site.btaTransport Minister: First New Skoda Electric Train to Arrive in Bulgaria in January 2026, Will Enter Service in April

The first new Skoda electric train will arrive in Bulgaria in January 2026 and will begin carrying passengers in April. All 25 new trains will be delivered by August 2026, Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Grozdan Karadjov said on Monday during a visit to the Skoda plant in Plzen, Czechia, the Transport Ministry said on Monday.

"Only 14 months after the contract was signed, we already have the first completed train for Bulgaria. Another 11 are in an advanced production stage and will be finished in the coming months. We will receive, without delay, exactly what we paid for and what Bulgarian citizens deserve," Karadjov is quoted as saying. 

He explained that the first train will undergo mandatory testing for several months after its arrival. Two more trains will be delivered in the meantime, with tests carried out in different configurations – double and triple sets. The new Škoda units will be tested on almost the entire railway network, similarly to the French-made Alstom trains. Passenger service on Bulgarian routes is scheduled to begin in April.

Karadjov underscored the high production quality and modern technologies used. "Information displays will be in Bulgarian and English. The low-floor design facilitates boarding for passengers with reduced mobility; each train has two mechanical ramps for wheelchairs and an accessible toilet. The trains offer Wi-Fi, 333 seats and at least as many standing places. These are amenities Bulgarian passengers have been waiting for for years," he said.

The Ministry noted that the delivery of the new electric multiple units is carried out under a contract with Skoda Transportation and Skoda Vagonka worth over BGN 639 million (VAT excluded), fully financed by EU programmes. The main contract for 20 trains amounts to BGN 511.4 million (VAT excluded) under the Recovery and Resilience Plan. An additional agreement for five more trains is worth BGN 127.8 million (VAT excluded), financed under the Transport Connectivity Programme 2021–2027.

The contract for the initial 20 electric multiple units was signed last year by caretaker transport minister Krasimira Stoyanova and Skoda Transportation CEO Petr Novotny, with a two-year delivery period.

Two months later, an addendum was signed for five additional trains. They will serve high-demand routes in Northern Bulgaria, including Ruse–Varna, Varna–Gorna Oryahovitsa–Mezdra, as well as shorter routes such as Sofia–Slivnitsa–Dragoman.

Two months later, an addendum was signed for five additional trains. They will serve high-demand routes in Northern Bulgaria, including Ruse–Varna, Varna–Gorna Oryahovitsa–Mezdra, as well as shorter routes such as Sofia–Slivnitsa–Dragoman.