trams, Sofia

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Sofia has an extensive network of bus, trolleybus and tram lines, which belong to the public transport system. Operation times are from 05:00 h until around 23:30 h.

At most major stops you can buy tickets from special kiosks. In September 2009 a single ticket cost 1 BGN and a day card (karta za edin den) cost 4 BGN. Single tickets have to be validated on boarding the vehicle by inserting them in a machine adjacent to the entrance.

We usually bought day cards as our accommodation was located a bit out of the city centre. The day cards had always been validated by the lady at the kiosk.

Website: http://www.sumc.bg/

Public Transport Map: http://www.trafik.bg.tc/

Using the tram in Sofia is good fun. We just entered at the front and bought our ticket from the driver. Tickets cost 1 lev. After buying a ticket you must hole punch it in the little orange hole punchers sticking out of the tram walls. Ticket inspections are very frequent and you will be fined if you do not have a valid hole punched ticket. The ticket inspector will take the ticket off you and rip it in half to make sure you don't use it again.

My husband got into a fight with a ticket inspector on our last tram trip. We got on at Sofia train station with luggage and bought tickets from the driver. I watched the luggage while Peter went straight to the hole punch machine. An inspector appeared out of nowhere and accused Peter of not hole punching his ticket. As we were in the process of punching the tickets when the inspector challenged us I guess the inspector thought we had been travelling for some time and were only punching them because he had appeared. There followed a lot of shouting that we had only just got on and were punching our tickets straight away. Several Bulgarian passengers intervened on our behalf and eventually the inspector backed off, but boy do they mean business. Don't travel without a hole punched ticket.

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A convenient and original way to get around Sofia is by trams. Public transport is well developed and cheap, and the tram lines are located all around the city. Make sure to perforate your ticket when you enter the tram, or else it's not valid.

Trams, busses , troleys and itinearary taxis are the most common form of public transport in Sofia. A one way ticket no matter of the distance will cost you 50 storinki / 0,25 euro and the itinerary taxis are i lev or 0,5 euro. Pretty cheap :))) Make sure that after you get in the chosen vehicule ,you perforate your ticket in the machines that are put at the sides between the windows for that purpose. Otherwise your ticket is not valid. If you don't understand me well ,just observe what the people around you are doing while getting in.

Watch out for controllers in tramways ,busses and trolleys. Better have a ticket than try to sneak 4 free.

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Used the tram several times to move around town, always our favourite method.
Regular service and cost just 1Lv, (May'09) tickets from booths near to the stop and don't forget to stamp it once onboard.
Note - link to the new website.

Avoid driving between 8-9 a.m. and 4-7 p.m. The metro has only one line in the moment - it connects the outlying district of Lyulin with the center, so it cannot be used but by the people living in Lyulin. Public transport and the so-called itinerary mini-buses are very convenient but the main problem for foreign tourists is that everything is written only in Bulgarian. My advice - check your main directions and find the appropriate transportation in advance. Taxi is also convenient - yellow cars, but more reliable are those with 91280 or (973)2121 signs.
Good tips on transport in Sofia: http://www.cityguide.travel-guides.com/cities/sof/GettingAround.asp

by train or by bus, airplane for the rich guys!
First two are very cheap but only train travel is comfortable, as busses are not yet up to western standards (toilets, leg space,...)
By tram. In August 2001 a single ticket costed 0.40 Leva and a day ticket was 2 Leva. Day tickets must be stamped once on board, a day ticket not.
There are many ticket inspectors, ranging from elderly ladies to young men wearing shorts

There are some tram routes and a subway system in the city it is good to ride in an old style communist era tram to breath the athmosphere of that time...