European Railroad Discussion > Narrow gauge in Bulgaria

Bulgaria's state railway BDZ still provides daily year round service on the 125km long Septemvri to Dobrinishte 760mm gauge line climbing through the Rhodope Mountains. There are four round trips daily, the fastest taking just short of four and a half hours. Today veing Sunday there were a number of tour parties on board for part of the route, coaches meeting trains at the summit station at Avramovo (1267m above sea level - highest station in the Balkans). Motive power consists of classes 75 and 77. The 75s were built by Henschel in 1965, thd 77s by the Romanian builder Faur in 1988. Both classes are diesel hydraulics.

Here are a couple of shots and a short video.

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Neat photos. Is this line operating for tourists or does it provide regular service? Do they haul any freight?

Posted from Android

Excuse the double post.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/26 12:32 by 1019X.

1019X Wrote:
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> Neat photos. Is this line operating for tourists
> or does it provide regular service? Do they haul
> any freight?
>
> Posted from Android

Not a tourist railway, hence the reference to year round service. Today it's passenger only, the only freight wagons are for MoW service.

Nice job chasing this guy!  I wonder if those are the last standard green coaches in regular service in Europe?

dwatry Wrote:
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> Nice job chasing this guy!  I wonder if those are
> the last standard green coaches in regular service
> in Europe?


Difficult to tell in Bulgaria as everything else is covered in graffiti!! No spray cans in the Rhodope Mountains.

Great photos, especially #1.