We are linking European investment in infrastructure with European investment in new rolling stock. This was stated by Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Tsveta Timeva during a demonstration journey aboard one of the new Škoda electric multiple-unit trains on the Plovdiv – Septemvri route. The railway line through Septemvri, Pazardzhik and Plovdiv plays a dual role in serving daily passenger transport. Both regional and fast passenger trains operate on the modernised Septemvri – Pazardzhik – Plovdiv section, which is also part of a key route for rail freight traffic to Southern Bulgaria, Burgas and the Turkish border.
“The policy of the Ministry of Transport and Communications is to ensure that investments are not stand-alone projects, but parts of an integrated system. A reliable, high-quality passenger service is a combination of a new train running on a modernised railway line and the use of modern safety systems. This is our goal – to bring about a tangible change in the way people travel, rather than simply counting the number of completed projects or the amount of European funding utilised,” Deputy Minister Timeva said.
She emphasised that rail transport is a sector in which sustainable results are achieved through targeted, long-term policies. According to her, the section between Plovdiv and Septemvri is an example of consistent investment in the railway sector. With European and national funding, the railway infrastructure has been modernised as part of the Trans-European Transport Network, including the track layouts at railway stations, as well as signalling and safety systems. At the same time, European funding is also being used to finance the delivery of the new electric multiple-unit trains.
Tsveta Timeva addressed a message to passengers using Bulgarian State Railways: “Let us make sure that this train still looks new in one year and in five years’ time. Trains are made by people for people, using our shared resources. They are there to serve a purpose. That is why I am addressing those who damage, litter and deface them. My appeal is: do not leave traces of vandalism behind you. Vandalism is neither entertainment nor art – it is damage to property that we all pay for.”
A total of 37 multiple-unit trains are already in Bulgaria – an investment on a scale not seen in 20 years, the Deputy Minister added.
The project for the delivery of five new single-deck zero-emission Škoda electric trains under the Transport Connectivity Programme has been designated an operation of strategic importance for the European programme. The new trains are intended for public rail passenger services, can reach speeds of up to 160 km/h, have more than 300 seats and are equipped with modern European systems in accordance with the interoperability requirements of the European Union rail system.
The event, entitled “From European Investment to the Actual Journey”, showcased the results of targeted efforts to modernise rail transport through the renewal of infrastructure and rolling stock. Official guests included Yordanka Chobanova, Head of the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria; Martin Georgiev, Head of the Managing Authority of the Transport Connectivity Programme 2021 – 2027; and representatives of BDZ Holding and the National Railway Infrastructure Company, among others.
