Karnobat railway station, in south-eastern Bulgaria, gets a long-overdue makeover

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“The NRIC’s efforts are directed towards a programme of large infrastructure projects intended to reunite us with the family of high-tech European railway networks.”Krasimir Papukchiyski, DG of Bulgaria’s National Railway Infrastructure Company (NRIC), quoted in the Global Railway ReviewThe reception building at Karnobat station and the pedestrian underpass to the platforms were built in 1986. In the more than three decades since then, they have seen no major renovations, repairs or construction work.The project is part of a comprehensive plan to modernise the Iskar, Karnobat and Nova Zagora stations and to build new stations in Obelya and Kostenet.New systems and facilitiesThe Karnobat station building received a complete makeover. The ceilings and windows were replaced, along with all the flooring and the cladding on the facades and interior walls. Energy-saving measures, and smart heating, air conditioning, lighting and information systems were installed, in line with European standards. Even the paving around the building was replaced.New plumbing and sewerage, electrical and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems were put in. A video surveillance system, fire alarm and a secure access system to the offices were also installed.The waiting area inside the building now has bathrooms with disabled access and a nappy-changing room. The western side of the building has space for shops.East-west corridorKarnobat is on the Sofia-Plovdiv-Burgas railway line, which is part of the main TEN-T railway network in Bulgaria and of the Orient/Eastern Mediterranean Corridor, one of nine important transport corridors in the country.The station itself is about 2km from the centre of Karnobat and 9km from the A1 motorway that links Burgas, Plovdiv and Sofia. The city of Burgas, on the Black Sea, is a 1.5 hour train ride away.In January 2002, the Bulgarian State Railways National Company was split into the NRIC, which manages the infrastructure, and the train operator BDZ, to meet the requirements of European and national legislation.Total investment and EU fundingTotal investment for the project “Reconstruction of Karnobat Railway Station Complex” is EUR 3 262 620, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 2 347 239 through the “Transport and transport infrastructure” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “TEN-T Railway”.