Major dates in the history of the Bulgarian railways

On 1 January 2002, the new Railway Transport Act enters into force, passed by the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria, according to which the National Company Bulgarian State Railways is split into two separate enterprises a railway carrier (Bulgarian State Railways EAD) and an infrastructure enterprise (Railway Infrastructure National Company)

Operations start on the Varna Ilicovsk ferry line

Diesel traction is introduced for train traffic;the first electrified line, Sofia Plovdiv, enters into operation

The sub-Balkan railway line is opened

The Day of the Railwayman is officially declared the first Sunday of August

A State Railway School is established

An independent Ministry of Railways, Post Offices and Telegraphs is established

The National Assembly passes the Railway Act, according to which railways in Bulgaria are state property and are operated by the state

Official opening of the Constantinople Belovo railway lineThe National Liberation movement and railway revolutionaries: Todor Kableskov station master at Belovo railway station, Zahari Stojanov shunter at Tarnovo Sejmen (todays Simeonovgrad) railway station, Ilarion Dragostinov a telegraph operator at Ruse railway station, Georgi Ikonomov a shunter at the railway stations in Ruse, Tarnovo Sejmen and Edirne, etc.

Baron Hirsch starts the construction of the Constantinople Belovo railway line