The need to develop Sofia’s public transport system in the directions with the highest flow of passengers and environmental concerns are the main challenges which imposed the extension of the subway network in the Bulgarian capital.
With more than 1.2 million citizens (counting for 17.5% of Bulgaria’s population), Sofia is one of the cities which face an increasing urbanization (10.3% growth from 2001 to 2011) challenging the authorities who aim to ensure an efficient and sustainable transport system that could answer to mobility needs and to environmental demands.
For 2013, local authorities announced that investment priorities will be education, infrastructure and environment protection. Over BGN 280 Million (EUR 143 Million) of the BGN 1.14 Billion (EUR 581 Million) budget will be allocated to the extension of the underground network, while an additional BGN 434 Million (EUR 221 Million) will be allocated to transport infrastructure projects (next to other sectors).
The past years have been marked by the launch of projects for the development of the subway system: in 2009, an extension of the first subway line was put in service to provide connection between the city centre and the south-east of Mladost district. The second line with 11 stations was opened in August 2012 to the north-south. The second line has increased the number of passngers by 40% and, according to estimations around 100,000 people have given up their individual cars and have chosen the subway. Moreover, the metro network operator had announced another 3-station extension for the first line which included the construction of a 2.62-km long line.
The General City Plan stipulates the development of the subway lines on three plans with extensions to the periphery and a total length of 65 km served by 63 stations. The development of the projects would attract 1.2 million passengers per day. Thus, the first plan stipulates the development of a line providing transport to Sofia Airport (on Obelya RD – Lyulin RD – Centre – Mladost RD – Druzhba RD –Sofia Airport), for which a distance of 29 km is considered (23 subway stations). The second plan (line Lozenets RD – Centre – Ilientsi District) will have 17 km and 17 stations and the project for the third plan stipulates the development of Knyazhevo District – Centre – Poduyane RD – V. Levski RD line – 19 km and 23 stations. As part of the subway system development, the Bulgarian Government had invested BGN 17 Million (EUR 8.7 Million) in the extension of the subway depot in Sofia and in the development of the repair plant, Minister of Transport Ivaylo Moskovski announced in January.
One of the most important projects for the development of the underground network consists in the construction of 5 km of line and 4 stations to provide transport services to Sofia Airport, project for which the authorities initiated works in November. At the end of December, the Minister of Transport announced that EC had approved the financing of the third phase of the project for the extension of the subway network and includes the construction of the line from Tsarigradsko Shose Blvd to Sofia Airport and the line section connecting the residential district Mladost-1 to Business Park Sofia. The extension project is financed by the Operational Programme Transport through the Regional Development Fund. The total cost of the project amounts to EUR 240 Million, EUR 136 Million of which will be allocated through SOP-T as financing for the construction of 7 new stations. The line will provide direct connection between neighbouring areas, the central parts of the city, the central rail station and the bus stations, the airport and Sofia Business Park. According to authorities, works on both extension projects will be completed by 2015.
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