TheSofia Metro (Bulgarian:Софийски метрополитен,romanized: Sofiyski Metropoliten, also colloquially called Bulgarian:Софийско метро,romanized: Sofiysko Metro) is therapid transit network servicing theBulgarian capital citySofia. It is the only metro inBulgaria. It began operation on 28 January 1998.[1] As of 2024[update], the Sofia Metro consists of four interconnected lines, serving 47 stations, with a total route length of 52.0 kilometres (32.3 mi)[1][5][6][2] and also being among the top 15 of the most extensive European metro systems, ranking 14th as of 2023. The Metro links the densely populated districts ofLyulin –Mladost (M1 line – Red) andNadezhda –Lozenets (M2 line – Blue), and serves theVasil Levski Sofia Airport.[7][8]
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 ofantiquity can be clearly seen at the Serdika Station, which exhibits a wealth of unearthedThracian andRoman ruins. During the construction of the enormous complex of theNational 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 atrush hour.[9]
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 66.7 kilometres (41.4 mi), 71 metro stations, and a 1.2 million daily passenger capacity at the final stage of implementation.[10]
There are automatic gates installed on the platform due to safety reasons. This is one of the key features in the new metro line from 2020. The gates open automatically when a train approaches and they close 5-10 seconds before the train starts. There are CCTV cameras and sensors which make sure the metro line is clear, so accidents don't happen. There are more than 10,000 cameras in all of the metro stations in Sofia. The metro is guarded by security guards who stop suspicious people or people with illegal or harmful items.Hikvision is the brand that makes the CCTV cameras that are installed in the Sofia metro.
The first 6.5 kilometres (4.0 mi) long section of M1 line consisting of five stations linking Slivnitsa Boulevard throughLyulin and K. Velichkov Boulevard was inaugurated on 28 January 1998. Opalchenska station entered into service on 17 September 1999 and Serdika station situated onSt 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 inIzgrev (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) linkingIzgrev 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 betweenSerdika andVasil Levski stadium station finally entered into service on 7 September 2009[11] establishing an uninterrupted link betweenObelya andMladost 1 stations.
The construction of the section from Mladost I toBusiness 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.[6][12] 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.[13][14] Part of the sections of "Sofia Airport" - "Iskarsko Shose" and, Ovcha kupel" -, Krasno selo" are not underground.
Struma and Tsaritsa Yoanna stations are a planned extension of M1 line, west of Lyulin station. Their construction will start in 2027-2028, and when completed, M1 split from the M4 after Lyulin station. M4 will continue to serve Slivnitsa and Pancho Vladigerov stations.
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.[16] Half of the construction cost was covered by theEuropean Union, with the remaining part funded by the state and city budgets.[16] Construction of the 6.4 km (4.0 mi) section betweenNadezhda interchange and Lozenets district viaCentral railway station and theNational Palace of Culture started on 14 December 2008. Work on the section between Obelya residential District andNadezhda started in February 2010. Both sections of the line entered into service on 31 August 2012.[16]
NDK andEuropean Union stations and their connecting tunnels were partly completed during the construction of theNational Palace of Culture and the redevelopment of the surrounding area in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
The construction ofMladost 3 andInter Expo Center – Tsarigradsko shose stations began on 15 February 2009 and was completed on 25 April 2012. The further extension toSofia Airport comprising two underground and two overground stations and a length of 4.968 kilometres (3.087 mi) began in 2013,[12][17][18][19] and was completed on 2 April 2015 at the cost of BGN 136,757,630 (EUR 69,923,066), VAT exclusive.[7][8] This extension was briefly operated as a branch of M1 line, but was soon[when?] transferred to M2 line, moving that line's terminus fromObelya 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.[2] The construction took 2 years.
Provisions have been made for the construction of future branch to Iliyantsi, starting from the existing junction located betweenKnyaginya Maria Luiza andHan Kubrat stations.
On 26 August 2020, the M2 line was split into two portions: the M2, running from Vitosha station to Obelya station, and the M4, 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 was in preparation to the construction of the Pancho Vladigerov station, which will physically separate the lines and will allow them to have independent timetables. On 19 July 2025, M4 was cut to Slivnitsa, while M2 was cut to Obelya, due to the construction of the new Pancho Vladigerov station, which will open sometime in 2026.
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
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
The 16 km (9.9 mi) long M3 line is planned to connect theOvcha 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.[21]
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.[22][23][24]
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 not be built. The tunnel of the central section shall be excavated by atunnel boring machine, while the construction of stations shall be awarded to other companies. The construction of the section shall be completed within 45 months.[25] 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), andplatform screen doors will ensure the safety of the passengers. Unlike lines 1, 2 and 4, where the trains collect power through athird rail, line 3 trains will be equipped withpantographs.[26][27]CAF andSiemens applied bids in the tender for the trains,[28] with Siemens winning it.[29]
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 15 metro stations for themain line and 6 metro stations for the M6 line (Slatina branch), which will split east of Orlov Most.[30][31][32] Currently, 12 stations of the main line are in operation and 3 stations in Levski are under construction, with their estimated completion being in 2026. The 6 stations on the M6 Slatina Branch are starting construction since early 2023, and are projected to open in mid 2027.
Station
Image
Opened
Exits
Intermodality
Location
Vitinia
(Витиня)
under construction
4
Near the intersection of Vladimir Vazov Blvd and Pop Gruyu St
Vladimir Vazov
(Владимир Вазов)
3
Near the intersection of Vladimir Vazov Blvd and Vitinya St
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
The 6 stations serving Geo Milev, Slatina, and Mladost 1 housing estates is projected to exceed 75,000 daily ridership, and will be an important part of the network. At Trakiya station, there will be an underground park-and-ride facility.
Station
Image
Opened
Location
Krasno Selo - Orlov Most section shared with M3
See line
Sitnyakovo (Ситняково)
under construction
On Geo Milev St at its intersection with Sitnyakovo Blvd, servicing Oborishte and Yavorov housing estates
Geo Milev (Гео Милев)
On Geo Milev St at its intersection with Nikolai Kopernik St, servicing Geo Milev and Reduta housing estates
Slatina (Слатина)
On Geo Milev St at its intersection with Slatinska St, servicing Slatina and Hristo Smirnenski housing estates
SC CSKA (СК ЦСКА)
On Shipchenski Prohod Blvd before its intersection with Asen Yordanov Blvd, servicing the area near "CSKA Cherveno Zname" sports center
On the frontage road of Tsarigradsko shose Blvd after its intersection with Dimitar Mollov St, servicing Mladost 1 and Poligona housing estates andThe Mall (Sofia)
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 5 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
Cherni Vrah (Черни Връх)
planned
Shared station between M2 and M5. Heading south, M5 diverges from M2 after this station.
On Cherni vrah Blvd, between its intersections with Prof. Marin Goleminov St and Dimitar Manchev St
Stefan Savov (Стефан Савов)
Near Stefan Savov St and Prof. Georgi Manev St
Simeonovsko shose (Симеоновско шосе)
On Prof Ivan Stransky St, near its intersection with Simeonovsko shose Blvd
NSA (НСА)
On Akad. Stefan Mladenov St, near its intersection with Prof. Atanas Ishirkov St
Studentski Grad (Студентски Град)
On Akad. Stefan Mladenov St, between its intersections with 8-mi dekemvri St and Iordan Iosifov St
The price of a single ticket on the metro is 0.80euro. It can be issued either by a cashier, or by avending machine. When obtained, the single ticket must be validated within 30 minutes at a validator. Daily, monthly and yearly tickets and passes are also available.[35]
Since November 1, 2021, one's fare can be paid using acontactlessdebit orcredit card at every station of the network. In addition, passengers can pay using amobile wallet (Apple Pay,Google Pay, Garmin Pay etc.). The fare is the same price as a paper ticket (0.80 euro for a single) and the amount you pay per day will max out at 2 euro, which is 3 trips (every trip after that isde facto free). The 2 euro max resets every day at 12 am local time.
The older train sets, type81-717/714.4, were manufactured byMetrowagonmash inMytishchi,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. Most of them have been refurbished and now run as 81-717.4K/714.4K rolling stock[36]
The second generation of rolling stock, type81-740/741 "Rusich", were also manufactured by Metrowagonmash and delivered between 2005 and 2013, consisting of 120 carriages in total.[16]
The third generation of rolling stock,Siemens Inspiro 30 three-car sets were delivered between 2016 and 2021 and exclusively serve the M3 line.[37]
In July 2023,Škoda Transportation won a contract worth 65 million EUR, to deliver 8 four-car air-conditioned metro trains, replacing the currentMetrowagonmash. The trains are planned to be deployed on the lines 1, 2 and 4. Deliveries are expected in 2026.[38][39]
^ab"Statistical yearbook 2024". 20 November 2025. p. 366.Cite error: The named reference "NSI annual book 2024" was defined multiple times with different content (see thehelp page).