History of Metro Extensions

Construction of the Sofia Metro has started from the busiest first metro diameter where the largest passenger flows are formed reaching 38 thousand passengers in peak hours (at maximal estimations).

On 28.01.1998 was commissioned the first section of the First diameter of the metro which had 5 stations and lenght of 6.5 km, from "Slivnitsa" boulevard through "Lyulin" RD to "K. Velichkov" boulevard. On 17.09.1999 was commissioned the metro station "Opalchenska", and on 31.10.2000 - station "Serdica" at "Sv. Nedelya" square - the total length of the route of the first metro radius comes to 8.1 km with 7 stations. On 20 April 2003 the operating section was connected to Obelya RD through a new section which was 1.8 km long. Thus the total length of the first metro radius from Obelya RD through Lyulin RD to Sv. Nedelya sq. has reached 10 km and 8 stations.

In 2005 has started the construction of the section from "Sv. Nedelya" sq. to Vasil Levski Stadium, and a bit later has started the construction of the track from Vasil Levski Stadium to Interpred. Total length of these sections comes to 4.8 km and 3 stations. The central section of this route is 2.3 km long with 2 metro station and was financed through a loan of Sofia Municipality by the Japanese Bank of International Cooperation, and the rest of it - 2.5 km with 1 station - by local financing.

In order to provide connection of more eastern residential complexes (Izgrev, Darvenitsa, Musagenitsa and especially Mladost) with the center of the city and to cmplete the main part of the first metro diameter "Lyulin - Mladost" in 2006  has started the construction of section "Interopred - Mladost І” which is 3.2 km long and has 3 stations.

This construction was completed in 2009 and the eastern metro radius - 8 km long with 6 stations - was put into operation on 08.09.2009, and the total length of the lines has reached 18 km with 14 stations.

SU St. Kliment Ohridski station

Since 2009 has started the construction of the major Sofia Metro Extension Project after it was included in the Operational Programme Transport 2007–2013 through predominating financing by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) of the European Union, with local co-financing. It comprises of construction of Line 2 and significant extension of Line 1 of the Sofia Metro, divided into three stages (phases).

First Stage includes the route "Nadezhda Overpass - Central Railway Station - Sv. Nedelya sq. - NDK - Cherni Vrah blvd.” 6.4 km long with 7 stations. In 2010 has started the construction of the Second Stage divided into two lots: Lot 1 "Obelya RD - Nadezhda RD - Nadezhda Overpass” with length of 4.2 km and 4 stations, supply of 12 trains and extension of the deport for servicing of the rolling stock of the new sections; Lot 2 "Mladost І RD - Mladost ІІІ - Tsarigradsko Shose blvd.” 2.2 km long with 2 stations and supply of 6 trains. Total length of the section from these two stages which were completed in 2012 comes to 13.5 km with 13 stations, and the total length of the metro lines comes to 31 km and 27 stations.

STAGE І was officially commissioned on 31.08.2012.

STAGE ІІ: Lot 1 was officially commissioned on 31.08.2012. 

STAGE ІІ: Lot 1 was officially commissioned on 31.08.2012.

On 02.04.2015 was commissioned the section of Line 1 extension - from MS "Tsarigradsko Shose" to MS "Sofia Airport". This section represents Lot 1 from Stage III of the Project, financed by OP Transport 2007-2013. It is 5 long and has 4 metro stations.

Lot 2 - which is the second section included into this Stage is the extension of Line 1 from Mladost I RD to the Business Park in Mladost IV RD which is 2.7 km long with 3 stations. This section was commissioned on 08.05.2015.

Vitosha statione

Extension of Line 2 from MS James Bourchier to MS Vitosha, which comprises of one station and 1,3 km of track. This section was officially commissioned on 20.07.2016.

During the period 2016-2020, Line 3 – Stage 1 and 2 has been built with a total length of 12 km and 12 metro stations, 20 metro trains from Siemens have been delivered and a new metro depot has been built for the entire line.

Stage 1 includes the central section of Line 3 – “Vl. Vazov Blvd./MS ”Hadzhi Dimitar”/ - Orlov Most – NDK - Krasno Selo District /MS”Blvd. Tsar Boris III"/ with 8 km of route and 8 metro stations.

Stage 2 includes an extension in the Ovcha Kupel district with a length of 4 km and 4 metro stations. Total Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the project for the construction of the third metro line of the Sofia metro are worth 498 million euros. Of these, 338 million euros are grant funding from the European Regional Development Fund, and 160 million are local co-financing (Operational Program "Transport and Transport Infrastructure" 2014-2020)

Two sections were being built resently:

Line 3 - Lot 1 of Stage 3 of the large-scale project for the construction of the third metro diameter in Sofia includes the route “Hadzhi Dimitar – Levski G” and is 3 km long and has 3 metro stations. Construction begins on 21.03.2022. The section is in operation from 14.08.2026.

Project value - 144.3 million euros. The project is included in the Recovery and Sustainability Plan of the Republic of Bulgaria - Pillar "Transport Connectivity".

Lot 2 "Shipka Street - Slatina - Tsarigradsko Shose" The section is 6 km long with 6 metro stations. Its construction begins on 24.11.2023.

The value of the project is 427.6 million euros, of which 54.5 million euros are from the Cohesion Fund through the Operational Program "Transport and Transport Infrastructure" 2014-2020 and co-financing and a loan from the EIB.