The Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeikov and the management of the Polish company “Stadler Polska Sp. z o. o.” signed today the contract for the supply of 7 double-decker trains, which will be purchased with funds under the Recovery and Sustainability Plan.
“We are signing this contract after more than 20 years, in which our country has not purchased a single new train,” pointed out Minister Gvozdeikov. According to him, after all the years of neglecting the railway transport, society deserves to travel with modern and safe trains, and this contract is the first serious step in that direction.
“The rolling stock, which will be delivered by 2026, meets all the requirements for comfort and environmental friendliness, which are the basis of the reforms under the NPVU”, added the Minister of Transport.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Stadler Polska Sp. z o. o. Philip Brunner emphasized the importance of the deal with Bulgaria. “We are extremely proud that our company will contribute to the improvement of railway transport in the country and I hope our partnership will continue in the future,” he commented.
The contract includes the delivery of 7 double-deck zero-emission electric trains from the “KISS” series, as well as an option for the delivery of 3 more trains if financing is secured until the end of the contract. The contractor must also provide 15 years of train maintenance and training of operating personnel.
The rolling stock will have a minimum of 300 seats, and more than 10% of them will be for people with reduced mobility. The trains are for a speed of 160 km/h and will be interoperable with the European railway network. The value of the contract is BGN 300,513,279.50, and the delivery period is 26 months.
Tags: Georgi Gvozdeikov Bulgaria railway rolling stock years waiting
