site.btaBulgaria Upgrades Over 550 km of Railways with EU Support, Deputy Transport Minister Says

Key railway sections across Bulgaria with a total length of over 550 km are in the process of modernization, said Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Lyuben Nanov. He was speaking Friday at a conference titled "Strategic Infrastructure Projects in Rail Transport", held in Sofia.

"This scale of investment speaks for itself, it reflects our commitment to making rail the backbone of the green and smart transition," Nanov said.

According to him, more than 500 km of railway lines have already been modernized with European funding, including 67 km under the Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-Accession programme and nearly 440 km under the Operational Programme on Transport and Transport Infrastructure.

Nanov said that railway transport is not merely a segment of an administrative agenda, it lies at the heart of the country's broader efforts for sustainable, connected, and inclusive development. "Rail is at the heart of modern transport policy. It is the environmentally friendly, safe, and integrative choice for Bulgaria and Europe," he stressed.

Railway projects fall under what the EU defines as “operations of strategic importance,” Nanov said. In his words, these projects receive special attention from the European Commission for embodying cohesion policy, the green transition, and regional integration. "This is European solidarity in action, in kilometres of track, in rails, in digital systems, in new trains, but above all, in long-term perspective," he added.

Under the Transport Connectivity Program for the 2021–2027 period, four operations of strategic importance have been designated: modernization of the Elin Pelin–Kostenets section, modernization of the Voluyak–Dragoman section, rehabilitation of the Plovdiv–Burgas railway line, construction of a new railway link from Gyueshevo to the border with North Macedonia.

Contracts for grants and assistance have already been signed for the first three projects, and active work is underway, including construction and technical supervision, Nanov noted. Regarding the Gyueshevo–North Macedonia border project, the National Railway Infrastructure Company is in an advanced stage of preparing the application form, he added.

Nanov noted that among the major investment corridors are Sofia–Plovdiv, Sofia–Dragoman, and Plovdiv–Burgas. "Our responsibility is to ensure no compromises in quality, effective fund management, and that every investment is guided by the needs of the people, by their mobility, access, and safety," he said.