Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

The government opens passenger rail transport to foreign operators

Grozdan Karadjov
Photo: BTA

The government has approved a procedure that will open the country’s passenger rail transport to private operators, including foreign ones. This is set to begin on December 13, 2026. The planned duration of the contracts is 12 years. The country is divided into three regions (lots) – western, northern and southern. The procedure, which is part of the reforms under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, is expected to be announced next week in the Official Journal of the European Union so that all European operators have equal access to it.

"The government's goal is to make rail transport the backbone of public transport in the country. Competition will not just be about subsidies, but about delivering better service to passengers", said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadjov. 

According to a 2024 report by the Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ), the average train speed in the country is 49.25 km/h.

Edited by Miglena Ivanova

Published and translated by Kostadin Atanasov

Photo: BTA



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Premier Zhelyazkov: The euro is not just a currency, but a strategic choice

The adoption of the euro from January 1, 2026, is "one of the most important stages in Bulgaria's European path'', said Premier Rosen Zhelyazkov at the high-level conference titled "Bulgaria on the Doorstep of the Eurozone" held in Boyana Residence in..

published on 11/4/25 10:30 AM

A European Parliament committee will monitor road safety in Bulgaria

The European Parliament’s Committee on Petitions (PETI) has decided to monitor the state of road safety in Bulgaria. The decision came after hearing a petition submitted by Rosalina Gadyuchkova, a Bulgarian citizen living in the United Kingdom.  The..

published on 11/4/25 9:54 AM

The Consulate General of Bulgaria in Toronto organizes Consular Days in Vancouver on November 7 and 8

The Consulate General of the Republic of Bulgaria in Toronto, together with the Bulgarian-Canadian Society of British Columbia, will organize consular days in Vancouver, BC on November 7 and 8, 2025, announced the team of the Bulgarian diplomatic..

published on 11/4/25 9:21 AM