Trains Running between Plovdiv and Bulgarian-Turkish Border to Reach 160 km/h in 2014

In about one year, trains travelling between the city of Plovdiv and the Bulgarian-Turkish border will be able to run at 160km/h, according to Transport Minister Danail Papazov.

Papazov's statement was released by the press office of the Transport Ministry on Monday.

On Monday, Papazov inspected the launch of construction works at the Dimitrovgrad – Harmanli railway section.

He informed that the railway section connecting the cities of Plovdiv and Dimitrovgrad had been completed, as well as the railway section connecting the city of Svilengrad to the Bulgarian-Turkish border, and added that the railway links were to be upgraded by the summer of 2014.

"Railway projects are no less important than road infrastructure projects, which is why the emphasis of the "Transport" operational program in the next programming period is mainly on this type of transport," he added.

Papazov made clear that the main goal was to equip Bulgaria with fully upgraded railway lines on the route Dragoman-Sofia-Plovdiv-Svilengrad, thereby allowing trains running between Bulgaria's borders with Serbia and Turkey to reach a speed of 160 km/h.

Bulgaria's Transport Minister also informed that the activities for the overall rehabilitation of the Plovdiv-Burgas rail line would be conducted parallel to that.

He said that the project for the reconstruction and electrification of the railway Dimitrovgrad-Harmanli railway section was worth BGN 136 M, VAT excluded, the contractor was Terna AD and the deadline for completion was August 14, 2014.

Earlier on Monday, Papazov visited the railway station in Pazardzhik, where he announced that the project for its upgrade under the "Transport" OP would start within days.

He also inspected the Plovdiv-Dimitrovgrad railway line, which was upgraded under a project funded under the ISPA pre-accession instrument for the modernization of 67 km of rail lines and 12 train stations.

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