Balgarianovinite.com The first new Skoda electric train will arrive in Bulgaria in January 2026 and will begin carrying passengers in April. All 25 new trains will be delivered by August 2026, Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Grozdan Karadjov said on Monday during a visit to the Skoda plant in Plzen, Czechia, the Transport Ministry said on Monday.
“Only 14 months after the contract was signed, we already have the first completed train for Bulgaria. Another 11 are in an advanced production stage and will be finished in the coming months. We will receive, without delay, exactly what we paid for and what Bulgarian citizens deserve,” Karadjov is quoted as saying.
He explained that the first train will undergo mandatory testing for several months after its arrival. Two more trains will be delivered in the meantime, with tests carried out in different configurations – double and triple sets. The new Škoda units will be tested on almost the entire railway network, similarly to the French-made Alstom trains. Passenger service on Bulgarian routes is scheduled to begin in April.
Karadjov underscored the high production quality and modern technologies used. “Information displays will be in Bulgarian and English. The low-floor design facilitates boarding for passengers with reduced mobility; each train has two mechanical ramps for wheelchairs and an accessible toilet. The trains offer Wi-Fi, 333 seats and at least as many standing places. These are amenities Bulgarian passengers have been waiting for for years,” he said.
The Ministry noted that the delivery of the new electric multiple units is carried out under a contract with Skoda Transportation and Skoda Vagonka worth over BGN 639 million (VAT excluded), fully financed by EU programmes. The main contract for 20 trains amounts to BGN 511.4 million (VAT excluded) under the Recovery and Resilience Plan. An additional agreement for five more trains is worth BGN 127.8 million (VAT excluded), financed under the Transport Connectivity Programme 2021–2027.
The contract for the initial 20 electric multiple units was signed last year by caretaker transport minister Krasimira Stoyanova and Skoda Transportation CEO Petr Novotny, with a two-year delivery period.
Two months later, an addendum was signed for five additional trains. They will serve high-demand routes in Northern Bulgaria, including Ruse–Varna, Varna–Gorna Oryahovitsa–Mezdra, as well as shorter routes such as Sofia–Slivnitsa–Dragoman.
Two months later, an addendum was signed for five additional trains. They will serve high-demand routes in Northern Bulgaria, including Ruse–Varna, Varna–Gorna Oryahovitsa–Mezdra, as well as shorter routes such as Sofia–Slivnitsa–Dragoman. Transport Minister: First New Skoda Electric Train to Arrive in Bulgaria in January 2026, Will Enter Service in April 2025 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2025-11-24 17:12:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law