Bulgaria - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services
Introduction
This list is based on the timetable period 15 December 2024 to 13 December 2025 unless otherwise stated. Standard abbreviations are explained here. Trains running only certain days of the week are shown using ISO 8601 weekday numbers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_week_date )
Map references for each route entry are given in parentheses ( ). References prefixed "ERA-E" refer to the European Railway Atlas (All-Europe Edition) by M.G. Ball. References prefixed "ERA-R" refer to the European Railway Atlas (Regional Series: Book 3) by M.G. Ball. Note the transliterations used in these maps to Latin characters do not always correspond with the current BDŽ English station names.
Obscure services
Mezdra Avoiding Line: Mezdra-Jug – Ruska Bjala
[200, 700] (ERA-E 110B3; ERA-R 243C2) BG25/1
This route is used by fast trains between Sofia and Vraca not reversing at Mezdra. A report was received in July 2024 of this curve with removed catenary and missing track, and the BDZ Journey Planner confirmed all three services that had previously taken this curve were re-routed to call at Mezdra station. No service in 2024-25.
(Plovdiv –) Filipovo – Skutare
[800] (ERA-E 110A3; ERA-R 248B5) BG25/2
Most trains between Plovdiv and Skutare (and onwards to Mihajlovo) run via a shorter, easterly route via Trakija. After a break of several years, some local trains started using the route to the west and north of Plovdiv via Filipovo in the 2021/2022 timetable. The 2023-24 timetable had a 5 train pair service on this route, and the 2024-25 timetable has three from Filipovo to Skutare and five Skutare to Filipovo, all easily identified by a search from Filipovo <=> Skutare. If this service level continues in the 2025-26 timetable this obscure route will be deleted.
(Sofia –) Cherepish – Lyuti brod (– Mezdra)
[200] (ERA-E 110B3, not shown; ERA-R 243C2, not shown) BG25/3
Between Lyuti brod and Cherepish the two tracks are on very different alignments for over a kilometre and are up to 170 metres apart. Indeed for a time the tracks are on opposite sides of the river Iskar.
Harmanli Avoiding Line: bypassing Harmanli Centar and Harmanli stations
(ERA-E 110A2; ERA-R 232B5) BG25/4
This new alignment was opened by 2016 as part of improvements between Simeonovgrad and Svilengrad. All timetabled passenger trains call at Harmanli Centar and/or Harmanli stations so cannot use this route; however it has been reported that the Optima Express runs this way.
Ilyantsi avoiding line: Kurilo to Svetovrachane
(ERA-E 110A3; ERA-R 246B2) BG25/5
This 4.8km north - east freight line is used by four fast trains between Sofia <=> Varna/Vidin/Ruse in conjunction with BG25/6
| 7622 | 10:55 Sofia - 11:30 Kazichene - Vidin | ||
| 4610 | 14:45 Sofia - 15:08 Kazichene- Ruse Razpredelitelna | ||
| 2627 | 22:00 Sofia - 22:25 Kazichene - Varna | ||
| 2626 | Varna - 05:44 Kurilo - Sofia |
Following the collision of freight trains on 15 January 2025 these trains have been re-timed to start/finish at Sofia Sever, and not take the obscure route. It is not known whether this change is temporary or permanent.
Stolnik avoiding line: Yana to Musachevo
(ERA-E 110A4; ERA-R 246C1/C22) BG24/6
This 3.0km west - south freight line is used by four fast trains between Sofia <=> Varna/Vidin/Ruse in conjunction with BG25/5.
| 7622 | 10:55 Sofia - 11:30 Kazichene - Vidin | ||
| 4610 | 14:45 Sofia - 15:08 Kazichene- Ruse Razpredelitelna | ||
| 2627 | 22:00 Sofia - 22:25 Kazichene - Varna | ||
| 2626 | Varna - 05:44 Kurilo - Sofia |
Following the collision of freight trains on 15 January 2025 these trains have been re-timed to start/finish at Sofia Sever, and not take the obscure route. It is not known whether this change is temporary or permanent.
Trams
See Bulgaria - Tram services over obscure routes
Other sparse services
The following lines have few trains (relative to service levels generally in this country) - fewer than three trains each way on at least three days a week - or do not run each weekday:
| 100 | Dragoman - Dimitrovgrad (Serbia) | BDZ Service suspended. Optima Express has run in the summer of previous years. |
| 102 | Svilengrad - Kapıkule (Turkey) | One train pair daily |
| 228 | (Poveljanovo -) Dobrich - Kardam | Service has ended. |
| 400 | Ruse - Giurgiu Nord (Romania) | One train pair daily |
| 500 | Kulata - Promachon (Greece) | Service currently suspended |
| 600 | (Sofia –) Volujak – Razmenna – Pernik-Razpredelitelna (– Pernik) | One train pair daily |
| 600 | Gjueshevo - Kjustendil | Two train pairs WSSuO |
| 700 | Vidin - Golenti (Romania) | One train pair daily |
Deletions since previous edition
| 401 | Dimitrovgrad - Kardzhali | Service restored with three train pairs. |
