Sofia Airport became an intermodal transportation hub with the new metro line extension inaugurated on 2 April, 2015.
Even though it is located just 12km from the city centre, the access to the capital airport was limited to road transport in the form of bus, taxi or private car.
Now, using the expanded metro links, passengers arriving at the capital city airport of Bulgaria will be able to reach the Central Railway and Central Bus Stations in just 40 minutes.
Journey time from the airport to the city centre, where most of the hotels and sightseeing places are concentrated, is estimated to be 18 minutes.
Metro trains will run from 5.30a.m. to midnight, enabling the daily transportation of over 10,000 employees working in the airport area.
The metro station is located in the eastern part of Terminal 2 of Sofia Airport and impresses with its light and airy architecture. Its windows look over the Airport Park, which now has a good chance of being transformed into a new city stage for cultural and other events.
A sculpture of Orpheus − a legendary musician, poet and prophet from the Thracian lands − welcomes passengers in the station hall. Orpheus is a symbol embodying the human perfection and immortality achieved through the knowledge of human and animal nature as a path to inner harmony and balance.
Metro is not only a fast, modern and safe mode of transport but also an eco-friendly one. The estimated reduction in harmful emissions is 8,000t per annum achieved by a 12% decrease in road traffic in the area of the new airport extension.
The extension of the metro line to Sofia Airport is implemented under OP Transport 2007−2013 co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and national financing.
The successfully completed project is in line with the definition of a green city and sustainable mobility. It contributes to all recent international recognitions of Sofia as a top outsourcing destination in Eastern Europe for 2014, European Capital of Sport 2018, UNESCO Creative Capital of Cinema, and many others.