# Bulgarian rail fleet modernization

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/bulgarian-rail-fleet-modernization
> Updated: 2026-09-26T06:11:00.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2.

Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) has begun a modernization program to upgrade its aging rail fleet through the procurement of new electric multiple units (EMUs). 

In early September 2026, the first two Alstom Coradia Stream units entered regular service on routes including Plovdiv–Svilengrad, Plovdiv–Asenovgrad, Svilengrad–Sofia, and Sofia–Pernik. This rollout is part of a larger order for 35 Alstom units, with 12 having arrived by mid-September 2026. The modernization also includes the integration of 25 Škoda RegioPanter EMUs.

By late September 2026, the number of Alstom Coradia Stream units in operation increased to four. These new trains, named after the Danube, Maritsa, Iskar, and Struma rivers, serve routes between Sofia and Vidin, as well as Sofia and Burgas. The procurement is funded by Bulgaria’s Recovery and Resilience Plan and includes 15 years of maintenance for the zero-emission, single-deck units.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-26: Alstom electric trains enter service in Bulgaria

Two new Alstom Coradia Stream electric trains have entered service in Bulgaria, serving the Sofia-Vidin and Sofia-Burgas routes as part of a larger zero-emission fleet upgrade.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/alstom-electric-trains-enter-service-in-bulgaria

### 2026-09-13: Bulgarian State Railways launches first Coradia Stream EMUs

Bulgarian State Railways has launched regular service with its first two Alstom Coradia Stream EMUs, part of a major fleet modernization program involving 60 new trainsets.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bulgarian-state-railways-launches-first-coradia-stream-emus

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Cite as: Bulgarian rail fleet modernization. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/bulgarian-rail-fleet-modernization