Implementation period: 11.2009-12.2010
Sofia Railway Junction is located on the Orient/East-Med Corridor of the main TEN-T network, making it the largest rail transport hub in the country. The activities carried out for Sofia Railway Junction include preparation of technical designs and detailed development plans (DDP) for modernisation and rehabilitation of individual sections of Sofia Railway Junction, reconstruction of existing and construction of new station buildings, halts and buildings within its scope.
Sofia Railway Junction covers the sections between the stations Voluyak – Kazichene, Kazichene – Stolnik, Zaharna Fabrika – Sofia – Kurilo and Birimirtsi station. Under the project “Instrument for preparation of railway projects for the Trans-European Transport Network” technical designs and DDP were prepared for the following stations and the railway sections between them: Voluyak, Sofia Central Railway Station, Poduyane, Poduyane Shunting Yard, Iskar, Kazichene, Stolnik, Sofia -north, Iliantsi, Birimirtsi and the open track section Kazichene – Elin Pelin. The only part of Sofia Railway Junction that is included in Sofia – Elin Pelin railway line modernisation project is the section of the same name, which is currently in the stage of implementation. Essentially, within the framework of Sofia Railway Junction development project, a third railway track will be designed in the section from Volyak station to Elin Pelin station, which will be dedicated to freight traffic. In addition to Sofia – Volyuyak project, the switch layout in Sofia Central Railway Station will be optimised and reconstructed. Following a direct application, the European Commission has approved funding for the implementation of several new projects under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). Among them is the project for the modernisation of Sofia-Volujak railway section, which is part of Sofia Railway Junction.
The project is funded by the ISPA/CF programme, Regulation 1164/94 with the funds saved under the Financing Memorandum “Technical assistance for the Modernisation of Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) railway lines in Bulgaria”. Its implementation provided the necessary project readiness to apply for funding and implement construction works under the Operational Programme on Transport.
