In Brief

 

BDZ EAD launches a bonus programme

At end-March, BDZ launched a bonus programme for its regular customers. This initiative offers to the passengers the opportunity to collect bonus points on the basis of which to apply for the annual “Honourable customer” nominations and receive a free travel pass for the whole railway network. All passengers, who have bought a one-month or three-month pass at regular or discounted prices, are eligible for the nominations. Each type of pass gives a different number of bonus points.

 

The Council of EU transport ministers met

On 27th March, the Minister of Transport, Petar Mutafchiev, took part in the meeting of the Council of EU transport ministers, held in Brussels and presided by the Austrian Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister of Transport and New Technologies, Hubert Gorbach.

 

A light train incident on the Sub-Balkan line

On 29th March, on the section between Makotsevo and Dolno Kamartsi, the first three wheelsets of the locomotive of the fast train from Sofia via Karlovo to Bourgas derailed when the train was entering a tunnel. No one was injured during the incident. BDZ provided another locomotive, which hauled the passenger coaches via Kazichene, wherefrom the train continued its journey via Plovdiv and Karlovo to Bourgas.

 

Amendments to the Railway Act are drafted

Amendments to the Railway Act, proposed by the Ministry of Transport, were published on the website of the Ministry to launch a public debate. These amendments allow the licensed railway operators from EU member-countries to have access to the national infrastructure and to perform transport services in Bulgaria after our country’s accession into the EU. Thus, the Bulgarian market for railway services is finally open. Currently, there are only two licensed private railway operators – the Bulgarian Railway Company and Bulmarket. The amendments also allow for the concessioning of railway sections and stations, excluding those located along Trans-European Corridors.

 

Sofia and Plovdiv Central stations – to be concessioned?

According to the Minister of Transport, Petar Mutafchiev, it is possible that by end-2006, the Central stations of Sofia and Plovdiv be concessioned. Consultancy will be necessary for the selection of a concessionaire. The minister stated that the annual maintenance costs of Plovdiv Central station amount to BGN15 million. It is expected that by end-May, the Government will present its programme for the implementation of priority infrastructure projects (within the overall programme for transport development by 2013, which will cost over EUR5 billion). The price of railway projects to be implemented in the period 2005-2009 is EUR383 million. The works to be carried out in the course of this year are: the renovation of track in the line sections Roman-Kunino and Butovo-Pavlikeni; the reconstruction of the tunnel between Dolno Kamartsi and Mirkovo, as well as the complete restoration of railway infrastructure, damaged by last year floods. By the end of the year the upgrading will start of the railway lines Sofia-Karlovo-Zimnitsa (204 km) and Rousse-Varna (135 km), amounting to EUR3 million. The upgrading works should be completed in 2007. The plans for 2007 also envisage the completion of the railway tunnels Daskotna-Tarnak, Lazarevo-Prilep and the bridge between Tarnak and Asparuhovo along the Karnobat-Sindel line section. According to the programme, the lines Sofia-Dragoman, Sofia-Pernik-Radomir and Mezdra-Gorna Oryahovitsa will be reconstructed in the coming years.

 

A direct sleeping-car from Sofia to Athens

As of 19th April, BDZ EAD and Greek railways (OSE) put in operation a direct sleeping-car along the route Sofia-Athens-Sofia. The new services come in result of agreements between the Bulgarian transport minister, Petar Mutafchiev, and his Greek counterpart, Mihalis Liapis. The sleeping-car complies with all European standards for international passenger services. It is air-conditioned and ensures a comfortable journey. The rolling stock is provided by OSE. The one-way ticket costs EUR47 and customers, who buy return tickets will benefit from a 20% discount. The new sleeping-car will depart from Sofia at 17.30, then stop in Thessaloniki (arrival at 23.16 and departure at 23.44) and will arrive in Athens at 06.14. From the Greek capital the sleeping-car will depart at 22.57 and arrive in Sofia at 12.20 (the stop in Thessaloniki will be between 05.35 and 06.15).

 

Kapsch Carrier Com opens an office in our country

The Austrian company Kapsch Carrier Com has opened an office in Bulgaria. The company is among the world leaders in the sphere of communication equipment and software. BDZ EAD is one of its major customers in our country on the basis of the contract signed back in 1999.

 

NRIC to establish a power distribution company

NRIC intends to establish its own power distribution company and will buy electric power directly from the National Electric Power Company. Within a month, NRIC will prepare the documents for the establishment of the new 100% daughter-company. In order to become a preferred consumer, the company will have to register with the National Electric Power Company, which will allow it to buy cheaper electric power. If NRIC is granted the privilege to buy electric power at lower prices, it will reduce its monthly costs for electric power by BGN12 million.

 

Additional trains between Mezdra and Vratsa

BDZ launched 11 additional regional trains along Mezdra-Vratsa section. An EMU will operate along this route. The new transport scheme aims at the provision of better passenger transport services in the region and will ensure better connections with trains for Northern Bulgaria.

 

Temporary changes in train timetables

Due to track reconstruction between the stations Orizovo and Chirpan for the period between 10th April and 12th May, BDZ has introduced temporary changes in the timetable and the routeing of some trains. Thus, the fast train No 8611/8661 from Sofia to Varna and Bourgas will depart from Sofia Central station 35 minutes later and will arrive in Varna at 20.08 hrs and in Bourgas at 18.51 hrs.

 

The regional train No 80 102 from Yambol to Plovdiv, departing at 08.50, will run only to Chirpan without other changes in its timetable. The fast train No 4661 from Shoumen via Stara Zagora to Plovdiv will run in accordance to its regular timetable only to Tulovo station, after which it will operate via Karlovo. These changes will be valid only for the weekdays of the period.

 

Bulgarian and Turkish transport ministers met

On 12th April, the Bulgarian Minister of Transport, Petar Mutafchiev, met his Turkish counterpart, Binali Yildirim. The two ministers held their discussions at the common border station at Kapikule and attended the official signing of the Annexes to the Railway Agreement between Bulgaria and Turkey, which envisage that the station will become the common border station for the two countries.

 

On the part of Bulgaria, they were signed by the Executive Director of BDZ EAD, Oleg Petkov, and the Director General of NRIC, Dimitar Gaidarov, and for Turkey by the Deputy Director General of TCDD Erol Inal. According to Minister Mutafchiev, our country is ready with the projects for the reconstruction of the Kapitan Andreevo border control point and Minister Yildirim expressed his hope that the renovated common border control point at Kapikule will be opened in the summer of 2007. The two ministers discussed measures for the rehabilitation and upgrading of the road to Lesovo.

 

Ferry services via the Black Sea have doubled

In the last five years, (i.e. in comparison with 2000) the freight services by ferry ships via the Black Sea have doubled. In comparison with 2004, the number of railway wagons and trucks, transported by ferry, has grown by 1,240, thus reaching 12,720 in 2005. At end-March, representatives of railways and owners of ferry ships from Bulgaria, the Ukraine and Georgia discussed in Varna different, more efficient, ways for boosting up freight flows between the ports of Varna, Ilichevsk, Batumi and Poti.

 

Troyan - Kurnare tunnel to be built

At the opening of “Maritsa” Economic Forum in Plovdiv, the Minister of Transport, Petar Mutafchiev, stated that a tunnel between Troyan and Kurnare (Karlovo) will be constructed. Over the last one hundred years, a number of designs were drafted for such a tunnel. According to Minister Mutafchiev, the first lot of the construction of Plovdiv-Svilengrad line in the section Plovdiv-Parvomai will get started.

 

Rousse – an intermodal logistic centre

As a town, situated on the crossroads between Trans-European Corridors VII and IX, Rousse has every chance to become an intermodal logistic centre according to the opinion of experts. Among the advantages of this town are the ports Iztok and Zapad, equipped for the handling of general and loose goods, as well as the four private ports of regional importance, the duty-free zone, the presence of a great number of forwarding companies, the available airport, the freight services by rail, its proximity to the Romanian capital Bucharest and to the only (for the moment) bridge over the Danube between Bulgaria and Romania.

 

BDZ internal investigation completed

The internal investigation on a case of misuse of office at Bourgas Regional Freight Division, carried out by a BDZ EAD committee, has been completed and its findings show that petroleum products are missing. Disciplinary sanctions were imposed on twenty employees of the division, including the dismissal of the former Director of the division, M.Djambazov, the former Chief Accountant, T. Kostova and the former Head of the “Heating equipment” department, A. Erusalimov.

 

Plovdiv - Svilengrad works get started

In response to inquiries from deputies during the Parliament control session, the Minister of Transport, Petar Mutafchiev, argued that construction works of the railway line Plovdiv-Svilengrad (in particular, of its first section to Parvomai) will start on 1st May. He recalled that the total budget subsidy for the railway infrastructure in 2006 will amount to BGN60 million. Own funding amounts to BGN43 million, 20 million of which will be spent on the restoration of railway lines damaged by the floods. According to the Minister, the overall strategy for transport infrastructure development is almost completed, while only the funding options for some projects are still under discussion. The objective is that over BGN800 million will be invested in the railway infrastructure by 2013, which will guarantee a maximum speed of 130 km/h along the main lines.