After Nine Years: Regular Rail Service between Sofia and Thessaloniki to Be Restored

Regular train services between Sofia and Thessaloniki will be restored next year, nine years after the last direct service in 2017, outgoing Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadzhov announced on January 30. The announcement was made during the first working meeting between Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and the European Commission on the “Black Sea–Aegean Sea” transport corridor.

Karadzhov noted that Bulgaria, Greece and Romania will jointly seek financing for the modernisation of the Thessaloniki–Sofia–Bucharest railway line.

“The idea behind this partnership is simple – to plan, design, obtain permits and build in synchrony, so that the North–South corridor becomes fully operational quickly, without interruptions, delays or bureaucratic excuses,” the transport minister said.

Participants in the Sofia meeting included Greece’s alternate Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Konstantinos Kiranakis, Romania’s Secretary of State for Infrastructure and Transport Ionut Cristian Savoiu, coordinator of the Baltic Sea–Black Sea–Aegean Sea European transport corridor Mario Mauro, Bulgaria’s Ministers of Regional Development and Defence, the Executive Director of the European Railway Agency Oana Gerginescu, Vice President of the European Investment Bank Robert de Groot, and heads of infrastructure companies and transport ministries from the three countries, as well as representatives from the European Commission and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

As Bulgaria’s first priority, Karadzhov highlighted the “Danube Bridge 3” project between Ruse and Giurgiu, describing it as crucial for the entire corridor. The aim is to move the project from the analysis stage to real construction preparation with clearly defined steps and responsibilities.

The Deputy Prime Minister also explained that the renovation of the existing “Danube Bridge 1” will be completed by June this year, alongside the completion of a technical project for the electrification of the railway section of the bridge.

“Electrification of the Danube Bridge is one of the key activities in implementing the corridor. Bulgaria is preparing to electrify the 11-kilometre section from Ruse distribution to the middle of the bridge. A contractor will be selected before the end of the year. This will allow uninterrupted train movement from Bulgaria to Romania. Electric traction could reduce freight transport costs by around 30% on this small section alone,” Karadzhov said.

Other important projects for Bulgaria include new Danube bridges at Nikopol–Turnu Măgurele and Silistra–Călărași.

“Preliminary studies for both bridges should start as soon as possible, along with the restoration of the Ruse–Giurgiu ferry line, which will provide additional capacity,” the Deputy Prime Minister stressed.

The forum also discussed the importance of the Svilengrad–Plovdiv–Stara Zagora–Ruse railway axis, including a new tunnel through the Stara Planina mountains, aiming for a continuous corridor with harmonised standards and operational compatibility among the three countries.

Greece’s alternate Minister of Infrastructure, Konstantinos Kiranakis, supported Bulgaria’s priorities and emphasised that the projects should be viewed as a unified European transport system. He announced ongoing electrification of the Piraeus–Athens–Thessaloniki double railway line, modernisations along the Thessaloniki–Kulata line, and a connection from the port of Alexandroupolis to the Bulgarian border.

Romania’s Secretary of State, Ionut Cristian Savoiu, highlighted the need for continuity of road and rail links and integration between transport modes.

The memorandum for the new corridor, signed by the three countries in December 2025, sends a clear message that they will protect not only national interests but also European values, said corridor coordinator Mario Mauro.

Eric von Breska from the European Commission’s DG Mobility and Transport noted that trilateral projects ready for implementation by 2030 could receive funding under the Connecting Europe Facility if joint proposals are submitted by mid-September 2026.