Bulgaria is taking an important step toward a more sustainable future in transportation. The Ministry of Transport and Communications has announced a plan to purchase 20 new passenger trains powered by biodiesel. This decision is part of the country’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and provide more environmentally friendly transportation for citizens.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Grozdan Karadzhov commented that the use of biodiesel is an excellent opportunity in the context of increasingly stringent environmental standards. He emphasized that the new trains will improve service quality and enable more frequent and efficient travel on regional lines. This will improve access to transportation in smaller towns and encourage the use of rail travel as a more environmentally friendly alternative.
The purchase of the new trains is part of Bulgaria’s efforts to align with the EU’s overall policy on the green transition. The EU has set ambitious targets for reducing carbon emissions and is encouraging member states to invest in rail transport as a more environmentally friendly alternative to road transport.
The estimated value of the public procurement contract is 485 million BGN, excluding VAT. Nearly 140 million BGN has been allocated for the delivery of the ten trains, which must be capable of reaching at least 120 km/h using hydrotreated oil. A Slovak company will supply 10 multiple-unit trains that run on biodiesel. Their price is 132 million leva, excluding VAT. If a contract is signed, these will be the first trains manufactured by this company to operate in Bulgaria. The documents published for the public procurement state that contract execution will begin after confirmation of secured financing. The Slovak company is the only bidder to have submitted an offer in the tender announced by the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
The combination of modern technology, cleaner energy, and European green transition policies makes this project a symbol of the new direction for the Bulgarian railways and opens up new prospects for factories that have invested in facilities for producing high-quality biodiesel in Bulgaria.
“Distributors are required to blend a certain percentage of biofuels. From now on, there is almost no excuse for any gas station not to offer biodiesel,” commented Transport Minister Grozdan Karadzhov.
