Direct passenger trains between Bulgaria and Ukraine via Romania will start running in June, the Transport and Communications Ministry said. The three countries reached an agreement on the main parameters of the service at a meeting in the city of Ruse (on the Danube) on April 3.
The meeting was attended by Bulgaria's Deputy Transport Minister Murad Turk, Ukraine's Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories Oleksii Balesta, representatives of the national rail companies of Bulgaria, Ukraine and Romania, as well as officers from Border Police - Ruse.
The rail service will initially operate in June, July and August, running daily between Kyiv, Bucharest, Ruse and Varna and back. This will make it one of the longest passenger rail routes in Europe. Passenger volumes will be monitored during the first three months, and if successful, the service could become year-round.
Deputy Minister Turk said the rail link with Ukraine offers an opportunity to improve transport connectivity and expand logistics routes in Eastern and Southeastern Europe. It will strengthen tourist, cultural, and social ties between the countries and encourage economic cooperation. Ticket pricing is still to be agreed, with discussions to continue at future meetings.
Representatives of Bulgaria's Railway Administration Executive Agency, BDZ-Passenger Transport Ltd. and National Railway Infrastructure Company have confirmed they have the required capacity and technical readiness to restore the rail connection, the Transport Ministry said.
On March 30, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said after meeting Bulgarian Transport and Communications Minister Korman Ismailov in Kyiv that the two countries are working to launch a passenger rail link via Romania.