site.btaTransport Minister: Ministry Has Solid Plan on How to Modernize Bulgarian Railways

The Transport Ministry has a solid plan on how to modernize the Bulgarian railways, both in terms of infrastructure and rolling stock, Deputy Prime Minister and Transport and Communications Minister Grozdan Karadjov said during Friday’s Question Time in Parliament.

He noted that the Ministry plans to complete all already started sections under the EU-funded programme until 2029, especially the sections between Sofia and Burgas (on the Black Sea). The Minister pointed out that they managed to catch up on delays in the Sofia-Pernik and Pernik-Radomir sections in the last seven months, adding that the technical design of the Radomir-Gueshevo railway line will probably be ready by the end of 2025. The tender for the last 2.4 kilometres from Gyueshevo to the border with the Republic of North Macedonia has already been announced, Karadjov stated.

He said that they separately plan to build at least two tunnels under the Balkan Range under the concession agreements, and commented that the lines of the National Railway Infrastructure Company have been neglected for a long time due to lack of funding for rehabilitation. He expressed the hope that money would be allocated in the budget for the rehabilitation of certain sections in poor technical condition. "In the last five years, not a single penny has been allocated," Karadjov stressed, adding that the Transport Ministry's plan to rehabilitate about 150 km of mostly main lines will significantly increase the peace of mind that travel by train is safe.

Regarding the rolling stock, Karadjov explained that they have purchased a total of 60 railcars, which will start arriving one by one from April 2026, with the last trains to be in Bulgaria by December 2027. "However, this solves 50% of the rolling stock problem. The other 50%, we can solve by purchasing or renting second-hand rolling stock since we do not have the funds," he said.