On 9 October 2025, Bulgaria took a major step towards expanding its electric mobility infrastructure. In a joint ceremony attended by the Minister of Energy Zhecho Stankov and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadzhov, a Memorandum of Cooperation and Interaction was signed between the Electricity System Operator (ESO), its subsidiary ESO Charge, and the National Company “Railway Infrastructure” (NRIC).
The agreement marks the beginning of a national initiative to establish a network of charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) at railway stations across Bulgaria. The network will serve both private EVs and public transport fleets, advancing the integration of sustainable mobility solutions into the country’s transport system.
“State institutions, by combining our capacity and experience, have proven that we can create real added value by giving a boost to electric mobility in Bulgaria,” stated Minister Stankov at the signing event.
First stage: 35 charging stations by 2026
The first implementation phase foresees the construction of 35 charging stations in Bulgaria’s major regional cities, representing a total investment of €10 million, fully financed by ESO. The entire network will ultimately cover all 249 electrified railway stations in the country.
Each station will provide a total charging capacity of over 600 kilowatts, enabling fast charging for both electric cars and buses. The sites will be connected directly to Bulgaria’s electricity transmission grid via NRIC infrastructure, ensuring reliable and efficient power supply.
In line with the government’s affordability objectives, the charging stations will offer some of the lowest charging prices in the market, encouraging broader EV adoption among both private and public users.
National cooperation for sustainable mobility
The initiative represents a cross-institutional collaboration between Bulgaria’s energy and transport sectors, designed to leverage existing public infrastructure for cleaner transport solutions. By integrating charging stations into the national railway network, the project aims to:
- promote electrified mobility in all regions of Bulgaria, including remote areas;
- improve use of renewable electricity in transport;
- contribute to the decarbonisation targets set under the European Green Deal and Regulation (EU) 2023/1804 on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure (AFIR).
The memorandum also serves as a model for inter-agency cooperation, highlighting how national infrastructure companies can accelerate the rollout of sustainable transport infrastructure by pooling expertise and resources.
Source: Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Bulgaria – https://www.me.government.bg
Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not reflect those of the European Commission.
