Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova urged citizens to take care of their public transport ride in advance, buy tickets or validate their personal transportation cards. Except in the Urban Mobility Centers (UMC)tickets can be purchased in the lottery points and post offices, Fandakova informed in the studio of bTV.

This was also her answer to a question about the conditions for buying tickets and cards, especially since from January 4 public transport controllers no longer sell tickets, and drivers have not done so since the spring of this year because of the epidemic.

The chaos with the distribution of public transport tickets was further complicated by the fact that in 2020 the places from where a ticket can be bought were significantly reduced, and ticket machines were dismantled in the vehicles themselves. The explanation offered is that from 1 January 2021 at the latest an electronic self-pay system working with debit and credit cards will be available, and Sofians will be able to buy a ticket through their smartphone. However, this was postponed at the last minute for months.

If people who use public transport do not pay for their trip the costs are paid by everyone else, Fandakova said, and reminded that last year the revenues of public transport decreased by 3/4.

All 12,000 devices for the new charging system have already been installed, even on the third subway line, but it will only be launched in full in May. For the delay of this system, Fandakova was also evasive and justified the Center for Urban Mobility with the pandemic. "Anyone can understand the delay in work because of the dangers of the epidemic."

However, there is already a schedule specified by UMC, which is presented to Sofia Municipality. The UMC will propose changes in the regulations as well as in the tariff policy, Fandakova pointed out, hinting at a possible increase in the price of ticket in Sofia.

Revenue in the budget of Sofia municipality has decreased by BGN 16 million, Yordanka Fandakova also pointed out. The budget is currently being itemized, it is not yet clear whether a budget update will be needed. It will also depend on how the epidemic, the health crisis and the economic crisis develop, the Mayor explained.

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