Bulgaria awards 12-year passenger rail contracts to BDŽ and Ivkoni Express

The contracts apply from 13 December 2026; 813 employees move from BDŽ to Ivkoni Express, operators' profits are capped at 3.57%, and the European Commission has doubled the rolling-stock investment tied to the reform to EUR 734 million. The law is to bring a national transport plan, a single electronic ticket and daily minimum services to every locality.

On 11 February 2026 Bulgaria signed the contracts for passenger rail services, opening the rail market to private operators for the first time: the west region, with 75% of train services, goes to BDŽ Passenger Transport, and the north (14%) and south (11%) regions go to Ivkoni Express. The contracts run for twelve years from 13 December 2026, operators' profits are capped at 3.57%, 813 employees move from BDŽ to Ivkoni Express and the rolling stock stays in state ownership; the European Commission has doubled the investment in new vehicles tied to the reform to EUR 734 million, and missing the start date would put EU funding at risk. The cabinet approved the signing on 4 February 2026 and at the same time adopted the draft law on public transport, which for the first time provides for a national transport plan, a single electronic ticket with revenue sharing between operators and at least three services a day to every locality; according to municipalities, 738 settlements have no public transport at all. The transport ministry had put the draft out for consultation on 17 November 2025 (comments until 17 December 2025), and by mid-February 2026 it was before parliament. (LOK Report, 30 Oct 2025, 20 Nov 2025, 10 Feb 2026 and 18 Feb 2026)