Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) is holding three public meetings in early October to discuss the new 2027 train schedule. The meetings will take place on October 5, 6 and 7 in Gorna Oryahovitsa, Plovdiv and Sofia, the company's press office announced.
The meetings will bring together representatives of BDZ Passenger Services Ltd., the National Railway Infrastructure Company, Ivkoni Express EAD and other stakeholders. The draft schedule will be discussed with regional and municipal authorities as well as with the public, with the aim of taking into account rail transport needs across different regions of the country.
In preparing the draft, railway officials took into account major construction projects across the network. The heaviest impact comes from renovation work at the Sofia railway hub and along the Sofia–Plovdiv line, which carry some of the busiest traffic and where construction is reducing capacity.
Even so, the new schedule brings changes meant to expand travel options and improve connections between regions, BDZ officials explained.
On the Sub-Balkan line, additional daytime express trains will run between Sofia and Burgas with fewer stops and convenient connections. Train No. 301 will depart Sofia at 10:00, while train No. 302 will leave Burgas at 10:40 in the opposite direction.
Central Northern and Southeastern Bulgaria will be linked directly by fast trains No. 2631 and No. 2632 on the Sofia–Pleven–Shumen–Burgas route in both directions. These trains will also provide convenient connections for passengers from Vidin and Northwestern Bulgaria.
For Southwestern Bulgaria, express train No. 502 is planned, departing Petrich for Sofia at 09:20, with a connection in the capital to Burgas and Varna. In the opposite direction, train No. 503 will leave Sofia for Petrich at 15:35 and will pick up passengers arriving from Burgas and Varna.
Northwestern Bulgaria will also get new connections. Train No. 701 will depart Vidin for Sofia at 07:25, while No. 702 will leave Sofia for Vidin at 14:15. At Mezdra-South station, passengers will be able to transfer to fast trains No. 2631 and No. 2632 to and from Burgas. In addition, two existing trains will have extended routes — fast train No. 7631 will now run all the way to Sofia from Lom, while train No. 7620 will travel directly from Sofia to Vidin.
For Southern Bulgaria, a new afternoon express train, No. 803, is planned. It will depart Sofia for Burgas via Plovdiv at 16:00. The corresponding train No. 802 will leave Burgas at 08:20.
On the Sofia–Varna line, four new express trains will run in the morning and afternoon. From Sofia, train No. 201 will depart at 06:45 and No. 203 at 15:10. From Varna to Sofia, train No. 202 will leave at 06:30 and No. 204 at 15:30.
Express trains No. 303 and No. 304 will also provide a direct, transfer-free connection between Southern and Northern Bulgaria, running via Sofia, Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Sliven and Varna.
Passengers traveling to and from Svishtov, Lovech and Troyan will have more and better connections at Levski station with trains to and from Sofia, Varna and Ruse.
Two trains will be added on the narrow-gauge line. The train from Septemvri to Velingrad will depart at 11:20, offering a connection for passengers from Sofia and Burgas. At 15:45, a train from Velingrad to Septemvri will depart with a connection to Burgas.
On the Peshtera–Bratsigovo–Krichim line, all trains will now run all the way to Plovdiv, giving towns along the route a direct connection to the regional center.
Regional rail service around Sofia will remain in place under the new schedule.
Anyone with proposals or comments on the draft can send them directly to BDZ Passenger Services Ltd. at project_bdz@bdz.bg by October 11, 2026. All proposals will be reviewed, and the company will assess how well they fit into the final version of the schedule.
BTA notes that in the 2026 schedule, BDZ Passenger Services maintained the volume of public transport services agreed with the state. Passengers currently travel on 518 trains — 79 fast trains (two of which run only in summer), 117 passenger trains and 322 suburban passenger trains, some of which operate only on certain days of the week.