New German Trains Delayed in Bulgaria: Passengers Stuck in Heat with Old Passenger Cars

The new passenger cars recently delivered from Germany to Bulgaria have been temporarily taken out of service, BNT reported. This situation resulted in the high-speed train from Burgas using older, non-air-conditioned passenger cars instead.

Passengers waiting at the Burgas train station faced significant delays, with the Burgas-Sofia train departing 82 minutes behind schedule. Many were left frustrated as they endured the intense heat while waiting, with some expressing their discontent at the lack of air conditioning and the poor condition of the train.

Asen Asenov, a passenger, voiced his frustration in front of BNT: "There was a 2-hour delay. This is not right. What is this, BDZ? How many people are we here? At least a thousand people are hanging in this heat—40 degrees—how long will we have to wait?"

Others, like Toni Petrova, were dismayed to find that their train, instead of being one of the new, comfortable ones, was an older model with basic amenities. "We have tickets. We bought them 4 days ago, and suddenly the train isn't one of those new, nice carriages but an old one with first and second class. It’s unbearable inside,” she said.

Maria Harizanova, another passenger, struggled with the heat, noting her health condition. “To support her here and to be able to breathe. I'm not well with my thyroid and I'm just going crazy. I’ve been sick twice already. My husband pours water on me,” she explained.

Darina Hristozova, who had traveled from Plovdiv, added that while the air conditioning worked in the first carriage, it was malfunctioning in several other carriages of the new trains.

Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) explained that the delay was due to waiting for a locomotive from another delayed train. The company also clarified that the new passenger cars are undergoing more frequent inspections and maintenance due to the extreme temperatures. BDZ expects these inspections to be completed within two days, after which the new cars will resume service.