At Karlovo station, Martin Angelov, executive director of "Holding BDZ" EAD, officially unveiled the latest addition to Bulgaria's railway fleet - the ?Smartron? electric locomotive named after the national hero Vasil Levski. The locomotive is set to begin operations tomorrow, reaching speeds of up to 160 km/h.

Angelov highlighted that since 2021, Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ_ has executed two contracts in stages with the DZZD "Siemens Tron" consortium for the supply of these modern locomotives. ?These are next-generation, energy-efficient machines with high operational reliability. Their arrival will reduce disruptions in the train schedule caused by older rolling stock failures,? he said, according to BTA.

The locomotive is fully insured and ready for service. Its main advantages include lower operating costs, reduced weight, and improved energy efficiency. The unit represents the final delivery under a contract for ten electric locomotives, bringing the total number of ?Smartron? locomotives for BDZ to 25.

Under this initiative, the new ten locomotives are being named after figures from Bulgaria's National Revival. Angelov noted that six of these units are intended for private operators, divided between the northern and southern regions of the country.

BDZ also anticipates easing its rolling stock shortage once the new multiple-unit trains purchased through the Recovery and Sustainability Plan arrive. ?Currently, we are still operating the older Czech locomotives,? Angelov said. The first of the new multiple-unit trains are expected to reach Bulgaria by the end of March, further modernizing the national rail network.