This summer, the Bulgarian capital will gain an additional 3 kilometers of subway track and three new stations on Line 3 in the Poduiane area. The announcement was made by Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev following an inspection of the expansion site, conducted alongside Transport Minister Korman Ismailov and representatives of the Metropoliten company.
The new stations will be “Georgi Asparuhov Stadium”, “Vitinia”, and “Gen. Vladimir Vazov”, names linked to well-known landmarks in the area. According to local authorities, the new section will enable faster travel for over 45,000 people every day.
“This summer, Sofia will have an additional 3 kilometers of metro line and three new stations in Poduiane—‘Georgi Asparuhov Stadium,’ ‘Vitinia,’ and ‘Gen. Vladimir Vazov.’ These names are part of the area’s fabric. But what’s more important is what will change for people. Over 45,000 people will travel faster every day. From ‘Hadji Dimitar,’ ‘Suhata reka,’ and ‘Levski’ to the NDK—in about 12 minutes,” said Mayor Vasil Terziev.
Faster connection to downtown Sofia
The extension of Line 3 will improve the connection between the neighborhoods of Hadji Dimitar, Suhata reka, and Levski with downtown Sofia and the western parts of the city.
Passengers will have connections to the other metro lines: at Orlov Most with Lines 1 and 4, and at NDK with Line 2. Authorities say the new section will also facilitate faster access to the airport, Central Station, and the central bus station.
The mayor of Sofia emphasized that the metro is essential infrastructure for a modern city, as it provides fast and predictable travel. “For thousands of people, this means more time for themselves—less time in traffic jams and faster access to work, education, and services. It is infrastructure that has a direct impact on daily life,” said Vasil Terziev.
Work began in 2022
Construction of the section between the Hadji Dimitar neighborhood and the Levski area took four years, with work beginning on March 21, 2022. Metropoliten CEO Nikolai Naidenov stated that the extension of Line 3 to Poduiane is an example of a successfully implemented strategic infrastructure project.
Transport Minister Korman Ismailov stated that the state consistently supports the development of the metro and transport infrastructure, including through public funding dating back to the programming period that began in 2014.
The section is funded through Bulgaria’s Recovery and Resilience Plan, with approximately 284 million leva, equivalent to about 145 million EUR.
Park & Ride Facilities and New Jobs
Along with the metro expansion, a park & ride facility will also open at the “Gen. Vladimir Vazov” station, with a capacity of 100 cars. Authorities are also preparing to build a larger parking lot near the “Vitinia” station, with approximately 400 spaces. The contractor selection process for this project is set to begin.
The commissioning of the new section is expected to create approximately 100 jobs.
The Sofia Metro will reach 61 km
The Poduiane extension is part of a larger package of 10 new stations currently under construction. In addition to the three stations in Poduiane, six more stations are under construction in the Slatina area and one in Obelia.
Work continues in Slatina using the TBM, and upon completion of the three sections currently under construction, the Sofia metro network will reach 61 kilometers and 57 stations.
Authorities estimate that the number of passengers will rise to 650,000 per day, equivalent to nearly 50% of the total passenger flow on public transportation in the Bulgarian capital.
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