Freight rail transport across the Balkans could face a difficult period in the coming years as major infrastructure works are planned in Romania and Serbia. The railway closures in Romania and Serbia are necessary to modernise the two national networks, but the overlapping restrictions could significantly reduce the options available to international freight trains linking Central Europe with the Balkans and Türkiye.
The issue was raised by Bulgaria at ministerial level. On 28 August, Bulgarian Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Peev held an online meeting with Radu Miruță, Romania’s Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and interim Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, and Aleksandra Sofronijević, Serbia’s Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure. The meeting focused in particular on the impact of planned railway works in Romania and Serbia on international rail traffic.
Major railway works planned in Romania and Serbia
In Serbia, the authorities are preparing to close the Niš–Dimitrovgrad railway section for around 200 days, starting in September 2026. The line is an important connection between Serbia and Bulgaria and forms part of Corridor X. Documents from Serbia’s Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure highlight the importance of the route for regional connectivity and the modernisation of Corridor X.
The closure is particularly significant for international traffic because the route is one of the corridors through which freight can cross the Balkans towards Bulgaria and onwards to Türkiye. The temporary closure will require operators to look for alternative routes or adjust their services according to the capacity available elsewhere on the network.
Romania is also preparing major works on another strategic connection. According to information presented by the Bulgarian side, rail traffic on the Giurgiu Nord–Ruse route is scheduled to be completely suspended between April and December 2027. At the same time, Romania’s railway infrastructure manager CFR SA is carrying out the modernisation project for the Bucharest North–Jilava–Giurgiu Nord–Giurgiu Nord Frontieră line, supported through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).
The two connections are therefore set to face restrictions during a period when freight operators need as many alternatives as possible. This is not simply a problem for Romania, Bulgaria or Serbia individually, but one that concerns the functioning of the wider railway network in south-eastern Europe.
Restrictions put Balkan freight routes under pressure
This is the main concern raised by Bulgaria. The Bulgarian government warns that the simultaneous restriction of the two routes could seriously affect freight flows between Central Europe, the Balkans and Türkiye. For rail freight operators, such a situation could mean longer routes, increased journey times and greater difficulties in planning services.
The problem is compounded by the fact that international rail traffic does not operate independently on each national network. A freight train travelling across the region depends on infrastructure capacity in several countries. If one route is closed, traffic can only be diverted if suitable alternative routes, available capacity and effective coordination between infrastructure managers are in place.
The wider regional context also includes discussions held in Timișoara between Radu Miruță and Serbian officials concerning the resumption of international passenger rail services between Romania and Serbia. Reconnecting the two railway networks has returned to the attention of the authorities, both from the passenger and freight perspectives.
For Romania, the connection with Serbia is important beyond the bilateral relationship. The geographical position of the two countries makes them links between the railway networks of Central Europe and those of south-eastern Europe. Bulgaria, meanwhile, provides an important route towards Türkiye. This means that major restrictions on railway corridors in the region can have consequences extending well beyond national borders and into international supply chains.
The issue is therefore not simply about railway closures in Romania and Serbia, but about how the Balkan railway network will function while major infrastructure projects are being carried out.
Bulgaria proposes dedicated time windows for freight trains
The authorities in Sofia are seeking to avoid a situation in which necessary modernisation works simultaneously block several regional routes. Minister Georgi Peev stressed the strategic importance of maintaining Bulgaria’s railway connections with Romania and Serbia and called for the works to be coordinated so that international traffic can continue.
“It is of strategic importance for Bulgaria to maintain railway connectivity with Serbia and Romania. Repair activities need to be coordinated in order to ensure maximum continuity of international traffic,” Bulgarian Transport and Communications Minister Georgi Peev said.
One of the solutions he proposed is the advance allocation of specific time windows for freight trains. In practice, even when engineering works impose restrictions, the available infrastructure could be used during designated periods to allow international freight services to continue. The aim would be to avoid a complete suspension of traffic.
Such an approach is particularly relevant for freight operators, for whom predictability is essential. An international freight service involves much more than a locomotive and a train: routes, departure and arrival times, locomotives, crews and connections across several countries all have to be planned in advance. A major change on one section of the route can therefore create knock-on effects across the entire journey.
Bulgarian rail freight operators have already expressed concern about the consequences of the planned restrictions and the need to identify workable alternatives.
The next stage of the discussions will take place between the management teams of the railway infrastructure companies in the three countries. They will examine specific operational solutions for coordinating the works and making the best possible use of the remaining infrastructure capacity.
For rail transport in the Balkans, the issue goes far beyond temporary delays. Romania, Serbia and Bulgaria are important links in routes connecting Central European markets with south-eastern Europe and Türkiye. Modernising the railway infrastructure is essential for the development and competitiveness of rail transport, but during the construction period the three countries will also need to ensure that the main international freight corridors remain operational wherever possible.
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