Sofia's public transport has contracts worth €88 million, but no secured funding

Sofia's public transport will be renewed with 50 new electric buses, 75 trolleybuses, and 7 used double-decker buses. At least for these, "Stolichen Elektrotranport" and "Stolichen Avtotransport" have signed contracts with selected contractors. They are worth a total of nearly €88 million. However, the renewal of the tram fleet is clearly on hold because there is no movement on the tenders for them.

An analysis of the orders clearly shows that the renewal will be uneven and mainly benefit "Capital Electric Transport." The company has announced more orders than "Capital Motor Transport" and has finalized most of them.

All of them have been signed on the condition that financing is yet to be secured. It is noteworthy that the contracts with the contractors were published in the Central Public Procurement Information System (CPIS) in January, but were signed back in December 2025, as they have been in force since that month.

The new financial commitments are being taken on against the backdrop of a €50 million deficit in Sofia's public transport system. Just a few days ago, Mayor Vassil Terziev said that €15 million was urgently needed for salaries.

In early December, Deputy Mayor for Transport Viktor Chaushev said that the city would buy new rolling stock with loans. His request at the time was ambitious – 150 new trams, 200 buses, as well as trolleybuses and electric buses. Discussions are also underway regarding European programs, but so far no progress has been reported.

"Capital Electric Transport" with the most orders

The company is purchasing a total of 50 low-floor electric buses with a total value of over €31.6 million. The order was divided into two separate items – one for 35 electric buses with a length of 12 meters and the delivery of 10 charging stations, and one for 15 electric buses with a length of 18 meters and the delivery of 6 charging stations.

The tender was launched in April last year, applications were opened in June, and price offers were opened in early October. At the end of the month, the contractors were selected. It turned out that the same consortium will deliver the electric buses for both separate positions.

This is the Green Technologies Consortium, with participants Chery Motors AD, Phoenix Hill EOOD, and Haiger Bus Company Ltd. The contract was signed on December 12 with the condition that it would come into effect and be executed after funding was secured. If no funding is secured, the contract will be terminated.

Once (and if) financing is secured, the contractor will have 278 calendar days to deliver the entire batch. An important detail for the operation is the consortium's commitment to provide spare parts for a period of at least 10 years after the warranty expires.

Skoda Electric will deliver a total of 75 trolleybuses worth over €57.9 million. The company has been selected as the contractor for two orders – for the delivery of 40 trolleybuses with a length of 18 meters, as well as 35 units with a length of 12 meters.

We would like to remind you that the first order for the 40 long trolleybuses was announced in March last year. Applications were opened in May and price offers in early October. Again, at the end of the month, a contractor was selected.

The order for the short trolleybuses was launched in October 2024, applications were opened at the end of 2024, and price offers in October 2025, i.e. a year later. The decision to select a contractor came at the end of October.

The contracts with Skoda Electric for both orders were signed on December 12, 2025. Here, too, there is a clause that the contract will only be executed after funding has been secured. Otherwise, the company has 15 months to deliver the long trolleybuses and 12 months to deliver the short ones.

What about the trams?

Although the company has announced orders for the delivery of new trams – a total of two for 38 units – there is no movement on them so far.

We would like to remind you that one of the orders – for the delivery of 18 new trams for 1435 mm gauge – was announced in April last year and has an estimated value of over €50.1 million excluding VAT. In September, the applications were opened and it became clear that three participants were interested – Bozankaya Rayli Sistemler A.S., Skoda Transportation a.s, and Pesa Bydgoszcz s.a. However, the price offers have not been opened yet and the tender is not proceeding for reasons that are unclear.

The other order – for 20 new trams for 1009 mm gauge with a length of 19 – 24 m – dates from February last year and has an estimated value of €40.9 million excluding VAT. The bids were opened in March, and it became clear that only the Polish company Pesa Bydgoszcz s.a. was interested. The price offer has not been opened. Thus, this order is also on hold.

The company has another order, but for the overhaul of 40 Tatra T6A2 and Tatra T6В5 tram cars. Its estimated value is over €28.6 million excluding VAT and was announced in October 2024. Only one consortium has expressed interest – Consortium Sofia Tram 2030, with participants VTO Logistics EOOD and Tram For Envi OOD. The price offer is worth €28.4 million. Although the decision to select a contractor was made at the end of July 2025, no contract has been signed to date.

Motor transport

The company announced a joint order for the supply of new and used buses worth €26.7 million excluding VAT in August 2025. Four positions were set, with plans to purchase 70 new 12-meter methane buses, 20 used 12-meter buses, 25 used 18-meter buses, and 7 used double-decker buses.

Although contractors were selected for all four items in December, a contract has only been signed for the last item – the delivery of used double-decker buses worth €284,000.

The contractor is IPM Timber EOOD. The contract was signed on January 19 this year. Here, too, it is explicitly stated that no financing has been secured at the time of signing. Otherwise, the delivery period for the buses is 45 calendar days.

Translated with DeepL.