Bulgaria - Tram services over obscure routes

Introduction

Some tram systems advertise their depot workings and enable one to ascertain the regular use by passenger-carrying services of junctions or sections of line that do not otherwise see public service. This occasional series lists such services that have come to notice. While the data for each system is current at the date stated, it is not the intention to endeavour to keep every entry up to date at every service change - the listing serves as a guide for travellers as to the sort of services they can look out for, enabling them to check current published timetable material at their time of travel.

To assist in tracing services, the route and/or timetable number for each journey is shown in parentheses, e.g. (1). Days of operation are in English notation (respectively: Su, M, T, W, Th, F, S) - plus "O" for only, "X" for excepted. Su (Sundays) usually includes public holidays in mainland Europe - but check locally.

Listings for other systems throughout the world - in the same format as shown below (please include date of timetable validity) - will always be welcomed.

Sofia:

Information as at February 2025. Information is displayed locally in Cyrillic so to assist with orientation, use the Urbanrail website map, and the Sofia "Urban Mobility Center" website for line route maps and timetables. Click on the "Stops" tab or the "Timetables" tab on the top left, then the orange tram icon followed by the route number to get geographic route maps and timetable information (departures from the selected stop in the selected direction), plus in the latter case a list of stop names. Note the network has two different gauges with a mixed gauge section; route numbers to 19 are 1,009mm (almost metre) gauge and 20 and above 1,435mm (standard) gauge, but this convention has been breached in 2024/25 by a 1,009mm gauge temporary route 27...

Single line along Ulica Struga (ул. Струга) south of Sofia main railway station via stop Tsentralna Avtogara (Централна Aвтогара - Central Bus Station)

All southbound route 1 journeys from Nadlez Nadezhda (Надлец Надежда) - the terminus on a balloon loop a little distance west of the Central Station - divert via this eastbound-only single track loop, using the north-to-east curve at the western end and the west-to-south curve at the eastern end. Note that trams run in the opposite direction to road traffic. Services run at slightly irregular intervals, and definitely not clockface.

Departures from Nadlez Nadezhda (Надлец Надежда):

• Weekdays: from 05:36 to 22:56 at intervals of between 20 and 30 minutes (2 or 3 in each hour)
• Holidays: from 05:49 to 23.35 at intervals of between 35 and 50 minutes (1 or 2 in each hour) (up to 70 minutes at start or end of service)

Route 23

This standard gauge route does not come into the city centre, running only in the eastern suburbs from a large loop at zh.k. Geo Milev (Ж.К. ГЕО МИЛЕВ), then along route 20 for eight stops and to its own branch and terminus at ul. Obikolna (УЛ. ОБИКОЛНА). Services run roughly half-hourly every day from around 05:00, but the last inbound working is at 20.40 and the last outbound at 21.04.

Branch to Gara Sofia Sever (Гара София Север - Sofia Sever station)

Maps dated 2023 show this short branch without a service, but it reopened in 2024 (or perhaps late 2023). This seems to have coincided with some lengthy engineering work on the mainline railway, although there appears to be no reason for reinstating the tram service during this period as there are still trains running between Central and Sever stations. However, it is wondered if the reinstatement might be only temporary, and therefore might be withdrawn again. As of February 2025, the branch is served by route 27; this approaches from the south (so traverses the south-to-east curve) and runs at intervals of around 10 minutes during for much of the day on weekdays (around 20 minutes after 21:00, and around 15-20 minutes on holidays). In addition, from 22 February until 5 June 2025, it is also served by a diverted route 12. Note that there are separate set-down and pick-up stops on the balloon loop at the terminus.

South-to-east curve at intersection of Blvd. "Konstantin Velichkov" (бул. „Константин Величков“) and "Aleksandar Stamboliyski" Blvd. (бул. „Александър Стамболийски“)

From 21 February until 25 March 2025, closure of the western end of the 1,435mm gauge line along Pirotska St. (ул. Пиротска) results in the south-western end of route 22 being replaced by temporary route 22A between Ulica Dobrotitch (Добротич ул.) and Tsentralna Gara (Централна гара - Central Station) over 1,009mm gauge tracks. This normally non-passenger curve connects south-north route 11 with west-east routes 3, 8 and 10, and is used by route 22A in both directions. More details at Sofia "Urban Mobility Center" website; scroll down and click on the appropriate item under "Route Changes". Note that the electronic destination displays on some trams and the PIS displays at some stops can only show two-digit route numbers, so show these workings as just route 22; the trams themselves, however, also display "22A" boards. (See also the entry directly below.)

South-to-east curve from Hristo Botev Blvd. (бул. Христо Ботев.) into Ulica Struga (ул. Струга) and west-to-north curve towards Tsentralna Gara (Централна гара - Central Station)

From 21 February until 25 March 2025, closure of the western end of the 1,435mm gauge line along Pirotska St. (ул. Пиротска) results in the south-western end of route 22 being replaced by temporary route 22A between Ulica Dobrotitch (Добротич ул.) and Tsentralna Gara (Централна гара - Central Station) over 1,009mm gauge tracks. These normally non-passenger curves connect south-north routes 3, 4, 6 and 7 onto the one-way loop used by route 1 (see Ulica Struga entry above) and then off onto the line approaching Tsentralna Gara (Централна гара - Central Station) from the east; they are used by route 22A in one direction only. More details at Sofia "Urban Mobility Center" website; scroll down and click on the appropriate item under "Route Changes". Note that the electronic destination displays on some trams and the PIS displays at some stops can only show two-digit route numbers, so show these workings as just route 22; the trams themselves, however, also display "22A" boards. (See also the entry directly below.)