Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, showcases a diverse range of transportation modes with cars being the most prevalent. In 2024, the city faces challenges with traffic inefficiency and CO2 emissions, but there are opportunities for improvement.

Average Commute Times

The average commute involves 11.29 minutes of driving and 8.14 minutes of walking, covering a distance of 9.52 km.
  • Bus - Bus commuters spend approximately 22.87 minutes on the bus and 6.13 minutes walking, with a total distance of 7.82 km.
  • Car - Car users experience a driving time of 27.53 minutes and a short walking time of 2.46 minutes, covering 13.58 km.
  • Train - Train commuters spend 24.43 minutes on the train and 6.96 minutes walking, traveling a distance of 13.04 km.
  • Walking - Walking is a popular mode, with an average time of 20.10 minutes and a distance of 3.76 km.
Traffic Breakdown
Car
39%
Walking
25%
Bus
16%
Train
9%
Tram
4%
Home
3%
Bicycle
2%
Motorcycle
1%
Seasonal Trends

Traffic congestion tends to increase during the winter months due to adverse weather conditions. Summer sees a slight decrease in traffic as residents often leave the city for vacations.

Commuter Pain Points

Frequent traffic jams during peak hours lead to increased travel times for car users. Public transport delays and overcrowding are common issues faced by commuters.

Best Travel Times

Traveling before 7 AM or after 7 PM can help avoid peak traffic congestion. Midday travel is generally smoother with less traffic on the roads.

Event Impacts

Large public events in Sofia, such as concerts and sports matches, can significantly disrupt traffic flow. Planning alternative routes during events can help mitigate delays.

Sustainability Efforts

Sofia is investing in expanding its public transport network to reduce reliance on cars. The city is promoting cycling and walking through the development of dedicated lanes and pedestrian zones.

Ride-Sharing Impact

Ride-sharing services are gaining popularity, offering flexible travel options and reducing the need for personal vehicles. These services can help decrease traffic congestion if integrated effectively with public transport.

Worldwide
Bulgaria

Traffic Rankings

Sofia ranks 1st on the Traffic rankings in Bulgaria. The Traffic Index for Bulgaria combines user-contributed data on commute times, traffic dissatisfaction, CO2 emissions, and traffic system inefficiencies in Bulgaria, to provide insights into overall traffic conditions.

Worst to BestUpdated: Dec, 2024

Traffic Data

The following traffic data has been gathered from 249 user contributions.
Overall average travel
Distance
5.9 miles
Walking
8.1 mins
Waiting
2.4 mins
Driving Car
11.3 mins
Bus / Trolley
4.1 mins
Bicycle
0.6 mins
Motorcycle
0.2 mins
Train
3.1 mins
Tram
0.8 mins
Other
0.3 mins
Total:
31.0 mins
Average when primarily using Bus
Distance
4.9 miles
Walking
6.1 mins
Waiting
7.8 mins
Bus / Trolley
22.9 mins
Train
1.8 mins
Other
0.1 mins
Total:
38.7 mins
Average when primarily using Car
Distance
8.4 miles
Walking
2.5 mins
Driving Car
27.5 mins
Total:
30.0 mins
Average when primarily using Train
Distance
8.1 miles
Walking
7.0 mins
Waiting
4.9 mins
Bus / Trolley
0.8 mins
Train
24.4 mins
Other
0.4 mins
Total:
37.5 mins
Average when primarily using Walking
Distance
2.3 miles
Walking
20.1 mins
Waiting
1.4 mins
Driving Car
0.8 mins
Bus / Trolley
1.2 mins
Bicycle
0.6 mins
Motorcycle
0.0 mins
Train
1.7 mins
Other
0.2 mins
Total:
26.0 mins
Sofia Traffic

"Key Takeaways"

Encouraging the use of public transportation and cycling could help reduce CO2 emissions and traffic congestion.

Investing in infrastructure improvements could enhance traffic flow and reduce commute times.

Key Indexes

Emissions

Sofia's CO2 emissions index is notably high at 3291.95, indicating significant environmental impact.

Efforts to reduce emissions could focus on promoting public transport and non-motorized travel.

Time

The average time index of 30.99 minutes suggests moderate traffic delays.

Improving traffic flow could reduce commute times and enhance efficiency.

Inefficiency

The inefficiency index stands at 100.88, highlighting areas for potential improvement in traffic management.

Addressing bottlenecks and optimizing traffic signals could alleviate inefficiencies.