Bulgaria’s transportation system has been undergoing significant changes over the years, with a focus on smart transportation solutions. The country's location makes it a crucial transit point between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. As such, transportation infrastructure is essential to the country's trade, economic development, and international relations.
The Bulgarian transportation system is composed of several modes of transportation, including road, rail, air, and water transport. Road transportation is the most popular mode, accounting for about 95% of passenger transport and 75% of cargo transport. The country has a well-developed network of roads, with a total length of about 40,000 km, including highways and expressways. However, the quality of some of them is below EU standards.
Rail transportation is the second most popular mode, accounting for about 4% of passenger transport and 20% of cargo transport. Bulgaria has a railway network of about 4,000 km, connecting the country to its neighbors and the rest of Europe. The railway system is undergoing modernization to improve its efficiency and reliability.
Air transportation in Bulgaria is served by three international airports located in Sofia, Varna, and Burgas. The airports are connected to several destinations in Europe and the Middle East, making air travel an important mode of transportation for both business and leisure. Water transportation in Bulgaria is mainly through the Danube River, which also acts as a northern border, but at the same time is an internal EU river. It is an important transport route for cargo, used also to connect Bulgaria to the Black Sea and the rest of Europe.
Smart transportation solutions are being implemented in Bulgaria to improve the efficiency, safety, and sustainability of the transportation system. These solutions include intelligent transport systems (ITS), which use advanced technologies such as sensors, cameras, and data analytics to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion, and enhance safety. The country has implemented several ITS projects, including the Sofia Urban Mobility Center and the Intelligent Transport Systems for Sustainable Urban Mobility project.
