MTR

Irena the Elf meets another Microwave Woman
As you may or may not have guessed from some of my posts on this blog, I am a great fan of the European Union. This is, of course, why I think that BREXIT is such a disaster, both for Britain and for the EU. 

 In Bulgaria, the EU has done a lot of good things: discouraging corruption, stimulating the economy and providing funding for new infrastructure projects. It is mostly thanks to the EU that the Sofia Metro (MTR) system is really good. Before Bulgaria joined the EU, the MTR system was much smaller and a lot more antequated. Not surprisingly, there is even a metro station called "European Union".
Inside the Vitosha MTR station
Our nearest MTR station is Vitosha, about five minutes' walk from our near apartment in Sofia. Vitosha station is also the very latest station to be opened, so it is very clean and modern. At the top, you can see a photo of Irena the Elf buying a ticket from another Microwave Woman.



Although you can buy a ticket at the cash desk, usually I buy my ticket from a vending machine and the price is 1.60 leva. That is nearly a euro. This is a good deal if you are going to be travelling from one side of Sofia to the other, but it is a rip-off if you are only going one or two stops. When you have bought your ticket, you go to the barrier and insert it. The sensor at the barrier scans your ticket and opens the barrier.
Not quite what Trump wants on the Mexican border.

Unlike the metros in Shenzhen, the MTR platforms in Sofia do not have glass screens that only open when the train has stopped. Instead, there is just a yellow line and you are not meant to stand any closer to the edge of the platform.


She's got a ticket to ride...
As I said earlier, 1.60 leva is a bit much for a MTR ticket and so Irena wanted to be a proper Sofiot and buy a season ticket for all of the public transport in Sofia: MTR, trams and buses. She went to the office just outside Serdica MTR and now she is the proud owner of a season ticket, valid for one whole year. I think it cost about 370 leva.

And if the public transport in Sofia does not get you moving, we saw these on sale in the Ladies' Market. I am sure that they will get you going, no problem.

No, they are not lumps of coal.




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