Implementation period: 02.2009-09.2011

     The main objective of the project is to provide technical assistance to Bulgaria for the development of the railway infrastructure in line with the European Union policy. It will help fulfil the commitments made for the sustainable development of the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T).

    Ruse – Varna railway section is electrified and has an approximate length of 232 km. It consists of two sections: Ruse – Kaspichan – main railway line No 9 – first category, 97 km long, single-track electrified section; and Kaspichan – Varna, 135 km long, double-track electrified section, which is part of main railway line No 2 Sofia-Mezdra-Gorna Oryahovitsa-Kaspichan-Sindel-Varna. The current state of the infrastructure facilities on this railway section obstructs regional rail transport. Thus, Ruse-Varna railway section can be defined as a bottleneck, as the estimated average speed is 66.5 km/h for passenger trains and 62 km/h for freight trains, at an average design speed for the section of 79.3 km/h. The railway line is an important section that provides a link between the ports of Ruse and Varna. The developed preliminary and technical designs for the rehabilitation of the railway line enable the project to be implemented and the railway sections Ruse-Kaspichan and Kaspichan-Varna to be brought in line with the requirements of the Technical Specifications for Interoperability, if a contractor is selected for the construction works.