Ruse–Plovdiv trains to remain direct via Gorna Oryahovitsa; Pavlikeni services retained
The Transport Ministry confirms direct services from 13 December. Timings will change, while services through Pavlikeni will not be cut.
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Passengers travelling between Ruse and Plovdiv will still be able to stay on the same train at Gorna Oryahovitsa after 13 December 2026. The Ministry of Transport and Communications confirmed this in a statement dated 7 October about the new timetable.
The route will be operated by Ivkoni Express. Departure from Ruse is planned for 04:30 instead of 04:40, with a ten-minute stop at Gorna Oryahovitsa. The return train will leave Plovdiv at 13:15 instead of 16:05 and arrive in Ruse at 20:20 instead of 23:12.
What changes for Pavlikeni
The ministry says services through Pavlikeni station will not be cancelled or reduced and will continue as before. This follows the objection to a proposal for six trains to skip the station.
These times concern the timetable starting on 13 December, not travel today. Comments on the draft may be sent until the end of October to project_bdz@bdz.bg and office@ivkoni-express.com.
Source and photograph
Ministry of Transport and Communications — 7 October 2026 The information has been rewritten and organised by 5000.news.
Archive photograph of Pavlikeni station: Powerfox / Wikimedia Commons, 10 December 2017. It does not show the Ruse–Plovdiv train. Cropped to 1200×675 pixels by 5000.news. Original · CC BY-SA 4.0. The adapted image is available under the same licence.
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