Bulgaria will receive more than 97 million levs in grant funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to build a major intermodal freight terminal in the Danube city of Ruse, according to a recent announcement from the Ministry of Transport and Communications. The project, which has an estimated total value of nearly 117 million levs, is being implemented under the Transport Connectivity Programme 2021–2027, designed to modernise and expand national transport infrastructure in line with European priorities.
The new terminal will be constructed at the site of the former Ruse East Marshalling Yard, which has been out of operation for years. Once completed, the development will connect rail, road, and Danube waterway routes, serving as a core logistics hub for freight traffic moving between the Black Sea region, Eastern Europe, and destinations across Western and Central Europe.
Infrastructure and Project Scope
The investment includes several major construction and modernisation components. Key elements of the new intermodal terminal include:
- A new railway station with seven tracks
- Restoration of the rail link to the existing Danube Bridge
- A new road access corridor from Ruse’s Northern Industrial Zone
- Administrative and office buildings
- Designated cargo handling areas with specialised equipment
- A customs processing checkpoint
- Warehousing and storage facilities
- Parking and landscaped green areas
These facilities are intended to streamline freight movement, reduce bottlenecks, and create opportunities for high-value logistics services in the region. The development also supports European goals for greener, multimodal transportation by enabling more efficient coordination between rail, road, and river transport.
Government Position and Strategic Value
Transport Minister Grozdan Karadjov stated that the terminal will play a defining role in reinforcing Ruse as a transportation center in northeastern Bulgaria. He noted that the project is advancing in parallel with plans for a third Danube bridge near the city, which will increase international connectivity and ease pressure on existing infrastructure. Combined with the ongoing modernisation of the Ruse–Varna rail line, the logistics complex is expected to create the most direct rail corridor for freight moving from the Black Sea and Eastern markets toward Central Europe.
Officials argue that this combination of large-scale infrastructure projects positions Ruse as a strategic gateway along the European transport network. The initiative is also designed to support employment, expand local industrial capacity, and help Bulgaria transition toward modernised freight services in line with EU cohesion and sustainability strategies.
Timeline and Operational Plans
The National Railway Infrastructure Company (NRIC) will begin a public procurement procedure in January 2026 for the design and construction of the terminal. The project will then advance through phased implementation, with further scheduling details expected as procurement and permitting stages are completed. Once finished, the complex will not be publicly operated; instead, a private operator will manage terminal operations under a concession or partnership structure.
Regional and Cross-Border Impact
The investment comes at a time of strengthening regional cooperation. Earlier this month, Bulgaria, Romania, and Greece signed an agreement aimed at improving transport and economic relations, which includes commitments to new Danube bridges and enhanced cross-border infrastructure. Bulgaria and Romania currently share only two Danube crossings at Ruse and Vidin, and demand for expanded capacity has grown significantly in recent years.
The Ruse intermodal terminal is therefore not only a domestic infrastructure project but a key link in a broader regional logistics strategy, supporting economic integration and strengthening Bulgaria’s role within European trade corridors.
