The Third Metro Line in Sofia is Transport of a New Generation for over 500,000 Passengers a Day

Sofia. The main constructions of the third line of the Sofia Metro are about to be completed, they will carry over 500,000 passengers daily, the director of the Metropolitan, Stoyan Bratoev, told Focus Radio. The section from Krasno Selo quarter to Vladimir Vazov Blvd is 76% complete with eight metro stations at the moment, and the section to Ovcha Kupel quarter is 38% complete. The first stage has a clear deadline, it needs to be completed by autumn 2019, Bratoev said. Seven out of 20 trains have already been purchased, the rest will be delivered by February 2019. 
The safety of the enormous number of passengers expected to use the third line will be ensured in an innovative way for Bulgaria, the Metropolitan director explained. "The third line is a new generation - the platforms will be separated from the trains with special partition walls and automatic doors that open when the train arrives. Secondly, the trains have an option for automatic operation without a driver. They will be present in the cabin but with limited functions," he said, commenting that 45 km of metro lines built in 15 years is great progress compared to countries with much more resources.