10.03.2026

Construction to Begin on the Longest Railway Tunnel

Construction to Begin on the Longest Railway Tunnel

Bulgarian Minister of Transport Georgi Todorov officially inaugurated the modernization works on the Elin Pelin–Vakarel Railway Line, a key component of Bulgaria's railway modernization program. The project, which includes the country's longest railway tunnel, is being constructed by a Turkish contracting company. The groundbreaking ceremony marked the official commencement of construction.

The ceremony was attended by Bulgarian Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Georgi Todorov, Director General of the National Railway Infrastructure Company Krasimir Papukchiyski, Director General of the Railway Infrastructure of the Republic of North Macedonia Hari Lokvenets, Director General of Albanian Railways Ani Dyrmishi, and İsmail Doğan, Chairman of the Board of the Turkish contractor. Türkiye's Ambassador to Bulgaria, Aylin Sekizkök, also attended the event.

The project includes the construction of a 6.8-kilometer railway tunnel, which will become the longest railway tunnel in Bulgaria. The total length of the railway section is approximately 20 kilometers.

It will be the first railway tunnel of this scale to be built in Bulgaria since the construction of the Koznitsa Tunnel through the Stara Planina Mountains in the 1950s.

The Elin Pelin–Vakarel section, considered the most technically challenging part of the Elin Pelin–Kostenets Railway Project, represents an investment of approximately €250 million.

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