Exploring Sofia

It's a snowy scene here in Sofia and there's a lot to explore before tomorrow's conference. So I've been out and about, unable to resist trying the local trams. At first glance they appear to be a little old and rickety, but actually ... it all works nicely and, from an accessibility point of view, the local system is joined up and has some enabling features.

For one thing you can buy a single card that works on trams, buses and the metro. No worrying about having the right change or knowing where to buy the ticket. The information is pretty good too - even the older trams have next-stop announcements. Some information stands at the stops not only show the tram line and the minutes until arrival but there are spoken announcements too (at least I think that's what it was!).

There was a slightly anxious moment when, at one stop which was in the middle of the road, some of us stepped off into a lane of traffic - but the cars had stopped. I assume that's the rule and they always do...

Buses, trams and the metro seem frequent and reliable even on a snowy Sunday. I'll be interested to hear over the next few days what the local view is on accessibility. In the meantime, more exploring to do...