Sofia Municipality introduces temporary green ticket for public transport and free buffer parking to combat air pollution

A "Green Ticket" costing 1 BGN for travel on public transport, along with free parking at metro buffer car parks, will be introduced for Thursday and Friday (January 9 and 10) in Sofia. These measures are being implemented by the Sofia Municipality due to the measured exceedance of PM10 levels in the city's air and in connection with the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology's forecast, which predicts "moderate" potential air pollution in the coming days.

For the first time, the decision to introduce the green ticket is being made the day before, based on forecast data, to provide transport companies sufficient time to prepare. At a meeting with all transport operators on the afternoon of January 8, the administration requested a readiness report to ensure smooth travel for citizens on both days.

The Sofia Municipality urges citizens to leave their cars at home and use public transport over the next two days.

A green ticket can be purchased:

• By validating a bank card in the vehicle;
• From the drivers in the vehicles;
• Online via the Urban Mobility Centre web portal;
• From the Urban Mobility Centre and Metropolitan ticket offices - either in paper form or as an electronic ticket loaded onto your card.

The Green Ticket will not be valid for night public transport.

Current weather conditions are conducive to temperature inversions, which trap air pollutants in the lower atmospheric layers, leading to increased pollution levels. The decision follows measured hourly exceedances as of 10:00 a.m. on January 8 at the "Nadezhda" and "Hippodrome" monitoring stations.

The recommendation for sensitive groups and children to reduce outdoor physical activity remains in effect.

The Sofia Municipality is also implementing the following additional measures as part of its comprehensive approach to combating air pollution:

Since January 1, over 150 inspections have been carried out at various sites contributing to air pollution across Sofia. Final inspection data and issued citations are provided by the Sofia Inspectorate after 4:00 p.m. on the respective day.

Since January 1, over 150 inspections have been carried out at various sites contributing to air pollution across Sofia. Final inspection data and issued citations are provided by the Sofia Inspectorate after 4:00 p.m. on the respective day.

Ongoing monitoring continues for violations of the entry bans on vehicles from eco-groups 1 and 2 within the "small ring" zone in the city center, as well as for the use of wood and coal stoves in nine districts that have centralized heating or gas distribution networks: "Sredets," "Krasno Selo," "Izgrev," "Ilinden," "Student City," "Oborishte," "Vazrazhdane," "Lozenets," and "Triaditsa."

To date, more than 1,200 notices of violation have been issued for non-compliance with the ban on vehicle entry into the small ring zone. Since the introduction of the low-emission zone on December 1, the number of violators has dropped twofold and currently they are about 2,000 per day, the Sofia Municipality reports. This is also a 10-fold drop in the number of the most polluting cars from eco-groups 1 and 2 entering the city centre since before the measure was introduced.

A message has been sent to all schools and kindergartens with a recommendation to limit children's outdoor activities until the end of the week (January 9 and 10), given the forecast for unchanged weather conditions.

Additionally, street washing will be applied as a measure when PM10 levels moderately exceed limits, but only in suitable weather conditions in order to avoid hazardous icing.

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