Bulgaria - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services

Introduction

This list is based on the timetable dated from 11 December 2016 to 9 December 2017, unless otherwise stated. Standard abbreviations used are explained in the General Information document.

Map references for each route entry are given in parentheses ( ). References prefixed "ERA" refer to the European Railway Atlas Romania, Bulgaria & Moldova, Regional Series 2016, by M.G.Ball.

Obscure services

Mezdra Avoiding Line: Mezdra-Jug – Ruska Bjala

[200, 700] (ERA 243C2) BG17/1

This route is used by fast trains between Sofia and Vraca not reversing at Mezdra.

		7620	Sofia - 08:38 Zverino - Vidin
		7621	Vidin - 08:53 Vraca - Sofia
		7623	Vidin - 15:15 Vraca - Sofia
		7625	Vidin - 20:23 Vraca - Sofia

(Plovdiv –) Filipovo – Skutare

[800] (ERA 248B5) BG17/2

Most trains between Plovdiv and Skutare (and onwards to Mihajlovo) run via a shorter, easterly route at Plovdiv and call at Trakija. One train runs to the west and north of Plovdiv and via Filipovo:

8636

Varna - 04:46 Belozem - Plovdiv

(Sofia –)- Voluyak - Razmenna – Pernik-Razpredelitelna (– Pernik)

[556] (ERA 246B2-A1) BG17/3

This is an alternative route to the main line between Sofia and Pernik, running from Sofia via Voluyak, Razmenna and a reinstated curve to Pernik-Razpredelitelna where it rejoins the main line to Pernik.

		Sub60201	07:08 Sofia - Pernik
		Sub60203	17:55 Sofia - Pernik
		Sub60202	05:28 Pernik - Sofia
		Sub60204	17:50 Pernik - Sofia

(Sofia – Voluyak - Razmenna) – Pernik-Razpredelitelna avoider OR Pernik avoider)

[556] (ERA 246B2-A1) BG17/3A

Due to engineering work on the main line, International pair 360/361 Sofia - Thessaloniki are diverted via Razmenna between November 6 to December 9 2017. It it is not known which of the two non-passenger routes will be taken in the Pernik area as the drill down from the BDZ JP for these services is not working. If it still calls at Pernik it will be the former, if not, the latter. Note the southbound departure from Sofia is advanced to 14.35.

(Sofia) - Cherepish – Lyutibrod (– Mezdra)

[200] (ERA 243C2, not shown) BG17/4

Between Lyutibrod and Cherepish the two tracks are on very different alignments for over a kilometre and are up to 170 metres apart. Indeed for a time the tracks are on opposite sides of the river Iskar.

Other sparse services

The following lines have few trains (relative to service levels generally in this country) - fewer than three trains each way on at least three days a week - or do not run each weekday:

226	Shumen - Komunari
228	(Poveljanovo -) Dobrich - Kardam
401	Dimitrovgrad - Momchilgrad
500	Dupnica - Bobov Dol
600	(Sofia -) Volujak - Pernik via Hrabarsko and from an unknown date also via Pernik-Razpredelit [reverse]
-	Dragoman - Dimitrovgrad (Serbia)
-	Ruse - Giurgiu Nord (Romania)
-	Vidin - Calafat (Romania)
-	Kulata - Promachon (Greece)
-	Svilengrad - Kapıkule (Turkey)

Deletions since previous edition

The number of trains required to qualify as a sparse service has been reduced from 4 to 3, in line with Romania. The following services are therefore no longer sparse.

• 224 (Levski -) Lovech - Trojan
• 300 Sofia Sever - Stolnik via Kremikovtzi
• 600 Kjustendil - Gjueshevo
• 882 Filipovo - Panagjurishte
• 900 Samuil - Silistra

See also

• Bulgaria
• Bulgaria - General Information