site.bta BGN 32 Mln Provided for Purchase of 76 Refurbished Train Cars for Bulgarian Passenger Rail Operator

The Council of Ministers approved an additional capital transfer to BDZ - Passenger Transport in the amount of some BGN 32 million, the Government's press centre said on Monday. The funds are for the delivery of 76 refurbished passenger railroad cars.

The new rolling stock will ensure efficient implementation of the train schedule and minimize delays caused by a shortage of trains. It will also provide a much more comfortable and safer journey for passengers.

The measures are in implementation of the transport and communication sector of the June 2023 - December 2024 governance programme. The funds will be provided from the capital expenditure of the 2024 State Budget.

On March 29, the Bulgarian Transport Ministry said that BDZ - Passenger Transport and Deutsche Bahn had signed a contract for the delivery of 76 refurbished passenger cars. The first 19 cars will arrive in Bulgaria in April and the remaining 57 will be delivered on schedule by early June. With them Bulgarian State Railways will modernize more than 20% of its rolling stock and will serve the busiest routes from Sofia to Varna, Burgas and Ruse.

The contract includes the supply of 60 saloon-type passenger carriages coaches for second-class travel, six specialized passenger coaches for the carriage of disabled persons and bicycles, and ten bistro carriages. The total value of the contract is BGN 30.5 million, which includes all costs of their delivery to Bulgaria. The unit price per car amounts to BGN 391,166.

The rolling stock meets all modern standards of comfort and is equipped with an air conditioning system, as well as with an information system to notify passengers of the stations and stops along the train route. The last scheduled overhaul of the carriages was carried out between 2018 and 2022, and they were in service on the German rail network until December 2023, the Ministry added.