City Transport
Sofia is a surprisingly well-organized city when it comes to getting about . An extensive bus, trolleybus and tram network extends to just about everywhere you're likely to want to go, and inexpensive taxis fill the gaps. Public transport is cheap and reasonably efficient, with intertwining networks of buses ( avtobus ), trolleybuses ( troleibus ) and trams ( tramvai ). Some cross-town routes are operated by privately owned minibuses ( marshrutki ), which are faster than regular buses but cost more to use. A single metro line runs from central Sofia to the western suburb of Lyulin - but as no hotels or tourist attractions lie along its route, you're unlikely to use it. Most services run from about 4am until 11.30pm. The main problem for visitors, however, is lack of information: while some bus and tram stops are well-marked, others are merely corroded metal poles displaying no information about which services call there or how often. Always be prepared to ask the locals, and buy a good city map if possible. There's a flat fare on all urban routes (currently US$0.20), and tickets ( bileti ) for buses, trolleys and trams can be bought from street kiosks or, sometimes, from the driver. All tickets must be punched on board the vehicle: inspections are frequent and there are spot-fines for fare-dodgers - officially around US$2, although unscrupulous inspectors sometimes make foreigners pay much more. Officially, you're supposed to buy an extra ticket for each large item of baggage, but in practice this is rarely enforced - except on buses to and from the airport, where inspectors deliberately pick on foreigners on the grounds that they're less likely than the locals to put up an argument. If you're staying in Sofia any length of time, a one-day ticket ( karta za edin den ; US$1) or a five-day ticket ( karta za pet dena ; US$4.50) is a sound investment, but can only be bought from kiosks. Tickets are not valid in minibuses, for which you must pay the driver (around US$0.50 flat fare). Taxis aren't particularly expensive, charging the equivalent of US$0.15 per km until 10pm, US$0.20-25 per km after that. There's a taxi rank at the northern end of bul. Vitosha; otherwise vehicles hang around at most big intersections. You can order them by phone (try OK Supertaxi tel 973 2121, or Inex Taxi tel 91919), but don't expect to get through to an English-speaker. Sofia taxi drivers don't always have a detailed knowledge of their own city, and clients are usually expected to supply directions themselves. The overcharging of foreigners is fairly endemic, and there's little you can do to prevent this except check that meters are working and be firm with obvious transgressors. It's a good idea to stick to reputable firms like OK and Inex, though if you're staying in Sofia for any length of time you're unlikely to escape without being ripped off at least once.
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