Public transport users in Sofia can now make contactless fare payments across the Bulgarian capital’s metro system by tapping their contactless credit or debit card or NFC mobile wallet on a reader installed on station turnstiles.

The city’s Urban Mobility Center initially rolled out the open loop contactless ticketing system on buses, trams and trolleybuses in August. It has also now added fare capping so passengers using the system to pay for three or more journeys on any form of public transport on a single day are only charged the price of a daily ticket.

“You can now validate your journey with a bank card, regardless of its issuer, at all metro stations,” the Urban Mobility Center says.

“It is enough simply to bring your card close to the reader in order to enter.

“The price of a single trip is BGN1.60 (US$1) and if you travel more than three times during the day — including a combination with overland transportation — the system automatically charges the price of a daily ticket of BGN4 (US$2.40), regardless of how many times you use public transport.

“The only condition is that you use the same bank card throughout the day.”

More than 2,000 metro passengers a day made contactless fare payments with their credit or debit card while the system was being tested at 16 stations before the full rollout, the public transport operator adds.

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