site.btaSofia to Welcome Giro d’Italia Stage 3 Finishers, Temporary Traffic Restrictions, Public Transport Changes Introduced

Sofia will host the finish of the Stage 3 of the Giro d’Italia cycling race on Sunday. Ahead of the day’s culmination, residents and visitors will have the opportunity to take part in the special warm-up event Sofia Rides Giro, led by Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev, the Sofia Municipality press centre said.

The Sofia Rides Giro cycling parade will start at the Eagles’ Bridge (Orlov Most) junction. After the event, participants will be able to take positions along Tsarigradsko Shose Blvd. or head to Tsar Osvoboditel Boulevard to welcome and support the first professional Giro d’Italia riders during the final sprint to the finish arch.

The Sofia Municipality has introduced temporary traffic restrictions and changes to public transport routes. From 3:00 am on May 7 until 6:00 am on May 11, the entry, parking and stopping of vehicles at Nikolay Gyaurov Square are prohibited, except for organizer vehicles. 

From the afternoon and evening of May 9, restrictions cover the area around the Tsar Liberator monument, Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd., 15-ti Noemvri Street, 19-ti Fevruari Street and the area surrounding the St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.

From Sunday morning, parking, stopping and vehicle access restrictions will also apply on Oborishte Street, 11-ti Avgust Street, Dunav Street, Moskovska Street and in the area around Alexander Nevsky Square. Starting at 12:00 pm, traffic will be gradually restricted along Vasil Levski Blvd., Evlogi and Hristo Georgievi Blvd., Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd., Tsarigradsko Shose Blvd., as well as along Samokovsko Shose Street from the junction for the village of Gorni Okol to Copenhagen Blvd.

On Sunday evening, temporary traffic restrictions will also be introduced on 6-ti Septemvri Street, Aksakov Street and Gen. Gurko Street. After 9:00 pm, public transport vehicles will again be allowed to pass along Gen. Gurko Street.

Changes will also affect surface public transport. On May 9 and 10, the routes of bus lines H43, 9, 72, 73, 76, 84, 94, 180, 181, 183, 184, 185, A186, 188, 204, 213, 280, 304, 305 and 604, as well as night lines N1, N2, N3 and N4, will be modified. Some stops around St Alexander Nevsky Square, Knyaz Alexander I Square and Levski Monument Square will be temporarily closed, while temporary transfer stops will also be introduced. Significant changes are also planned for trolleybus lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 11, with some routes split into two directions or shortened to key points.

On Sunday, metro trains on all lines will operate on a weekday schedule to ensure better passenger service during the cycling event.

The Sofia Municipality urged residents to check the changes in advance, use public transport and plan their journeys in accordance with the temporary traffic arrangements.