Sofia, Plovdiv and Gorna Oriahovitsa are the hubs of the domestic system and of international rail connections. Bulgaria's rail system has not expanded since the 1980s, in 2014 there were 4,023 kilometers of main lines.
Bulgaria has delayed building some key highway connections since the 1990s, but European Union membership is a strong incentive for completion.
The national passenger and freight operator is called Bulgarian State Railways, but there are also a number of private operators including Bulgarian Railway Company and DB Schenker Rail Bulgaria. In 2014 the Bulgarian railways carried 14,225,000 tons of freight and 21.3 million passengers in 2019. === Sofia Metro === In 1998 the first six kilometres of an often-interrupted 52 km standard gauge subway project (the Sofia Metro) opened in Sofia.
The Sofia Metro has three lines as of 2020. Air traffic has been growing since the 2000s, which was facilitated by the opening of a second terminal at Sofia Airport, as well as the implementation of new destinations and routes.
In the early 2000s, Sofia Airport received substantial renovation, with aid from a Kuwaiti-led consortium, in anticipation of increased air connections with Europe.
In 2016 the expansion of the network continued, as construction works on the third line commenced, and the system reached a total length of 40 km, with 35 stations along its two lines. == Road transport == In the early 2000s, Bulgaria had some 37,300 kilometers of roads, but nearly half of which (18,000 kilometers) fell into the lowest international rating for paved roads.
324 kilometers of high-speed highways were in service in 2000.
In 2014, Bulgarian airports served 7,728,612 passengers and handled 23,101 tons of goods. In the past aviation compared with road and railroad transport used to be a minor mode of freight movement, and only 860,000 passengers used Bulgarian airlines in 2001.
In 2004 Bulgaria Air transported 365,465 passengers to international destinations, including all major European cities, while in 2014 this number was at 897,422. == Railways == In 2005 Bulgaria had some 6,238 kilometers of open access track owned by the state company "National Company Railway Infrastructure", including a 125 kilometers long 760 mm narrow gauge railway - the Septemvri-Dobrinishte narrow gauge line and 4,316 km were considered main lines.
As of 2004, two international highways passed through Bulgaria, and a major highway ran from Sofia to the Black Sea coast.
In 2004 Bulgaria Air transported 365,465 passengers to international destinations, including all major European cities, while in 2014 this number was at 897,422. == Railways == In 2005 Bulgaria had some 6,238 kilometers of open access track owned by the state company "National Company Railway Infrastructure", including a 125 kilometers long 760 mm narrow gauge railway - the Septemvri-Dobrinishte narrow gauge line and 4,316 km were considered main lines.
Other smaller rivers, as Kamchiya and Ropotamo, are navigable only for recreational uses. == Pipelines == In 2005, Bulgaria had 2,425 kilometers of natural gas pipelines, 339 kilometers of oil pipelines, and 156 kilometers of pipelines for refined products.
With international investment, Bulgaria began constructing a new domestic gas transportation network beginning in 2005.
The communist-era state airline, Balkan Airlines, was replaced by Bulgaria Air, which was privatised in 2006.
The 279-kilometer Burgas-Alexandroupolis Pipeline, still under negotiation among Bulgaria, Greece, and Russia in 2006, would provide a bypass of the overloaded Bosporus Strait.
As of October 2006, approval of both pipelines was expected.
The two largest ports are in Varna and in Burgas. == Air transport == After the second terminal of International Airport Sofia was built the total number of passengers for the country rose and reached 6,595,790 in 2008, and in April 2011 Airport Sofia serviced 282 694 passengers, 13% more than the same period of 2009, when the record was 250 000 passengers.
The two largest ports are in Varna and in Burgas. == Air transport == After the second terminal of International Airport Sofia was built the total number of passengers for the country rose and reached 6,595,790 in 2008, and in April 2011 Airport Sofia serviced 282 694 passengers, 13% more than the same period of 2009, when the record was 250 000 passengers.
A three-phase expansion was scheduled for completion in 2010.
The two largest ports are in Varna and in Burgas. == Air transport == After the second terminal of International Airport Sofia was built the total number of passengers for the country rose and reached 6,595,790 in 2008, and in April 2011 Airport Sofia serviced 282 694 passengers, 13% more than the same period of 2009, when the record was 250 000 passengers.
In 2011 passenger traffic at Bulgaria's three major airports - Sofia, Varna and Bourgas - grew up to near 10% on the year to 3.89 million in the first half of 2011, due to rise of customers using international routes and launch of new destinations.
After the completion of the Plovdiv - Dimitrovgrad [rail|high-speed line] on 1 July 2012 the top operating speed was raised to 200 km/h and the national top speed record of 197 km/h set between Iskar and Elin Pelin with a leased Siemens Taurus electric locomotive is soon expected to be broken.
Additional stations were later built, and in 2012 a second line opened.
In 2013 Bulgaria had 68 airports, 57 of which had paved runways.
By the end of 2013, a total of 461 km of [rail|high-speed lines] were expected to be built. In the mid-2000s, railways remained a major mode of freight transportation, but with increasing problems with the maintenance of the infrastructure and lowering speeds, highways carried a progressively larger share of freight.
A 114-kilometer link between eastern Bulgaria and the Turkish border is scheduled for completion in 2013.
In 2014, Bulgarian airports served 7,728,612 passengers and handled 23,101 tons of goods. In the past aviation compared with road and railroad transport used to be a minor mode of freight movement, and only 860,000 passengers used Bulgarian airlines in 2001.
In 2004 Bulgaria Air transported 365,465 passengers to international destinations, including all major European cities, while in 2014 this number was at 897,422. == Railways == In 2005 Bulgaria had some 6,238 kilometers of open access track owned by the state company "National Company Railway Infrastructure", including a 125 kilometers long 760 mm narrow gauge railway - the Septemvri-Dobrinishte narrow gauge line and 4,316 km were considered main lines.
Sofia, Plovdiv and Gorna Oriahovitsa are the hubs of the domestic system and of international rail connections. Bulgaria's rail system has not expanded since the 1980s, in 2014 there were 4,023 kilometers of main lines.
The national passenger and freight operator is called Bulgarian State Railways, but there are also a number of private operators including Bulgarian Railway Company and DB Schenker Rail Bulgaria. In 2014 the Bulgarian railways carried 14,225,000 tons of freight and 21.3 million passengers in 2019. === Sofia Metro === In 1998 the first six kilometres of an often-interrupted 52 km standard gauge subway project (the Sofia Metro) opened in Sofia.
As of December 2014, of national roads and of motorways are in service and 98% of all national roads are paved.
As of December 2015, the country had 829 kilometers of highways. Buses play a significant role in long-distance public transport, coaches are operated by public and private companies.
By April 2015 the total length was 36 km with 31 stations and Line 2 serving Sofia Airport.
In 2016 the expansion of the network continued, as construction works on the third line commenced, and the system reached a total length of 40 km, with 35 stations along its two lines. == Road transport == In the early 2000s, Bulgaria had some 37,300 kilometers of roads, but nearly half of which (18,000 kilometers) fell into the lowest international rating for paved roads.
The national passenger and freight operator is called Bulgarian State Railways, but there are also a number of private operators including Bulgarian Railway Company and DB Schenker Rail Bulgaria. In 2014 the Bulgarian railways carried 14,225,000 tons of freight and 21.3 million passengers in 2019. === Sofia Metro === In 1998 the first six kilometres of an often-interrupted 52 km standard gauge subway project (the Sofia Metro) opened in Sofia.
The Sofia Metro has three lines as of 2020. Air traffic has been growing since the 2000s, which was facilitated by the opening of a second terminal at Sofia Airport, as well as the implementation of new destinations and routes.
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