Bulgaria Unveils Strategy for Awarding Passenger Train Operation Contracts

According to a recent publication by the Bulgarian Ministry of Transport & Communications, they have initiated a public consultation regarding their draft framework aimed at competitively awarding contracts for passenger rail services. This initiative aligns with European Union standards and proposes to segment the rail network into three distinct regions: Western, Northern, and southern. Each region will have its own depot located in Sofia, Gorna Oryahovitsa, and plovdiv respectively. The plan is to tender these regions separately, with each contract covering various services ranging from mainline operations to local train routes.The procurement process is set to kick off by the end of July this year. Interested parties will need to submit their bids by October 30th, with expectations that public service obligation contracts will be finalized by late 2025. After an initial mobilization phase, these contracts are projected to last for 12 years starting from the timetable change on December 13th, 2026.

Operators selected through this process must coordinate their services according to a national timetable developed in collaboration with local authorities. Additionally, they’ll need compatible ticketing systems across all operators involved.

It’s worth noting that service requirements will be reviewed annually. A significant factor influencing traffic volumes is anticipated demographic changes; projections indicate a potential population decline of about 12% between 2020 and 2040—resulting in approximately half of Bulgaria’s population residing within its five largest urban centers.

Contractors are expected to utilize both their own rolling stock as well as leased units; state-owned rolling stock will be allocated based on service volume needs. Furthermore, a new entity is planned for establishment that would take over maintenance tasks currently managed by BDZ (the national operator), ensuring all operators receive equal access to repair services. Upon completion of their operating contracts, contractors must return any state-owned rolling stock in its original condition.

in discussions with trade unions regarding this transition process,the ministry assured that current railway employees would seamlessly transfer over to work under the new operators—ensuring job continuity amidst these changes in Bulgaria’s rail sector.