Taxi drivers in Sofia are once again pressing for higher fares, submitting an official request to the Sofia Municipality to revise the city’s current taxi rates. The industry says it has faced years of rising costs and delayed municipal action, leaving many drivers struggling to stay afloat.
According to Krasimir Tsvetkov, chairman of the National Taxi Union, the proposal for new fares must be reviewed by October 31. “We hope the municipality will consider our request within the legal timeframe,” Tsvetkov told Bulgarian National Radio (BNR).
“Our calculations show that the various cost components for taxi services have increased between 20% and 600%. On average, we are proposing a daytime rate of around 1.74 leva per kilometer and about 2 leva for nighttime fares.”
Tsvetkov stressed that the sector’s demand is backed by economic necessity. He pointed out that both the Road Transport Act and the Taxi Regulation mandate municipal councils to set minimum and maximum fare limits annually.
“Many municipalities, including Sofia, have not fulfilled this legal obligation. Prices in the capital have remained unchanged since 2022,” he said.
“For three consecutive years, we have submitted formal requests, but the Municipal Council has taken no action,” Tsvetkov continued. “This failure to update fares is a direct violation of the law, and it’s severely affecting our ability to provide safe and reliable services.”
The call for a fare increase comes at a time of significant regulatory changes in the transport industry. The Ministry of Transport recently extended the deadline for taxi companies to update their meters until October 30, 2025.
The move followed concerns that operators were not ready by the previous August deadline to reconfigure all devices to show prices in both leva and euros — a requirement tied to Bulgaria’s preparation for adopting the euro.
Taxi drivers argue that the combination of inflation, higher maintenance and insurance costs, and the delayed municipal adjustments has created unsustainable conditions. Fuel prices, spare parts, and licensing fees have all risen sharply over the past two years, while fares have remained stagnant.
Several drivers warn that without a timely revision, more operators may exit the market, leading to reduced availability of taxis and poorer service standards in Sofia.
“Our goal is not to burden passengers but to ensure fair compensation for our work,” one taxi driver told BNR. “We simply want rates that reflect today’s economic reality.”
The Sofia Municipality has not yet issued a response to the latest proposal. However, the National Taxi Union says it expects an answer before the end of October. If the request is ignored once again, the union has hinted at possible collective actions to draw attention to the issue.