Rhodope Narrow-Gauge Railway Turns 79

Desislava Toncheva

Rhodope narrow gauge train in Yakoruda, Blagoevgrad region (BTA Photo/Emilia Vasileva)

Sofia,

09.12.2024 15:15

(BTA)

On December 9, 1945, а 6-kilometre railway section between Bansko to Dobrinishte, Southwestern Bulgaria, was opened officially, which completed the construction of the highest railway line in the Balkans: the Rhodope narrow-gauge railway between Septemvri and Dobrinishte, the official Facebook page for the Rhodope narrow gauge railway said in a post on Monday.

The railway has a length of 125 km and track gauge of 760 mm. It is operated by the Bulgarian National Railways (BDZ).

The initial project envisaged that the railway would run to Gotse Delchev farther south but that was never done.

Today it is the last of its kind in Bulgaria, after the other two such railways, one between Pazardzhik and Varvara and the other between Cherven Bryag and Oryahovo, ceased operation in 2002.

The construction of the line lasted 24 years.

The Facebook post on the occasion pays tribute to the countless number of workers that made it possible.

"Today, 79 years later, our little train continues to rattle and climb the mountains around the clock, despite the difficulties, measuring time passing and moving forward," the post says. It adds that for many the railway remains a vital means of transportation high in the mountains. Passengers find riding it to be an "unforgettable and fulfilling experience".

The Rhodope narrow-gauge railway meanders between the Rhodope Mountains, Mt Rila and Mt Pirin amidst breathtaking natural scenery. The 124.7 km line runs from the winter and spa resort of Dobrinishte via Bansko with its popular ski slopes and apres-ski hustle and bustle, Razlog (a hotspot for Bulgarian cuisine lovers), Belitsa (famous for its bears park), Yakoruda (known for its history and ethnic mix), Avramovo (the Balkans' highest railway station at 1,267 m above sea level), Velingrad (a major spa centre), and Septemvri (formerly Saranbey, a link-up to the Sofia-Yambol-Burgas railway). The narrow-gauge line connects three ethno-cultural regions: Thrace, the Western Rhodopes, and Pirin Macedonia.

The 760-mm-gauge line passes through 35 tunnels and crosses two rivers over three bridges. The first train left Saranbey for Ladzhene (now a neighbourhood of Velingrad) on August 1, 1926.

/DT/