The Sofia Metro is one of the newest in Europe and the only one in Bulgaria. It consists of five lines: Line M1 (red), Line M2 (blue), Line M3 (green), and Line M4 (yellow). The metro network covers the city center, residential areas, and Sofia Airport. The total length of the Sofia Metro lines is 52 kilometers, with 47 stations, including 4 interchange stations. The average distance between stations is 1 kilometer. The Sofia Metro operates from 5:00 AM to 11:30 PM, with trains running at intervals of 3 to 10 minutes.
The cost of a single ticket for the Sofia metro is 1.60 BGN. It is valid for one trip with an unlimited number of transfers but must be used within 60 minutes from the time of purchase. Travel can also be paid using rechargeable cards: Sofia City Card (3.00 BGN) or Ultralight (0.80 BGN), which can be purchased at metro stations. Cardholders have access to various types of travel passes with different validity periods.
The "30 plus" ticket, priced at 1.60 BGN, allows travel with transfers on both the metro and ground transport. It can be loaded onto an electronic card (Sofia City Card or Ultralight) or paid for using a bank card through a validator in the vehicle or at metro turnstiles. The ticket is valid for 30 minutes from the moment of the first successful validation. During this period, a passenger can use more than two vehicles, but the ticket must be validated in each one. The final validation made within 30 minutes allows you to complete the journey without a time limit until the end of the route.
The "60 plus" ticket, costing 2.20 BGN, is similar to the "30 plus" ticket but extends the validity period to 60 minutes. This ticket can also be loaded onto the Sofia City Card or Ultralight electronic card.
Additionally, 24-hour and 72-hour travel tickets are available, priced at 4 BGN and 15 BGN, respectively. These tickets can also be loaded onto the Sofia City Card or Ultralight electronic card.
Tickets and cards can be purchased both at ticket offices and from ticketing machines installed at Sofia metro stations. Entry to the station is through turnstiles. You can also pay for travel using contactless bank cards or phones by simply placing them on the reader at the turnstile. Children under the age of 7 can use the metro and other public transport in Sofia for free. The fine for traveling without a valid ticket is 40 BGN.
Sofia Airport (SOF, Letishte Sofia) is the largest international airport in Bulgaria. The airport has two terminals, with a free shuttle running between them every 30 minutes. It is located 10 km from the center of Sofia. The fastest and most convenient way to reach the city center and other areas is by metro.
The metro station is located at the entrance to the departures area of Terminal 2, next to the bus stop. The yellow metro line M4 connects the airport to the city. The first train departs at 5:25 AM, and the last one at 10:40 PM on weekdays and 11:05 PM on weekends and holidays. Trains run every 10-15 minutes. The journey from Sofia Airport to the central metro station "Serdica" takes about 20 minutes. The fare is 1.60 BGN.