Over EUR 1.6 billion in EU funding for Bulgaria’s railway infrastructure during 2014-2020 programming period

The European Commission has approved Bulgaria’s Operational Programme Transport and Transport Infrastructure 2014-2020, which includes projects estimated at EUR 2 billion.  Under the new programme, infrastructure development projects of Bulgarian Railways will receive EUR 1.6 billion funding, while EUR 400 million will be dedicated to building sections of the Sofia underground.

The priority heavy rail projects are: rehabilitation of Plovdiv – Bourgas railway section Stage II (estimated value EUR 320 million),  rehabilitation of Elin Pelin - Ihtiman – Septemvri section (EUR 740 million euro), part of Sofia – Plovdiv railway line, and modernisation works for Stara Zagora, Nova Zagora, Yambol and Karnobat railway stations.

The projects to be financed under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) are modernization of Dragoman – Sofia – Elin Pelin railway line (EUR 200 million) and modernization of Vidin – Medkovets railway line (EUR 375 million).