Published on
October 4, 2025
Bulgaria has revealed a major railway connection project with Türkiye, aimed at relieving pressure on the Svilengrad-Kapikule crossing, which serves as an important border crossing between the two countries. The seventy-one-kilometre rail connection aims to enhance passenger mobility while facilitating trade by lowering congestion at the existing border crossing.
Upgrades and New Construction for Faster Connections
The project will involve both the rehabilitation of existing tracks and the construction of a new line. Specifically, the 39-kilometer railway between Yambol and Elhovo will be upgraded and electrified, making it possible for passenger trains to travel at speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour. In addition, a new 32-kilometer rail section will be built between Elhovo and Lesovo, where a new border crossing with Türkiye will be created.
Once completed, the 71-kilometer route will feature three stations, further improving the efficiency of rail transport in the region. Freight trains will operate at a speed of 120 kilometers per hour, ensuring faster transit of goods between the European Union and Türkiye.
Relieving Congestion at Kapikule Border Crossing
The existing Svilengrad-Kapikule crossing currently handles the bulk of the traffic between Türkiye and the European Union, resulting in heavy congestion and long wait times for both passengers and freight. The new Lesovo crossing is expected to alleviate this strain by distributing traffic more evenly, significantly enhancing the flow of both goods and passengers.
EU Funding and Strategic Infrastructure Development
The new rail project is part of the European Union’s TEN-T framework, aimed at creating a unified trans-European transport network. A pre-investment study has already been completed, and EU funding is expected to support the development of this key infrastructure project. This aligns with the EU’s broader goal to enhance sustainable and efficient transport corridors across the region.
Bilateral Agreement and Ongoing Upgrades
A bilateral agreement was reached in June 2025 between Bulgarian Transport Minister Grozdan Karadjov and Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu, setting the foundation for this important project. While Türkiye has not yet announced detailed plans for its side of the construction, it is confirmed that approximately 15 to 20 kilometers of new track will be required to link the future crossing to the Halkali-Kapikule main line that connects Istanbul to the EU border.
Meanwhile, Türkiye is already undertaking an extensive upgrade of the Istanbul-to-border railway line, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. This upgrade will reduce passenger travel time from Istanbul to the Bulgarian border from four hours to just one and a half hours. Similarly, the upgrade will cut freight transport time from eight and a half hours to three and a half hours, further improving cross-border trade and mobility. The new rail link is expected to play a crucial role in strengthening economic ties between the two countries and improving regional travel and trade connectivity.
A Key Step in Enhancing Regional Transport
The new railway connection between Bulgaria and Türkiye will relieve pressure at the Svilengrad-Kapikule border crossing and ensure quicker and smoother transport to and from the EU and Türkiye. By decreasing passenger travel times and enhancing freight movement, this can improve connectivity in the region and encourage increased trade between Bulgaria and Türkiye. Continued support from the EU and collaboration between Bulgaria and Türkiye, in support of the overall goal of improving transport infrastructure development, supports a vision of transport in Europe that identifies with a single transport network.
