Residents of Pavlikeni, villages in the area and the municipality of Suhindol are organizing a new protest over the new BDZ timetable, which comes into effect on December 13. The protest is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., and the dissatisfied residents insist that all trains stop at the railway station in Pavlikeni.
More than 6,000 people have backed a new petition in just four to five days. The reason is that six new express trains will not stop in the town. They include the trains running on the Sofia–Burgas and Burgas–Sofia routes.
For Some People, Traveling by Train Is the Only Convenient Option
Desislava Hristova from Levski has been working in Pavlikeni for eight years and travels by train every day. She says that she does not have a driving license and relies on rail transport to get to her workplace.
According to her, the train journey takes about 10 minutes. Traveling by car can take longer, especially in winter. Hristova points out that other workers, including teachers, also travel along the same route.
Residents of Pavlikeni and Suhindol also use the trains to travel to Veliko Tarnovo, Gorna Oryahovitsa, Sofia, Varna and Ruse. The reasons for the protest include limited bus services, elderly people’s trips to hospitals and medical services, as well as students’ transportation needs.
BDZ: The Station Will Continue to Be Served
BDZ reports that, according to its data, fewer than 100 passengers per day from Pavlikeni use rail transport. On average, this amounts to around four to five departing passengers per train, which affects service planning and the determination of stops for the different train categories.
The company says that the existing service at Pavlikeni station will be maintained, but the six new express trains will not stop there. According to BDZ, these trains are an additional service offering faster long-distance travel and have a limited number of intermediate stops. They are not intended to serve every station along their routes.
Pavlikeni Mayor Emanuel Manolov says that he held a meeting with the BDZ management on October 30. He asked for the initial plan to be reconsidered and for at least the two trains running on the Sofia–Burgas and Burgas–Sofia routes to stop in Pavlikeni.
“At least as a compromise, a stop at Pavlikeni railway station should be included for the two new fast trains,” Manolov says.The upcoming protest is the latest in a series on the issue. Residents are awaiting a decision on whether the timetable will be changed before it comes into effect on December 13.
Sources: btvnovinite.bg