The first two Alstom electric trains delivered to Bulgaria under the Recovery and Resilience Plan have been presented in Sofia and are expected to enter service in early September, Transport and Communications Minister Georgi Peev said at an event at Sofia Central Railway Station.
Peev said all 12 of the remaining trains planned under the Recovery and Resilience Plan have also been delivered, with certification procedures now underway. Under Bulgaria's contract with Alstom, another 23 trains remain to be delivered. If additional financing is secured, the country could also purchase more trains under the same contract.
The first two trains are expected to operate on the Pernik-Sofia-Plovdiv-Svilengrad route, where several sections allow speeds of up to 160 km/h. Peev said he had insisted that the new trains be assigned to longer-distance services rather than shorter routes.
Around 40 train drivers have already been trained to operate the new rolling stock, including five instructors. The Transport Ministry is also working with the Interior Ministry to improve protection of the trains against vandalism.
A special working group has been established to develop coordination procedures and identify critical sections of the railway network based on previous incidents.
