REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT, INFORMATION TECNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS OPERATIONAL PROGRAMME ON TRANSPORT 2007-2013 COORDINATION OF PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS DIRECTORATE - MANAGING AUTHORITY OF THE OPERATIONAL PROGRAMME ON TRANSPORT 2007-2013 1 TABLE OF CONTENT TABLE OF CONTENT........................................................................................................ 2 FOREWORD ....................................................................................................................... 5 I. CURRENT SITUATION IN THE TRANSPORT SECTOR IN THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA.......................................................................................................................... 7 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 7 1. RAILWAY TRANSPORT............................................................................................... 18 1.1. Infrastructure ........................................................................................................ 23 1.1.1. Description ............................................................................................................... 23 1.1.1.1. Technical parameters ............................................................................................ 23 1.1.1.2. Railway network .................................................................................................... 23 1.1.2. Diagnosis.................................................................................................................. 24 1.2. Passenger transport............................................................................................... 24 1. 2.1. Socioeconomic factors............................................................................................. 24 1.2.2. Diagnosis.................................................................................................................. 25 1.3. Freight transport ......................................................................................................... 25 1. 3.1. Socioeconomic factors............................................................................................. 25 1.3.2. Diagnosis.................................................................................................................. 26 1.4. Transport safety and security ...................................................................................... 26 1.5. Environmental protection............................................................................................ 27 1.6. Operators..................................................................................................................... 27 1.7. Concluding diagnosis of the railway infrastructure and railway transport current situation.............................................................................................................................. 28 1.8. Trends for the improvement of the railway infrastructure and development of railway transport services................................................................................................................ 28 1.8.1. General objectives, completed and ongoing policies for the improvement of railways infrastructure ..................................................................................................................... 28 1.8.2. Trends for development of railways transport services............................................. 36 1.8.2.1. Strategy for the development of passenger services ............................................... 36 1.8.2.2. Improvement of rolling stock................................................................................. 37 1.8.2.3. Social policy........................................................................................................... 37 1.8.2.4. Strategy for the development of freight transport services..................................... 37 2. ROAD TRANSPORT...................................................................................................... 39 2.1. Infrastructure ............................................................................................................. 39 2.1.1. Diagnosis of the road infrastructure network ........................................................ 39 2.1.2. Trends for the improvement of the road infrastructure network ......................... 43 2.2 Passenger transport...................................................................................................... 48 2.2.1. Domestic passenger transport ....................................................................... 48 2.2.2. International passenger transport................................................................. 49 2.3. Freight transport ......................................................................................................... 49 Table ....................................................................................................................... 49 2.3.1. Domestic freight transport ............................................................................ 50 2.3.2. International freight transport...................................................................... 50 2.3.3. Transit transport ........................................................................................... 50 2.4. Transport safety and security ...................................................................................... 51 2.5. Environmental protection............................................................................................ 53 2.6. Operators..................................................................................................................... 54 2.7. Diagnosis of the road transport sectors ....................................................................... 54 2.8. Trends for the development of the road transport sector ............................................. 55 2 3. WATERBORNE TRANSPORT.................................................................................. 60 3.1. Infrastructure ...................................................................................................... 60 3.1.1. Port infrastructure ........................................................................................ 60 3.1.2. Facilities for strengthening the river bed of Danube River........................... 61 3.2. Passenger services and cargo handling ............................................................... 62 3.3. Transport safety and environmental protection ................................................... 62 3.4. Operators ............................................................................................................. 64 3.5. Conclusions ......................................................................................................... 64 3.5.1. Concluding diagnosis of the infrastructure and the waterborne transport current situation ..................................................................................................... 64 3.5.2. Trends for development of the infrastructure and the waterborne transport 65 4. INTERMODAL TRANSPORT SYSTEM....................................................................... 65 4.1. Intermodal Freight transport....................................................................................... 65 4.1.1. Infrastructure ........................................................................................................... 65 4.1.1.1. Railways links........................................................................................................ 65 4.1.1.2. Intermodal nodes................................................................................................... 66 4.1.2. Combined transport services..................................................................................... 67 4.1.2.1. Domestic combined transport ................................................................................ 67 4.1.2.2. International combined transport.......................................................................... 67 4.1.3. Transport safety and security.................................................................................... 68 4.1.4. Environmental protection......................................................................................... 68 4.1.5. Concluding diagnosis of the intermodal system........................................................ 68 4.1.6. Trends for development of intermodal infrastructure and combined transport current situation.............................................................................................................................. 69 4.1.6.1. Global strategy....................................................................................................... 69 4.1.6.2. Improvement of infrastructures............................................................................. 69 4.1.6.3. Operators ............................................................................................................... 71 4.1.6.4. Freight villages...................................................................................................... 71 4.1.6.4.1. Concept and opportunity..................................................................................... 71 4.1.6.4.2. Financing ..........................................................................................................