrounding area in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The construction of Mladost 3 and Inter Expo Center – Tsarigradsko shose stations began on 15 February 2009 and was completed on 25 April 2012. The further extension to Sofia Airport comprising two underground and two overground stations and a length of 4.968 kilometres (3.087 mi) began in 2013, and was completed on 2 April 2015 at the cost of BGN 136,757,630 (EUR 69,923,066), VAT exclusive. This extension was briefly operated as a branch of M1 line, but was soon transferred to M2 line, moving that line's terminus from Obelya to Sofia Airport.

On 20 July 2016, the line was extended southward with 1.3 km (0.81 mi) and one station, Vitosha, located at Hladilnika neighbourhood. The construction took 2 years.

Provisions have been made for the construction of future branch to Iliyantsi, starting from the existing junction located between Knyaginya Maria Luiza and Han Kubrat stations.

Splitting the line to M2 and M4

On 26 August 2020, the second line was split into two portions: the M2 line, running from Vitosha station to Obelya station and the M4 line, running from Obelya to Sofia Airport. The trains continue to run the length of both lines but on maps and other metro signage the M4 line is gradually being introduced. The split is in preparation to the future construction of the Moderno predgradie station, which is supposed to physically separate the lines and will allow them to have independent timetables.

M2 line

Station	Image	Opened	Exits	Intermodality	Location
Obelya (Обеля)		20 April 2003	2	Trains arriving from Vitosha station continue as M4 trains to Sofia Airport. Trains, arriving as M4 trains from Sofia Airport continue as M2 trains to Vitosha. Previously operated by Line 1	In Obelya over the Kakach river
Lomsko shose (Ломско шосе)		31 August 2012	4		On Lomsko shose Blvd in Vrabnitsa
Beli Dunav (Бели Дунав)				Park and ride facility	On Lomsko shose Blvd and Beli Dunav St, between Nadezhda and Vrabnitsa
Nadezhda (Надежда)			2		On Lomsko shose Blvd, between Nadezhda I and Nadezhda II
Han Kubrat (Хан Кубрат)			4		On Lomsko shose, north of Nadezhda Overpass in Triagalnika
Knyaginya Maria Luiza (Княгиня Мария Луиза)					On Knyaginya Maria Luisa Blvd, south of Nadezhda Overpass in Banishora
Central Railway Station (Централна ж.п. гара)			15	BDZ trains, Intercity and international buses	On Knyaginya Maria Luisa Blvd, in front of Sofia Central Station and Central Bus Station Sofia
Lavov Most (Лъвов мост)			4		On Knyaginya Maria Luisa Blvd, north of Lavov Most
Serdica II (Сердика II)			12		On Knyaginya Maria Luisa Blvd, in front of Central Hali
National Palace of Culture (Национален дворец на културата)			11		In the northern end of the park of the National Palace of Culture
European Union (Европейски съюз)			6		On Cherni vrah Blvd, near Earth and Man National Museum and City Center Sofia
James Bourchier (Джеймс Баучер)			4		On James Bourchier Blvd in Lozenets
Vitosha (Витоша)		20 July 2016	6		On Cherni vrah Blvd, near Paradise Center in Hladilnika
Cherni vrah (Черни връх)		planned		Heading south, M5 diverges with M2 after this station.	On Cherni vrah Blvd, between Prof. Marin Goleminov St and Dimitar Manchev St
Dragalevtsi (Драгалевци)					On Sofia Ring Road's interchange with Cherni vrah Blvd

M4 line

Station	Image	Opened	Exits	Intermodality	Location
Obelya (Обеля)		20 April 2003	2	Trains arriving from Vitosha station continue as M4 trains to Sofia Airport. Trains, arriving as M4 trains from Sofia Airport continue as M2 trains to Vitosha. Previously operated by Line 1	In Obelya over the Kakach river
Moderno predgradie (Модерно предградие)		under construction	2	On this station, M2 and M4 will terminate.	Beneath the National Rail and near Obelya Depot
Slivnitsa – Mladost I section shared with M1				See line
Mladost III (Младост III)		25 April 2012	4		At the end of Andrej Sakharov Blvd, intersecting with Resen street and General Radko Dimitriev street.
Inter Expo Center – Tsarigradsko shose (Интер Експо Център – Цариградско шосе)				Park and ride facility	On Tsarigradsko shose near Inter Expo Center with a tunnel exit in Druzhba II
Druzhba (Дружба)		2 April 2015	7		Between Prof. Tsvetan Lazarov Blvd and Kapitan Dimitar Spisarevski St
Iskarsko shose (Искърско шосе)			6	BDZ trains on Iskarsko shose Railway station	On the intersection of Iskarsko shose Blvd and Krastyo Pastuhov Blvd
Sofiyska Sveta Gora (Софийска Света гора)			2		In Iskar Industrial zone
Sofia Airport (Летище София)			1	Sofia Airport, Terminal 2	The Departures gate of Sofia Airport, Terminal 2

M5 line (planned)

M5 is a planned line, servicing Studentski grad and Iliyantsi. This line would share more than half of M2's stations.

The Studentski grad branch would start from Cherni vrah Blvd, passing through Vitosha quarter and finally, enter Studentski grad. The Iliyantsi branch would start after Maria Luiza station, joining in on Iliyantsi Blvd, and have 4 stations on it.

Recently, a route has been planned for the Studentski grad branch, including 3 stations with one of them being shared with M2.

Station	Image	Opened	Intermodality	Location
Iliyantsi (Илиянци)		planned		will be servicing Iliyantsi housing estate
Rozhen (Рожен)				will be servicing area near Iliyantsi shopping center
Svoboda (Свобода)				will be servicing the Svoboda housing estate
Tolstoy (Толстой)				will be servicing the Tolstoy housing estate
Maria Luiza - Cherni vrah section shared with M2			See line
Stefan Savov (Стефан Савов)		planned		Near Stefan Savov St and Prof Georgi Manev St
Simeonovsko shose (Симеоновско шосе)				On Simeonovsko shose Blvd, near its intersection with Prof Ivan Stransky St

M3 line (Green)

The 16 km (9.9 mi) long M3 line is planned to connect the Ovcha Kupel neighbourhood (in southwest Sofia) and the Vasil Levski neighbourhood (in northeast Sofia), with 16 stations in total, including two transfer stations in the city centre, with the rest of the already operational lines. The first 8 stations of the line entered service on 26 August 2020, and another 4 on 24 April 2021.

The original plan was to have 8 aboveground and 11 underground stations. The project design contract was awarded to the Czech company Metroprojekt Praha a.s.

In March 2014, a tender for construction of the central section of the line was announced. The section is 7 km (4.3 mi) long and includes 7 stations, two of them transfer to lines 1 and 2. With the announcement of the tender, it became clear that the initial plans for 19 stations had been partly amended and 2 of the stations, one at Doyran boulevard and another at Shipka street, will be not be built. The tunnel of the central section shall be excavated by a tunnel boring machine, while the construction of stations shall be awarded to other companies. The construction of the section shall be completed within 45 months. In January 2015, a tender for 20 trains that shall serve the central section of the line was announced. Driverless train operation, with Grade of Automation 3 (GoA 3), and platform screen doors will ensure the safety of the passengers. Unlike lines 1, 2 and 4, where the trains collect power through a third rail, line 3 trains will be equipped with pantographs. CAF and Siemens applied bids in the tender for the trains, with Siemens winning it.

In early 2016, construction began on the third metro line of the Sofia Metro using the technology for classic underground metro with high-power support. Under construction were all metro stations in the central section, the ones in the west and some in the central-east of downtown Sofia. The Krasno selo - Hadzhi Dimitar section opened on 26 August 2020, with the extension from Krasno selo to Gorna banya opening on 24 April 2021.

The third line of the Sofia Metro is planned to have a total of 23 metro stations, as follows: 16 metro stations for the main line and 6 metro stations for the Slatina branch. Currently, 12 stations of the main line are in operation and 3 stations in Levski are under construction, with their estimated completion being in 2025. Now, another 6 stations are starting construction in the Slatina branch.

Main Line (M3)

Station	Image	Opened	Exits	Intermodality	Location
Vladimir Vazov (Владимир Вазов)		under construction	4		Near the intersection of Vladimir Vazov Blvd and Pop Gruyu St
Trakia (Тракия)			3		Near the intersection of Vladimir Vazov Blvd and Vitinya St
Georgi Asparuhov Stadium (Стадион „Георги Аспарухов")					At Georgi Asparuhov Stadium, near the intersection of Vladimir Vazov Blvd and Vasil Kanchev St
Hadzhi Dimitar (Хаджи Димитър)		26 August 2020	2	Poduyane Bus Station	On the intersection of Gen. Vladimir Vazov Blvd and Todorini kukli St in Hadzhi Dimitar
Teatralna (Театрална)				near Poduyane Railway Station	On the intersection of Evlogi i Hristo Georgievi Blvd and Madrid Blvd, near Zaimov park
Orlov Most (Орлов мост)			13	Future M6 line, heading east, diverges from M3 after this station.|| In Knyazheska gradina park. The station is connected with Sofia University Sveti Kliement Ohridski station
Sveti Patriarh Evtimiy (Св. Патриарх Евтимий)			3		On Patriarh Evtimiy Sq
National Palace of Culture II (Национален дворец на културата II)			11		On the intersection of Patriarh Evtimiy Blvd and Vitosha Blvd
Medical University (Медицински университет)			5		On the intersection of Praha Blvd and Georgi Sofiyski St
Bulgaria (България)			7		On the intersection of Bulgaria Blvd and Akad. I. E. Geshov Blvd
Krasno Selo (Красно Село)			4		On the intersection of Tsar Boris III Blvd and Zhitnitsa St
Ovcha Kupel (Овча купел)		24 April 2021	5		On the intersection of Ovcha Kupel Blvd and President Lincoln Blvd
Moesia/NBU (Мизия/НБУ)			6		At Montevideo St near the 21st Diagonosis Consult Centre, not far from New Bulgarian University
Ovcha Kupel II (Овча купел II)			2		On the intersection of Tsentralna St and Zhiul Losho
Gorna Banya (Горна баня)			4	Park and ride facility BDZ trains on railway line №5	On the intersection of Sofia Ring Road (Boycho Boychev St) and President Lincoln Blvd

M6 branch to Slatina

Station	Image	Opened	Location
Sitnyakovo (Ситняково)		under construction	At Sitnyakovo Blvd near Voenna akademiya park, servicing Poduyane and Yavorov housing estates
Kopernik (Коперник)			will be servicing Geo Milev and Reduta housing estates
Slatina (Слатина)			will be servicing Slatina and Hristo Smirnenski housing estates
Asen Yordanov (Асен Йорданов)			will be servicing the area near "CSKA Cherveno Zname" sports center
Arena Sofia (Арена София)			On Asen Yordanov Blvd near Arena Sofia and Sofia Tech Park
Poligona (Полигона)			On Tsarigradsko shose Blvd near The Mall (Sofia)

Fares and ticketing

The price of a single ticket is 1.60 lev, equivalent to ~0.82 euro. It can be issued either by a cashier, or by a vending machine. When obtained, the single ticket must be validated within 30 minutes at a validator. Pre-paid RFID (MIFARE Classic) card also could be bought (at a price of 2 levs) with minimum 10 pre-paid rides (at a price of 12 levs for 10 pre-paid rides). Daily and monthly cards are also available.

Starting on November 1, 2021, one's fare can be paid using a contactless debit or credit card at every station of the network. In addition, passengers will be able to pay using a mobile wallet (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Garmin Pay etc.). The fare will be the same price as a paper ticket (1.60 lev or ~0.82 euro) and the amount you pay per day will max out at 4 levs (or about 2 euro) which is 3 trips (the first and second trips will cost the full 1.60 levs, 3rd will cost 0.80 levs and every trip after will be de facto free). The 4 levs max resets every day at 12 am local time.

Rolling stock

The system uses 3 types of rolling stock.

The older train sets, type 81-717/714.4, were manufactured by Metrowagonmash in Mytishchi, Moscow Oblast, Russia and consists of 48 carriages in total. They were delivered in 1990 – some 8 years prior to the opening of the first section of the system. In 2020 the first train sets of this type were refurbished to an 81-717/714.4k and went into service.

The second generation of rolling stock, type 81-740/741 "Rusich", were also manufactured by Metrowagonmash and delivered between 2005 and 2013, consisting of 120 carriages in total.

The third generation of rolling stock, Siemens Inspiro 30 three-car sets were delivered between 2016 and 2021 and exclusively serve the M3 line.

In July 2023, Škoda Transportation won a contract worth 65 million EUR, to deliver 8 four-car air-conditioned metro trains, replacing the current Metrowagonmash. The trains are planned to be deployed on the lines 1, 2 and 4. Deliveries are expected in 2026.

• 
  81-717/714
• 
  An 81-740/741 Rusich train at Serdika station
• 
  A Siemens Inspiro train on line 3 at NDK-2 station

Ridership

Sofia Metro ridership

Year	Passengers per day	Change	Stations
1998	10,000	N/A	5
1999	40,000	300.0	6
2000	70,000	75.0	7
2001	80,000	14.2
2002	90,000	12.5
2003	80,000	12.5	8
2004	75,000	6.6
2005	70,000	7.1
2006	80,000	14.2
2007	90,000	12.5
2008	76,000	18.4
2009	201,000	164.5	14
2010	187,000	7.4
2011	190,000	1.6	14
2012	350,000	84.2	27
2013	280,000	25.0
2014	320,000	14.3
2015	335,000	4.7	34
2016	350,000(estimated)	4.5	35
2017	350,000	0.0
2018
2019
2020	200,000 (estimated)	75.0	43
2021			47
2022	340,000	70.0	47
2023	450,000	60.0	47

See also

• Trams in Sofia
• Trolleybuses in Sofia
• Public buses in Sofia
• Sofia Public Transport
• List of metro systems

External links

• Sofia Metro – Official Web Site
• MetroSofia.com (in English)
• Interactive Sofia Metro Map
• Sofia metro @ urbanrail.net
• Metrovagonmash OAO – Information about the rolling stock
• Metro @ public-transport.net
• Unofficial Sofia tube map inspired by London's one, designed for foreign visitors
• Sofia Metro – quick info and maps
• Sofia Metro Map