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==National railway system==
==National railway system==
===National Railway Operator===
===National Railway Operator===
Bulgarian State Railways - Bulgarski Darshavni Železnici ([http://www.bdz.bg BDŽ]), Български държавни железници (БДЖ).
Bulgarian State Railways - Bulgarski Darshavni Železnici ([http://www.bdz.bg/en http://www.bdz.bg/en BDŽ]), Български държавни железници (БДЖ).


==Language==
==Language==
Line 17: Line 17:
==Timetable==
==Timetable==
===Journey Planner===
===Journey Planner===
[http://razpisanie.bdz.bg/SearchServlet?lang=en razpisanie.bdz.bg/SearchServlet?lang=en]
[http://razpisanie.bdz.bg/SearchServlet?lang=en http://razpisanie.bdz.bg/SearchServlet?lang=en]
 
===Downloadable Timetable===
===Downloadable Timetable===
The 2015-2016 timetable is available as a [http://p.bdz.bg/p/u/putevoditel-2016-4829.pdf] almost entirely in Cyrillic script. Note it is 52 MB in size.
PDF timetables for internal Bulgarian services have not been found on the [http://www.bdz.bg/en http://www.bdz.bg/en] website since 2016 but a 2018/19 version does exist as it can be viewed in the European Rail [ERG] Groups IO Files section. The website [http://www.bdz.bg/en/ http://www.bdz.bg/en/] has a facility in the middle of the home page to list realtime departures from a limited number of main stations.
Bulgarian international services are listed individually on [http://www.bdz.bg/en/timetable/category-time-table-international.html http://www.bdz.bg/en/timetable/category-time-table-international.html Time-table international].


===Printed Timetable===
===Printed Timetable===
Line 29: Line 31:
===Printed Maps===
===Printed Maps===
*European Railway Atlas: Scandinavia and Eastern Europe by M.G. Ball (1993) (ISBN 0-7110-2072-4)
*European Railway Atlas: Scandinavia and Eastern Europe by M.G. Ball (1993) (ISBN 0-7110-2072-4)
*[http://www.europeanrailwayatlas.com/index.html European Railway Atlas] by M.G. Ball (2008 onwards)
*[https://www.europeanrailwayatlas.com European Railway Atlas] by M.G. Ball (2008 onwards).  Note the transliterations used in these maps to Latin characters do not always correspond with the current BDŽ English station names.


===Web-based Maps===
===Web-based Maps===
*Thorsten Büker's [http://www.bueker.net/trainspotting/maps_bulgaria.php Map of Bulgaria] with enlargements of [http://www.bueker.net/trainspotting/maps_sofia-area.php Sofia] and [http://www.bueker.net/trainspotting/maps_gorna-orjahovica-area.php Gorna Orjahovica].
* BDŽ map as per [http://www.bdz.bg/bg/info/railway-map.html http://www.bdz.bg/bg/info/railway-map.html timetable book]
*A map is available on the [http://www.rail-infra.bg/схема-на-мрежата/ Infrastructure Authority website]
* [[Maps and Plans#Bulgaria|Maps and Plans - Bulgaria]].
*Thorsten Büker's [http://www.bueker.net/trainspotting/maps_bulgaria.php http://www.bueker.net/trainspotting/maps_bulgaria.php Map of Bulgaria] with enlargements of [http://www.bueker.net/trainspotting/maps_sofia-area.php http://www.bueker.net/trainspotting/maps_sofia-area.php Sofia] and [http://www.bueker.net/trainspotting/maps_gorna-orjahovica-area.php http://www.bueker.net/trainspotting/maps_gorna-orjahovica-area.php Gorna Orjahovica]. '''Note that content is mostly outdated and page is not updated any more'''
*A map is available on the [https://www.rail-infra.bg/bg/12 Infrastructure Authority website] (although the English web page shows a link to the map the link does not appear to work)


==Infrastructure==
==Infrastructure==
===Infrastructure Authority===
===Infrastructure Authority===
The National Railway Infrastructure Company ([http://www.rail-infra.bg/home/?context=en NRIC]), Национална компания "Железопътна инфраструктура" (НКЖИ).
The National Railway Infrastructure Company ([https://www.rail-infra.bg/home/?context=en NRIC]), Национална компания "Железопътна инфраструктура" (НКЖИ).


===Network Statement===
===Network Statement===
The [http://www.rail-infra.bg/network-statement/ Network Statement] page provides a downloadable Network Statement.
The [https://www.rail-infra.bg/en/78 Network Statement] page provides a list of Network Statements for various years, which can be downloaded in sections.


===Gauge===
===Gauge===
Line 52: Line 56:


===Distances===
===Distances===
Although the Network Statement Annex 2 allegedly contains "kilometric location of the stations and length of distances between stations along the railway network managed by NRIC (table 1.1)" and other useful information, it contains only 2 pages and there is no sign of these tables in either the English or Bulgarian language versions.
 
Can be found in
[https://www.rail-infra.bg/upload/1184/Appendix%2017_2019.pdf Appendix 17] of the network statement.


==Other Railways==
==Other Railways==
Line 60: Line 66:
Plovdiv Children's Railway (60 cm gauge and ~ 1 km in length).
Plovdiv Children's Railway (60 cm gauge and ~ 1 km in length).


See [http://www.visitplovdiv.com/en/node/691 Children's Railway]
See [http://www.visitplovdiv.com/en/node/691 http://www.visitplovdiv.com/en/node/691 Children's Railway]


==Metro==
==Metro==
Sofia.
Sofia.


See [http://www.metropolitan.bg/en/ Sofia Metro].
See [https://www.metropolitan.bg/en/ Sofia Metro].


==Trams==
==Trams==
Sofia.
Sofia.
See [http://www.elektrotransportsf.com/index.php?lang=en http://www.elektrotransportsf.com/index.php?lang=en Sofia Public Electric Transport Company]
See also [[Bulgaria_-_Tram_services_over_obscure_routes|Bulgaria - Tram services over obscure routes]]


==Recent and future changes==
==Recent and future changes==
A return service on Saturdays and Sundays between Plovdiv and Edirne (Turkey) started on 1 June 2019. This may be the first daytime working over this border crossing for a very long time.


From an unknown date after December 2013 all of the limited table 600 service between Sofia and Pernik via Razmenna is diverted via a new curve to call at and reverse at Pernik-Razpredelit. Details when this commenced would be appreciated by the Compilers.  
Dupnica - Bobov Dol closed to passengers with the Decemeber 2017 timetable change.
From 25 May 2017 until further notice passengers on regular services between Thessaloniki and Sofia have been taken by bus over the border between Kulata BDŽ and Promachon OSE. This service had been reintroduced from 10 May 2014, reopening the border crossing to passenger traffic. The [http://p.bdz.bg/b/u/buk-solun-11251.pdf http://p.bdz.bg/b/u/buk-solun-11251.pdf 2018/19 international timetable] shows the weekly, summer only, Bucuresti - Sofia - Thessaloniki  train running through without a bus segment from 7 June 2019 to 6 October 2019.
 
From an unknown date after December 2013 all of the limited table 600 service between Sofia and Pernik via Razmenna is diverted via a new curve to call at and reverse at Pernik-Razpredelitelna. Details when this commenced would be appreciated by the Compilers.  


The journey planner contains trains between Kjustendil and Gjueshevo as at June 2014, following 6 months with none being shown.  
The journey planner contains trains between Kjustendil and Gjueshevo as at June 2014, following 6 months with none being shown.  


Two pairs of local services between Vidin and Craiova in Romania commenced on 10 May 2014 but were replaced by just a pair of Sofia - Budapest long distance services from the December 2014 timetable change. This calls at the main Vidin station to reverse and change engines with BDZ Class 55 Diesel Haulage over the Bridge. The combined road/rail bridge between Calafat and Vidin, now named "New Europe Bridge", was ceremonially opened to traffic on 14 June 2013.
Two pairs of cross border all station DMU services between Vidin and Craiova in Romania commenced on 10 May 2014 but from the December 2014 timetable change were replaced by a pair of Sofia - Budapest long distance services which called at the main Vidin station to reverse, using a BDZ Class 55 Diesel over the Bridge. This was replaced at the December 2016 timetable change by a CFR operated Vidin and Craiova DMU service which in 2019 is down to one pair a day. The combined road/rail bridge between Calafat and Vidin named the "New Europe Bridge", was ceremonially opened to traffic on 14 June 2013.
 
A Sofia - Thessaloniki service was reintroduced from 10 May 2014, reopening the Kulata BDŽ - Promachon OSE border crossing to passenger traffic.


Much of the network is electrified, and more electrification is in progress. Electrification between Svilengrad and the border with Turkey was inaugurated on 9 May 2013, completing an electric route between the Serbian border and Istanbul.
Much of the network is electrified, and more electrification is in progress. Electrification between Svilengrad and the border with Turkey was inaugurated on 9 May 2013, completing an electric route between the Serbian border and Istanbul.

Revision as of 09:19, 3 June 2019

Country Name

Bulgaria (България)

National railway system

National Railway Operator

Bulgarian State Railways - Bulgarski Darshavni Železnici (http://www.bdz.bg/en BDŽ), Български държавни железници (БДЖ).

Language

Bulgarian, using Cyrillic script.

Currency

Lev (Lv, дв); 100 stotinki = 1 Lv

UIC code

numeric 52; alpha BG

Timetable

Journey Planner

http://razpisanie.bdz.bg/SearchServlet?lang=en

Downloadable Timetable

PDF timetables for internal Bulgarian services have not been found on the http://www.bdz.bg/en website since 2016 but a 2018/19 version does exist as it can be viewed in the European Rail [ERG] Groups IO Files section. The website http://www.bdz.bg/en/ has a facility in the middle of the home page to list realtime departures from a limited number of main stations. Bulgarian international services are listed individually on http://www.bdz.bg/en/timetable/category-time-table-international.html Time-table international.

Printed Timetable

Patevoditel (ПЪТЕВОДИТЕЛ). Includes all internal and international services. Almost completely written in Bulgarian, using Cyrillic script. The timetable map is diagrammatic and still shows a few lines that no longer have a passenger service. This can be very difficult to obtain, but a pocket-sized version "СЪКРАТЕНО РАЗПИСАНИЕ" with reduced detail is more generally available.

Engineering Information

Not known.

Maps

Printed Maps

  • European Railway Atlas: Scandinavia and Eastern Europe by M.G. Ball (1993) (ISBN 0-7110-2072-4)
  • European Railway Atlas by M.G. Ball (2008 onwards). Note the transliterations used in these maps to Latin characters do not always correspond with the current BDŽ English station names.

Web-based Maps

Infrastructure

Infrastructure Authority

The National Railway Infrastructure Company (NRIC), Национална компания "Железопътна инфраструктура" (НКЖИ).

Network Statement

The Network Statement page provides a list of Network Statements for various years, which can be downloaded in sections.

Gauge

Standard. The BDŽ line from Septemvri to Dobrinishte is 760 mm gauge.

Electrification

25 kV 50 Hz.

Rule of the road

Right.

Distances

Can be found in Appendix 17 of the network statement.

Other Railways

None.

Tourist Lines

Plovdiv Children's Railway (60 cm gauge and ~ 1 km in length).

See http://www.visitplovdiv.com/en/node/691 Children's Railway

Metro

Sofia.

See Sofia Metro.

Trams

Sofia.

See http://www.elektrotransportsf.com/index.php?lang=en Sofia Public Electric Transport Company

See also Bulgaria - Tram services over obscure routes

Recent and future changes

A return service on Saturdays and Sundays between Plovdiv and Edirne (Turkey) started on 1 June 2019. This may be the first daytime working over this border crossing for a very long time.

Dupnica - Bobov Dol closed to passengers with the Decemeber 2017 timetable change. From 25 May 2017 until further notice passengers on regular services between Thessaloniki and Sofia have been taken by bus over the border between Kulata BDŽ and Promachon OSE. This service had been reintroduced from 10 May 2014, reopening the border crossing to passenger traffic. The http://p.bdz.bg/b/u/buk-solun-11251.pdf 2018/19 international timetable shows the weekly, summer only, Bucuresti - Sofia - Thessaloniki train running through without a bus segment from 7 June 2019 to 6 October 2019.

From an unknown date after December 2013 all of the limited table 600 service between Sofia and Pernik via Razmenna is diverted via a new curve to call at and reverse at Pernik-Razpredelitelna. Details when this commenced would be appreciated by the Compilers.

The journey planner contains trains between Kjustendil and Gjueshevo as at June 2014, following 6 months with none being shown.

Two pairs of cross border all station DMU services between Vidin and Craiova in Romania commenced on 10 May 2014 but from the December 2014 timetable change were replaced by a pair of Sofia - Budapest long distance services which called at the main Vidin station to reverse, using a BDZ Class 55 Diesel over the Bridge. This was replaced at the December 2016 timetable change by a CFR operated Vidin and Craiova DMU service which in 2019 is down to one pair a day. The combined road/rail bridge between Calafat and Vidin named the "New Europe Bridge", was ceremonially opened to traffic on 14 June 2013.

Much of the network is electrified, and more electrification is in progress. Electrification between Svilengrad and the border with Turkey was inaugurated on 9 May 2013, completing an electric route between the Serbian border and Istanbul.

The section of table 331 between Kremikovci and Jana via Obedinena lost its passenger service at the end of the 2008/2009 timetable period.

Special Notes

None.

See also