Sofia public transport users with active travel cards during the protests from May 14 to 19 will see their cards automatically extended by six days, covering the period when the Bulgarian capital was left without buses, trams, and trolleybuses. This decision was made by the Sofia Municipal Council, and cardholders are not required to take any further action for the extension.

The extension will apply to all transport cards, including monthly, three-month, six-month, and annual cards, as well as cards with preferential prices for students, pupils, and pensioners. The move comes in response to the disruptions during the protests, aiming to ensure fairness for all passengers who couldn’t use their cards during this time.

Financially, the municipality has reported a loss of about 4 million leva in unrealized revenue from tickets and travel cards over the days when no above-ground public transport was available. However, the city’s metro system, which continued to operate during the protests, saw its revenues jump by over 30 percent, as explained by Tsvetomir Petrov, chairman of the Sofia Municipal Council.

In a related move, the civic organization Save Sofia has proposed legal amendments that would enable citizens to receive compensation for periods when public transport is halted due to force majeure events, ensuring a fairer and more resilient public transport system in Sofia going forward.