The Sofia Metro (, also colloquially called ) is the rapid transit network servicing the Bulgarian capital city Sofia. It is the only metro in Bulgaria. It began operation on 28 January 1998. , the Sofia Metro consists of four interconnected lines, serving 50 stations, with a total route length of and also being among the top 15 of the most extensive European metro systems, ranking 9th as of 2026. The Metro links the densely populated districts of Lyulin – Mladost (M1 line – Red) and Nadezhda – Lozenets (M2 line – Blue), and serves the Vasil Levski Sofia Airport. A single ride ticket is 0.80 EUR.
History 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 of antiquity can be clearly seen at the Serdika Station, which exhibits a wealth of unearthed Thracian and Roman ruins. During the construction of the enormous complex of the National 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 at rush hour.
Lines 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 , 71 metro stations, and a 1.2 million daily passenger capacity at the final stage of implementation.
System LineIconOpenedCurrentUnder constructionPlannedLengthkm (mi)StationsLengthkm (mi)StationsLengthkm (mi)Stations 28/01/199816020 31/08/201213116 26/08/202014.2 (8.8)15015 02/04/2015 (as line M2)26/08/2020 (separated from M2)20120Future0016Future0616Total50771
(Red)
The first long section of M1 line consisting of five stations linking Slivnitsa Boulevard through Lyulin and K. Velichkov Boulevard was inaugurated on 28 January 1998. Opalchenska station entered into service on 17 September 1999 and Serdika station situated on St Nedelya Square followed on 31 October 2000, extending the total system length to . The operational section of the line was further extended with a long section, reaching Obelya housing estate in April 2003.
The extension of M1 line continued in 2005 with the start of the construction of of tunnels and three stations linking St Nedelya Square and the Interped World Trade Center in Izgrev (station Frédéric Joliot-Curie). 2006 saw the start of the construction of another section of the same line (consisting of of tunnels and three stations) linking Izgrev 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 between Serdika and Vasil Levski stadium station finally entered into service on 7 September 2009 establishing an uninterrupted link between Obelya and Mladost 1 stations.
The construction of the section from Mladost I to Business Park Sofia station (, with three new underground stations) began on 25 April 2013, and was completed on 8 May 2015. It cost 43,852,320 EUR, VAT exclusive, and serves the majority of the second most densely populated area in Sofia.Public Procurement Agency Portal – L1 S. Branch ConstructionPublic Procurement Agency Portal – L1 S. Branch Supervision 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.
Station Image In service since ExitsIntermodality Location Dobrinova skala planned Near Lyulin III housing estate, on Sofia Ring Road Tsaritsa Yoanna planned Near Lyulin II housing estate Slivnitsa 28 January 1998 4first station of the shared section with M4 Slivnitsa Blvd and Pancho Vladigerov Blvd Lyulin Tsaritsa Yoanna Blvd in Lyulin Zapaden Park 8 Tsaritsa Yoanna Blvd and Dr. Petar Dertliev Blvd Vardar 6 Tsaritsa Yoanna Blvd and Vardar Blvd Konstantin Velichkov 3 Todor Aleksandrov Blvd and Konstantin Velichkov Blvd Opalchenska 17 September 1999 6 Todor Aleksandrov Blvd and Opalchenska St Serdica 31 October 2000 12 Todor Aleksandrov Blvd and Knyaginya Maria Luisa Blvd Sofia University Sveti Kliment Ohridski 7 September 2009 13 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd in front of Sofia University Vasil Levski Stadium 8 May 2009 2 Northeastern tip of Borisova Gradina Park, near Vasil Levski National Stadium Frédéric Joliot-Curie Yug Bus Station Dragan Tsankov Blvd in Iztok G. M. Dimitrov 4 Dr. Georgi Mihov Dimitrov Blvd and Dragan Tsankov Blvd Musagenitsa 1 Western end of Prof. Marko Semov Blvd bridge Mladost I 5last station of the shared section with M4 Jerusalem St and Andrey Sakharov Blvd Aleksandar Malinov 8 May 2015 6 Aleksandrov Malinov Blvd and Andrey Lyapchev Blvd in Mladost II/III Akad. Aleksandar Teodorov-Balan Aleksandrov Malinov Blvd and Dr. Atanas Moskov St in Mladost II/III Business Park Sofia 4Park and ride facilityAleksandar Malinov Blvd, adjacent to Business Park Sofia in Mladost IV
M2 and M4 lines (Blue/Yellow)
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. Half of the construction cost was covered by the European Union, with the remaining part funded by the state and city budgets. Construction of the section between Nadezhda interchange and Lozenets district via Central railway station and the National Palace of Culture started on 14 December 2008. Work on the section between Obelya residential District and Nadezhda started in February 2010. Both sections of the line entered into service on 31 August 2012.
NDK and European Union stations and their connecting tunnels were partly completed during the construction of the National Palace of Culture and the redevelopment of the surrounding area in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
The construction of Mladost 3 and Inter Expo Center – Tsarigradsko shose stations began on 15 February 2009 and was completed on 25 April 2012. The further extension to Sofia Airport comprising two underground and two overground stations and a length of began in 2013,Public Procurement Agency Portal – L1 N. Branch Construction Positions 1 & 2Public Procurement Agency Portal – L1 N. Branch Construction Position 3Public Procurement Agency Portal – L1 N. Branch Supervision and was completed on 2 April 2015 at the cost of 69,923,066 EUR, VAT exclusive. This extension was briefly operated as a branch of M1 line, but was soon transferred to M2 line, moving that line's terminus from Obelya to Sofia Airport.
On 20 July 2016, the line was extended southward with and one station, Vitosha, located at Hladilnika neighbourhood. The construction took 2 years.
Provisions have been made for the construction of future branch to Iliyantsi, starting from the existing junction located between Knyaginya Maria Luiza and Han 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.
(Blue) Station Image Opened ExitsIntermodality Location Obelya 20 April 2003 2Trains 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 M1. Obelya over the Kakach river Lomsko shose 31 August 2012 4 Lomsko shose Blvd in Vrabnitsa Beli Dunav Park and ride facility Lomsko shose Blvd and Beli Dunav St, between Nadezhda and Vrabnitsa Nadezhda 2 Lomsko shose Blvd, between Nadezhda I and Nadezhda II Han Kubrat 4 Lomsko shose, north of Nadezhda Overpass in Triagalnika Knyaginya Maria Luiza Knyaginya Maria Luisa Blvd, south of Nadezhda Overpass in Banishora Central Railway Station 15BDZ trains, intercity and international buses Knyaginya Maria Luisa Blvd, in front of Sofia Central Station and Central Bus Station Sofia Lavov most 4 Knyaginya Maria Luisa Blvd, north of Lavov Most Serdica II 12 Knyaginya Maria Luisa Blvd, in front of Central Hali National Palace of Culture 11 Northern end of the park of the National Palace of Culture European Union 6 Cherni vrah Blvd, near Earth and Man National Museum and City Center Sofia James Bourchier 4 James Bourchier Blvd in Lozenets Vitosha 20 July 2016 6 Cherni vrah Blvd, near Paradise Center in Hladilnika Cherni vrah planned Southbound M5 diverges from M2 after this station. Cherni vrah Blvd, between Prof. Marin Goleminov St and Dimitar Manchev St Dragalevtsi Sofia Ring Road interchange with Cherni vrah Blvd
(Yellow) Station Image Opened ExitsIntermodality LocationObelya20 April 2003(withdrawn 19 July 2025)2Trains arriving from Vitosha continue as M4 trains to Sofia Airport.M4 trains arriving from Sofia Airport continue as M2 trains to Vitosha.Previously operated by line M1 Obelya, over the Kakach riverPancho Vladigerovunder construction2M2 and M4 terminateBeneath the National Rail, near Obelya Depot Slivnitsa – Mladost I section shared with M1; see line Mladost III 25 April 2012 4 Andrej Sakharov Blvd, Resen St, and Gen. Radko Dimitriev St Inter Expo Center – Tsarigradsko shose Park and ride facility Tsarigradsko shose near Inter Expo CenterTunnel exit in Druzhba II Druzhba 2 April 2015 7 Between Prof. Tsvetan Lazarov Blvd and Kapt. Dimitar Spisarevski St Iskarsko shose 6BDZ trains at Iskarsko shose Railway station Iskarsko shose and Krastyo Pastuhov Blvd Sofiyska Sveta Gora 2 Iskar Industrial zone Sofia Airport 1Sofia Airport, Terminal 2The departures gate of Sofia Airport, Terminal 2
(Green)
The long M3 line is planned to connect the Ovcha 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. On 14 August 2026, 3 new stations were put into operation on the northern end.