The Mayor of Burgas Dimitar Nikolov stated in a post on Facebook that he expects the management of the municipal carrier “Burgasbus“ to adjust the ticket price in euros in favor of citizens. According to him, the municipality has provided the necessary support for the development of the company, with the main requirement remaining compliance with the regulations.
The National Revenue Agency (NRA) has established an economically unjustified increase in the ticket price of the company providing public transport lines in Burgas. The violation was discovered during an inspection for compliance with the Euro Adoption Act. On a bus, an inspector purchased a ticket in cash worth 1.56 leva (0.80 euro), while the price of the same ticket on December 30, 2025 was 1.50 leva, or 0.77 euro. According to the National Revenue Agency, there has been an unjustified increase in the price by 4 percent.
At the end of September this year, the municipal councilors in Burgas approved a change in the price of the paper ticket for travel in public transport, which will come into effect from January 1, 2026. Among the main reasons for the adjustment were the increasing costs of maintaining the aging fleet, the increased prices of fuel and electricity, as well as the significant increase in the minimum wage since the last update of ticket prices in 2017.
During the councilors' meeting, it was stated that additional financial pressure on the system is also expected in connection with the implementation of a new contactless payment system with bank cards, which will require significant investments in equipment and technology on board public transport buses.
„I do not think there is a reason to raise the price by 6 stotinki. You indicate in your reasons that there are increased costs for bus maintenance, an increase in fuel and electricity prices, as well as an increase in the minimum wage. Why are you proposing it now, and not in 2022, when fuel prices were the highest. At the moment, raising the price should not be on the agenda“, commented during the meeting in September, municipal councilor Ivan Ivanov.
His colleague Georgi Manev pointed out: “This is a commercial company. It is not a primary spender. Every company must work for profit. This is not just social policy or giving good results. Thanks to good work and management, the company earns well, why should we not agree to this increase“. In response to Manev, Ivanov said that “this looks like a desire to round the price in euros“.
“I propose, instead of increasing the ticket, to make it 1.45 leva or 0.75 euros“, Ivanov added.
The Chairman of the Municipal Council Mihail Hadzhiyanev added that according to the proposal of the manager of “Burgasbus“ Petko Dragnev, all cards for pupils, students and pensioners retain their value. “The only increase is requested for the single ticket, and with clearly expressed arguments. It does you no honor to attack this proposal“, he said. The report was adopted with 42 votes “for“. Only four municipal councilors voted against the proposal to update the price of the single travel ticket, and three voted “abstained“.