Bulgaria, Greece and Romania identified 25 transport projects to prioritise to strengthen links between the Aegean, Danube and Black Sea regions. The estimated combined value is €22.8 billion and rail projects account for the largest share of the 25 items.
The projects form part of the Black Sea–Aegean Sea Corridor Platform established by the three countries a year ago. The initiative is intended to improve north-south connections between Greek ports, Bulgaria, Romania and onward routes towards Moldova and Ukraine.
Three routes
The programme envisages three principal routes: western, central and eastern. The western axis would connect Thessaloniki with Sofia and the Romanian network through Vidin/Calafat and Craiova. The central axis would link the Greek port and Alexandroupoli with Svilengrad, Ruse, Giurgiu and Bucharest, with onward connections towards Ukraine and Moldova. The eastern axis would connect Alexandroupoli with Svilengrad and Bulgaria’s Black Sea ports at Burgas and Varna, continuing towards Constanţa.
The projects
Among the priority railway projects is the modernisation of the Ruse–Giurgiu–Bucharest connection, including electrification of the existing Danube railway-road bridge, opened in 1954. The project is expected to seek CEF funding, with implementation currently envisaged for 2028–30.
The programme also includes plans for a second Danube bridge between Ruse and Giurgiu, with completion targeted for 2032. Feasibility work is being supported through EU funding, including military-mobility programmes.
On the Bulgarian network, modernisation of the Burgas–Varna–Ruse railway is intended to increase capacity and speeds, with electrification, ERTMS and double-tracking. The programme also includes preparatory work for additional Danube crossings.
Greek priorities include upgrading the Alexandroupoli–Pythio–Ormenio line towards the Bulgarian border, with a construction contract expected in the first quarter of 2027, and improvements on the Mouries–Promachonas–Kulata route towards Sofia. A rail connection between the Port of Thessaloniki and the national railway network is also being advanced.
The priorities
The three countries are targeting infrastructure capable of supporting longer and heavier freight trains, with the memorandum establishing the corridor platform referring specifically to 740m freight trains, ERTMS, interoperability, multimodal terminals and digital logistics systems.
The €22.8bn figure represents the estimated value of the 25 priority projects rather than committed investment. The projects were selected from an initial portfolio of 53 proposals. Bulgaria, Greece and Romania intend to seek additional EU financing under the 2028–34 financial framework and CEF.