After two years of persistent effort, we are proud to share that Sofia has finally taken a major step forward – the city is now opening its public transport mobility data to everyone. This puts Sofia on the same page as most European countries that already provide such access, and marks a turning point for innovation in urban mobility.
A process led by Tripco, won by all!
This achievement is not accidental. Two years ago, Tripco initiated the conversation with the Center for Urban Mobility (ЦГМ) about the importance of open transport data. At first, our official requests went unanswered. Real progress began only a year ago, when we met with the Mayor of Sofia, Vasil Terziev, who recognized the importance of the matter and gave his support.
Following that, the process was lengthy and complex. Deputy Mayor for Digitalization, Ivan Goychev, together with City Councillor Simeon Stavrev, prepared the official report. This report had to be reviewed and voted on by the City Council. In May, 53 councillors voted in favor(complete support), opening the way for the procedure to finally move forward.
And now, at last, everyone has access to Sofia’s mobility data.
Why It Matters
Access to these datasets – in GTFS for static information and GTFS-RT for real-time updates – is the foundation for developing modern transport solutions. With open data, developers, innovators, and citizens can build smarter journey planning tools, ticketing solutions, and services that improve how we all move across the city.
Looking Ahead
At Tripco, we feel truly optimistic. This milestone proves that with persistence, collaboration, and good institutional will, things can change for the better. We are grateful to everyone who contributed to this process – without you, this would not have happened.
And our work does not stop here. Sofia, if you need help converting your data into NeTEx or SIRI formats to achieve full compliance with EU delegated regulations, get in touch – we’re here to help.