Plovdiv-Svilengrad Railway Electrification and Upgrading of Corridors IV and IX

An update of this website is forthcoming subject to the signatures of the Phase 4 contracts for the Civil, Track & Electrification Works in the section from Dimitrovgrad to Svilengrad.

Project Scope:
The project encompasses the reconstruction and partial doubling of approximately 150 km of railway track, construction of a catenary system, traction substations, signaling systems, telecommunications and radio control, as well as structures which will enable the complete doubling of the line in the future.

The objectives of the project are:

• Improvement of the quality of the transport system in Bulgaria
• Realization of a railway connection between Europe and Asia
• Integration of the Bulgarian railway system in the trans-European
• Provision of financial resources for the development and upgrading of the railway infrastructure
• Enhancement of the competitiveness of the Bulgarian railway system
• Reducing the travelling time
• Reducing the costs for maintenance of the railway infrastructure
• Increasing the efficiency and reliability of railway passenger and freight services along the route
• Reducing the transportation taxes
• Introduction of an up-to-date technology and upgraded standards in the railway transport in Bulgaria, in  line, with the requirements of and practices in EU
• Improvement of the safety of travel of both passengers and freight  
• Enhancement of the environment by the electrification of the diesel-powered traction

Financing - Phase 1, Phase 2 & Systems:
EC grant (ISPA)    € 153 million
Bank credit (EIB)  € 150 million 
State budget          €   37 million
Total:                    € 340 million

Financing - Phase 3

EC gant (OPT) : 46 619 374,52 BGN
State co-fiancing: 11 654 843.63 BGN