BULGARIA: Work is underway to electrify and upgrade the 19 km link between Svilengrad and the Turkish border. Part of the government's EU-backed Operational Programme for Transport which aims to fully integrate Bulgaria into wider EU transport networks, the project is being undertaken by Czech firm OHL ZHS under a €84m contract awarded by National Railway Infrastructure Co.
Electrification and grade separation of level crossings will raise capacity from 52 to 70 trains per day and permit speeds of up to 200 km/h.
Wiring of the Serbian line from Nis to the Bulgarian border is also underway, and together the two projects will complete electrification from Istanbul to central Europe.
