The first electric tram will set off along the streets of Sofia at 10.30 am on 29 January. Among the guests at the ceremonial event is Mayor Hristo Popov. Thus, Sofia ranks among the top 10 European capitals with such public transport, even ahead of London. Well, let us mention, however, that at that time the English capital had no trams, but it did have… an underground.

Just a week later, on 9 February, the Knyazhevska line was launched. It quickly became a favourite – not only because it linked the city centre with the outskirts, but also because it led to the baths, green spaces and the foothills of Vitosha. During public holidays, the tram runs every 12 minutes. The busiest day, according to the statistics? 20 July – Ilinden – when the whole of Sofia heads to Knyazhevo for the church and the feast day of its patron saint.

Before the tram, it took an hour and a half to reach Knyazhevo by ‘omnibus’ – a covered horse-drawn carriage with 6–8 seats. Dimitar Shishkov’s famous transport service welcomed passengers for many years on the pavement in front of what is now the Palace of Justice, before setting off for the old village of Bali Efendi.

This route has also found its way into literature. Ivan Vazov immortalised it in his short story ‘The Knyazhevsky Tram’, in which he writes: ‘I cannot recall who it was who said that a person is a world unto themselves. With a touch less paradox, one could say the same of a carriage on the Knyazhevsky tram.’