SOFIA-PERNIK-RADOMIR RAILWAY LINE

The National Railway Infrastructure Company (NRIC) has started the design of the modernisation works of the Sofia - Pernik - Radomir railway line, part of the 4th European Corridor Orient-East Med Core Network, which is now a key section of the longitudinal connection axis between the city of Vidin on the border with Romania, the capital Sofia and the border with Greece. This is one of the main investments to be implemented in the country as part of the strategy to harmonize the national rail network with European TEN-T standards.

The main objective of the project, in fact, is to increase the capacity of the existing railway line through a radical modernisation of civil, railway and technological works in order to absorb the expected increase in traffic flows related to the upgrading of the TEN-T lines. Thus, the project involves upgrading the line to EU interoperability standards, i.e., improving the conditions of access to the infrastructure and incorporating the necessary measures to meet the safety requirements set by international standards. The upgrading works will allow to increase the speed of traffic on the line up to 120-160 km/h.

Within this context, Italferr, in a joint venture with major international engineering companies, is engaged in a series of interventions to upgrade the functional conditions of the railway infrastructure (superstructure, power supply network, civil engineering infrastructure) for a line section of about 48 km with speeds up to 160 km/h for passenger trains and 120 km/h for freight trains. Completion of the project will facilitate a significant transfer of traffic volumes from road to rail, with important transportation and environmental benefits for the entire country.

Work is currently underway.