Prof. Stoyan Bratoev The subway gives people 160,000 hours of free time

According to the head of "Metropolitan," this is not just an image project; rather, it is the largest acquisition of our capital as a whole since it was made into a city. The subway to "Slatina" began service in April; it will carry an additional 75,000 people. Light metro can run along the southern end of a rainbow. The next generation will construct a 15 km route like this.

The entrances of the metro stations will extend onto the platform, creating a new stop that is connected to the trains and will make it simple for people to get to Bankya, Dragoman, and Kyustendil. Sofia was located at the bottom of a lake, with a 26-meter water column under the National Palace of Culture.

There were many unexpected events, and at "Vladimir Vazov" we fought for a month to stop the Pearl River from entering the tunnel Extensions are planned in "Lyulin" and "Studentski Grad" It will take from "Levski - G" to "Tsarigradsko shose" in 8 to 10 minutes, and at the District Hospital - Prof. Bratoev, the subway will celebrate its 25th birthday on Saturday, and this is likely the only national project that continues regardless of the political climate.

Before 1998, when we launched the first section of the metro, funding was incredibly inadequate. How did you manage to work with various ministers and mayors during these years? - The answer is work and funding. 6.4 km, or an average of 370–380 meters per year, were constructed over the course of 20 years.

And as of right now, we are already constructing 2.5-3 km annually. The metro had already reached 9.5 km by the time he turned 25 in 2003.

We currently have 46 kilometers. In other words, we were able to increase the construction by 4-5 times.

There are numerous explanations. One of them is a group of Sofia's mayors, including Alexander Yanchulev, Stefan Sofianski, Minko Gerdzhikov, Boyko Borisov, and Yordanka Fandakova.

Everyone provided as much assistance as they could for the subway's construction, within the limits of the municipality's capabilities. Refinancing for the project was eventually discovered over time.

Sofianski was successful in obtaining a loan from the Japan Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Then we started working on projects under the initial operational programs.

As a result, we constructed 34 km between 2008 and 2021. The funding was not the only thing that was found; it was also realized that the section preparations needed to begin much earlier.

It is simpler to obtain financing if you already have a project in mind than if you don't have anything and are just looking. We became aware of this right away and started preparing another section in parallel with the one we were working on.

The first and second stages of the second line were introduced in 2021, and the "Vladimir Vazov" and "Slatina" sections were first started in preparation in 2015-2016. Additionally, work on the "Vladimir Vazov" portion of the route began in 2022, and work on the "Slatina" portion will begin in 2023.

We made use of the time to get these projects ready. Furthermore, this covers a wide range of topics, such as regulatory plans, the general development plan, expropriation, concept projects, development, environmental protection reports, etc.

, their approval until a building permit is obtained – these are 5–6 years of preparation . – Which station was the most challenging to construct? – All. There is neither a light station nor a light section.

The fact that the Sofia metro is primarily underground is a defining feature of the system. The groundwater table is 95 percent below the surface of the metro's underground sections.

Sofia was once the bottom of a natural lake, which has left it with highly waterlogged soils and a strong groundwater supply. The groundwater level begins 3–4 meters below the surface, and there are hardly any buildings that are lower than that. If we take a look at station "NDK-2," it is 28 meters deep, of which 26 meters are a water column, and at the bottom, where the wall is broken through at 20 meters, a stream of groundwater is thrown.

It is being constructed in Sofia on various types of soils under unfavorable circumstances. We have learned how to work with soils as a result of the experience we have accumulated over the years.

In underground construction, there are frequently unpleasant surprises. In order to protect the archaeology and the ancient complex, the "Serdika-2" station's construction was challenging.

On Orlov Most, a comparable obstacle presented itself. The station on "Bulgaria" Boulevard presented a significant obstacle.

because it arrived at Boyanska Reka's former bed. Breaks in the flow of water and injections allow us to manage water access while still moving forward with the construction.

During the construction of the "Vladimir Vazov," a breach occurred as we were passing beneath the Pearl River. The water rushed into the tunnel, and there was a struggle that lasted for almost a month before the water finally stopped. - Last year, work on the "Vladimir Vazov" metro extension began. This project was made possible by recovery plan funding.

By the summer of 2025, it should be completed. The estimated number of passengers this section will carry is 46–47 thousand. The "Slatina" will carry an additional 75,000 passengers.

With this in mind, the third line should accommodate about 200,000 passengers. In response to the question of when work will start on the area next to "Slatina," I predicted that it would start at the beginning of April after we received our building permit in March.

Five contracts, including four for building and one for supervising construction, have already been signed. There is still one more construction project that needs to be completed; it is currently the subject of an appeal, and we are awaiting the CPC's ruling on the matter.

It was intended for this section to begin during the second quarter of the year. If "Vladimir Vazov" had been the first piece of construction, we would not have been able to complete them simultaneously.

Due to this, we also divided the "Sheep's Fountain" into two parts. We have a limited amount of capacity, so you must manage various projects with the same team members.

For this reason, one must start the next one after a small amount of pulling. - You made a public announcement about the opening of a new station between "Lyulin" and "Obelya.".

The city's OUP has planned a junction at this location that will serve as a bus station, railroad station, and metro station. This station was planned back in 2001 when we built the "Slivnitsa-Obelya" section, it was 2,200 m away, and the average distance of the metro in Sofia on the first line is 1,100 mdot. Now that the Central Station of the sofia-dragoman railway line has been modernized, Connected Europe has provided funding to NKJI for this project, which also includes building the railroad station that will be integrated into the metro station.

Additionally, this train station's platforms are reached from the entrances to the metro stations. Additionally, because there is currently no funding, the bus station is somewhat further off in the future.

This intermodal junction's function is to provide service in three directions, including Sofia-Slivnitsa-Dragoman, Sofia-Kyustendil, and Sofia-Kostinbrod-Bozhurishte-Bankya, in an effort to promote the use of rail transportation. There needs to be built an 800-meter tunnel connecting this station and the depot, which is connected by another track.

The first and second lines should be able to schedule themselves. At this time, trains from line one continue to line two.

There is actually a load of passengers on the first train, which runs every three minutes in the morning, and on the second, which runs every six minutes. Since there was no such load when we launched them, our decision was justified.

People began to become accustomed to it gradually, and it began to load. The interval is now intended to be shortened, but for that to happen, the second line needs to have its own schedule and train loading.

We load 34 trains from a single location in the depot in the morning; if the second line is split, we will have 22 trains on the first and 12 trains on the second. The two extensions to "Levski-G" and "Tsarigradsko shose" (at the District Hospital) will be ready in about 8-10 minutes, which is roughly how long it will take for people to arrive at the center.

One of the benefits of using the subway is that you can move through areas more quickly because it travels at an average speed of 36 to 38 km/h when you board, wait, and move. The average speed of land transportation is 14 to 16 km/h, while the average speed of automobile travel is 22 to 24 km/h.

Additionally, it offers the best possible travel circumstances. There is a 25% reduction in traffic.

The metro has reduced the number of cars in Sofia's daily traffic by about 90,000. Over 79 thousand tons less harmful substances are in the atmosphere as a result, which is another effect.

All of these represent advantages. Currently, those who take the subway have 160,000 more hours of free time than those who take other forms of transportation.

They will increase to 210 thousand hours of time saved per day once the third line is finished. Transport studies indicate that the third line, which carries the majority of passengers, should have a running interval reduction to three minutes.

We'll shorten them to three minutes in order to draw more passengers, which will reduce the number of cars on the road, traffic, and harmful emissions. The current time difference between rush hour in the morning and afternoon is 4:05.

The metro is an ecological and social construct in addition to a means of transportation. I can walk, read a book, take a nap, or do something else while taking the metro, which saves me an hour of time.

The metro frees up time for people, which is the social effect. This is not a publicity stunt; rather, it is Sofia's largest purchase in its history as a city.

Where will the metro system be in 25 years? Currently, there are 52 km, but in 2026, there will be 61 km and 57 metro stations, including one intermediate station after "Lyulin.". Parallel to this, there are several other sections of the general development plan that have them as routes - this is "Lyulin," which is the continuation of "Tsarica Ioana" to the Ring Road.

In addition to "Lyulin" and "Zapaden Park," "Slivnitsa," which is a little off to the side, is one of the two and a half stations on the "Lyulin" line. Despite having five stations, "Mladost" is a little smaller than "Lyulin"—fortunately, we started there later.

The general development plan calls for two additional stops, one of which should be started if funding is obtained because the regulatory plan is already there and ongoing public discussions are taking place as the regulatory plan is being completed. The other section, which is modern, extends from "Srebarna" along "Cherni vrah" to the ring road, a distance of 2 km with two stations.

A planned deviation with four additional stations to "Studentski Grad" is located at the first station after "Srebarna.". The majority of the deviation from the route to "Studentski Grad" is also included in the overall development plan for "Cherni Vrah.".

In other words, all that is required is the creation of a regulatory plan and possibly some projects. All of this is done while we wait for funding; if they promise money for the following year, we can then begin planning projects.

However, reworking outdated projects that have been in existence for five years is ineffective. There is also a plan to build a subway in "Iliyanci," but there isn't yet enough traffic to warrant the subway there. This subway will run from the "Nadezhda" overpass in the direction of "Iliyanci.".

Without these 9 km, which are currently being built, there would be an additional 20 km of track in the following 15 to 20 years. The Metro system continues to run; it does, however, occasionally slow down. As the city grows, however, intensive construction picks back up.

My opinion is that a light metro will eventually be required along the southern arc - "Todor Kableshkov", "G. A. M. Dimitrov.

The light metro shares many characteristics with the metro but is also completely independent from other modes of transportation. First, the rolling stock is different in the light metro; a third line of the metro is partially equipped with a light metro element; the rolling stock itself has 26 tons of wagons rather than 34 tons.

Depending on the options that are approved and how the cost is affected, there are opportunities to construct a flyover that is partially underground. Automation is customized for the particular section.

This route, which is almost 15 km long and can be completed, is very serious and can be completed, but it will take more time. This is what we'll leave to the next generation.

After a brief lull in activity, intense construction activity picks back up as the city grows. My opinion is that a light metro will eventually be required along the southern arc - "Todor Kableshkov", "G.

A. M. Dimitrov. The light metro shares many characteristics with the metro but is also completely independent from other modes of transportation.

The difference in the light metro is firstly the rolling stock - a third line of the metro is partially with an element of a light metro - the rolling stock itself has 26 tons of wagons instead of 34 tons. Depending on the options that are approved and how the cost is affected, there are opportunities to construct a flyover that is partially underground.

Automation is customized for the particular section. This route, which is almost 15 km long and can be completed, is very serious and can be completed, but it will take more time.

This is what we'll leave to the next generation. After a brief lull in activity, intense construction activity picks back up as the city grows.

My view is that at some point a light metro will be needed along the southern arc - "Todor Kableshkov", "G. A. M. Dimitrov.

The light metro shares many characteristics with the metro but is also completely independent from other modes of transportation. First, the rolling stock is different in the light metro; a third line of the metro is partially equipped with a light metro element; the rolling stock itself has 26 tons of wagons rather than 34 tons.

Depending on the options that are approved and how the cost is affected, there are opportunities to construct a flyover that is partially underground. Automation is customized for the particular section.

This is a very serious route - nearly 15 km, which can also be realized, but a little further in time. This is what we'll leave to the next generation.

however, active construction picked back up with the city's growth. My opinion is that a light metro will eventually be required along the southern arc - "Todor Kableshkov", "G.

A. M. Dimitrov. The light metro shares many characteristics with the metro but is also completely independent from other modes of transportation.

The difference in the light metro is firstly the rolling stock - a third line of the metro is partially with an element of a light metro - the rolling stock itself has 26 tons of wagons instead of 34 tons. Here there are opportunities to make a flyover, partially underground, depending on what options will be approved and this will affect the price.

Automation is customized for the particular section. This route, which is almost 15 km long and can be completed, is very serious and can be completed, but it will take more time.

This is what we'll leave to the next generation. however, active construction picked back up with the city's growth.

My opinion is that a light metro will eventually be required along the southern arc - "Todor Kableshkov", "G. A. M. Dimitrov.

The light metro is also 100 percent independent of the rest of the transport with the same parameters as the metro. The difference in the light metro is firstly the rolling stock - a third line of the metro is partially with an element of a light metro - the rolling stock itself has 26 tons of wagons instead of 34 tons.

Depending on the options that are approved and how the cost is affected, there are opportunities to construct a flyover that is partially underground. Automation is customized for the particular section.

This route, which is almost 15 km long and can be completed, is very serious and can be completed, but it will take more time. This is what we'll leave to the next generation.

My view is that at some point a light metro will be needed along the southern arc - "Todor Kableshkov", "G. A. M. Dimitrov.

The light metro is also 100 percent independent of the rest of the transport with the same parameters as the metro. The difference in the light metro is firstly the rolling stock - a third line of the metro is partially with an element of a light metro - the rolling stock itself has 26 tons of wagons instead of 34 tons.

Here there are opportunities to make a flyover, partially underground, depending on what options will be approved and this will affect the price. Automation is customized for the particular section.

This is a very serious route - nearly 15 km, which can also be realized, but a little further in time. This is what we'll leave to the next generation.

My view is that at some point a light metro will be needed along the southern arc - "Todor Kableshkov", "G. A. M. Dimitrov.

The light metro is also 100 percent independent of the rest of the transport with the same parameters as the metro. The difference in the light metro is firstly the rolling stock - a third line of the metro is partially with an element of a light metro - the rolling stock itself has 26 tons of wagons instead of 34 tons.

Here there are opportunities to make a flyover, partially underground, depending on what options will be approved and this will affect the price. Automation is customized for the particular section.

This is a very serious route - nearly 15 km, which can also be realized, but a little further in time. This is what we'll leave to the next generation.

The light metro is also 100 percent independent of the rest of the transport with the same parameters as the metro. The difference in the light metro is firstly the rolling stock - a third line of the metro is partially with an element of a light metro - the rolling stock itself has 26 tons of wagons instead of 34 tons.

Here there are opportunities to make a flyover, partially underground, depending on what options will be approved and this will affect the price. Automation is customized for the particular section.

This is a very serious route - nearly 15 km, which can also be realized, but a little further in time. This is what we'll leave to the next generation.

The light metro shares many characteristics with the metro but is also completely independent from other modes of transportation. The difference in the light metro is firstly the rolling stock - a third line of the metro is partially with an element of a light metro - the rolling stock itself has 26 tons of wagons instead of 34 tons.

Here there are opportunities to make a flyover, partially underground, depending on what options will be approved and this will affect the price. Automation is customized for the particular section.

This is a very serious route - nearly 15 km, which can also be realized, but a little further in time. This is what we'll leave to the next generation.

The difference in the light metro is firstly the rolling stock - a third line of the metro is partially with an element of a light metro - the rolling stock itself has 26 tons of wagons instead of 34 tons. Here there are opportunities to make a flyover, partially underground, depending on what options will be approved and this will affect the price.

automation is adapted to the specific section. This is a very serious route - nearly 15 km, which can also be realized, but a little further in time.

We will leave this for future generations. First, the rolling stock is different in the light metro; a third line of the metro is partially equipped with a light metro element; the rolling stock itself has 26 tons of wagons rather than 34 tons.

Here there are opportunities to make a flyover, partially underground, depending on what options will be approved and this will affect the price. automation is adapted to the specific section.

This is a very serious route - nearly 15 km, which can also be realized, but a little further in time. We will leave this for future generations.

The difference in the light metro is firstly the rolling stock - a third line of the metro is partially with an element of a light metro - the rolling stock itself has 26 tons of wagons instead of 34 tons.