photo: Petr Štefek, CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons/Illustrative photo
Ruse is to become one of Bulgaria’s key freight gateways after the government approved European funding for a new intermodal terminal on the Danube, strengthening rail and logistics links between the Black Sea region and Central Europe.
The project, valued at nearly EUR 60 million (BGN 117 million), will be financed under Bulgaria’s Transport Connectivity Programme 2021–2027, with more than EUR 49.5 million (BGN 97 million) provided by the European Regional Development Fund, according to the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
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Rail, Road, and River Links at a Former Freight Yard
The terminal will be built on the site of the former Ruse East marshalling yard, which has been out of operation for years. Plans include a new railway station with seven tracks, the restoration of the rail connection to the Danube Bridge, and a new road access route linking the site to the city’s northern industrial zone.
According to information published by BTA and EUfunds.bg, the facility will also include administrative buildings, cargo handling areas, a customs point, warehouses, parking facilities, and landscaped zones, allowing the terminal to handle both domestic and international freight flows.
Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Grozdán Karadjov said the project would strengthen Ruse’s role as a logistics hub for north-eastern Bulgaria. In a statement cited by Bulgarian media, he linked the terminal to broader infrastructure plans, including the future third Danube bridge near Ruse and the modernisation of the Ruse–Varna railway line, which together are expected to provide a direct rail corridor for freight moving from the Black Sea and eastern markets toward western and Central Europe.
Tender Expected in Early 2026
The National Railway Infrastructure Company (NRIC) is expected to launch a public tender for the design and construction of the terminal in January 2026, the transport ministry confirmed. Once completed, operation of the facility will be entrusted to a private operator.
The terminal was highlighted as a priority project during the eighth meeting of the Monitoring Committee for the Transport Connectivity Programme, as Bulgaria seeks to expand intermodal freight capacity along the Danube corridor, according to TravelRadar.bg.