B2B Magazine

On December 9, 1945, the 6-kilometre railway section between Bansko to Dobrinishte, Southwestern Bulgaria, was opened, which completed the construction of the highest railway line in the Balkans, the Rhodope narrow gauge Septemvri-Dobrinishte railway, with a length of 125 km and a track gauge of 760 mm, the Bulgarian National Raylways (BDZ) Rhodope narrow gauge railway recalled in a Facebook on Monday.
The project plans envisaged the railway reaching Gotse Delchev, but this never happened. Today it is the last of its kind in Bulgaria, after the other two such railways, Pazardzhik-Varvara and Cherven Bryag-Oryahovo, ceased operation in 2002.
The construction of the line continued for 24 years, said the Rhodope narrow gauge railway, paying tribute to the countless number of workers that made it possible.
"Today , 79 years later, our little train continues to rattle and climb the mountains around the clock, despite the difficulties, measuring time passing and moving forward," the Rhodope narrow gauge railway noted, adding that from many the railway remains a vital means of transportation high in the mountains, for others it provides sustenance and security, and for visitors it is an "unforgettable and fulfilling experience", and expressing hope for its development. 
The Rhodope narrow-gauge railway meanders between the Rhodope Mountains, Mt Rila and Mt Pirin amidst a breathtaking natural scenery. The 124.7 km line runs from the winter and spa resort of Dobrinishte via Bansko with its popular ski slopes and apres-ski hustle and bustle, Razlog (a hotspot for Bulgarian cuisine lovers), Belitsa (famous for its Dancing Bears Park), Yakoruda (noted for its history and ethnic mix), Avramovo (the Balkans’ highest railway station – 1,267 m above sea level), Velingrad (a major spa centre), and Septemvri (formerly Saranbey, a link-up to the Sofia-Yambol-Burgas railway). The narrow-gauge line connects three ethno-cultural regions: Thrace, the Western Rhodopes, and Pirin Macedonia.
The 760-mm-gauge line passes through 35 tunnels and crosses two rivers over three bridges. The first train left Saranbey for Ladzhene (now a neighbourhood of Velingrad) on August 1, 1926.
The Rhodope narrow-gauge railway meanders between the Rhodope Mountains, Mt Rila and Mt Pirin amidst a breathtaking natural scenery. The 124.7 km line runs from the winter and spa resort of Dobrinishte via Bansko with its popular ski slopes and apres-ski hustle and bustle, Razlog (a hotspot for Bulgarian cuisine lovers), Belitsa (famous for its Dancing Bears Park), Yakoruda (noted for its history and ethnic mix), Avramovo (the Balkans’ highest railway station – 1,267 m above sea level), Velingrad (a major spa centre), and Septemvri (formerly Saranbey, a link-up to the Sofia-Yambol-Burgas railway). The narrow-gauge line connects three ethno-cultural regions: Thrace, the Western Rhodopes, and Pirin Macedonia.
The 760-mm-gauge line passes through 35 tunnels and crosses two rivers over three bridges. The first train left Saranbey for Ladzhene (now a neighbourhood of Velingrad) on August 1, 1926. That first leg of the route was just 38.3 km long. Construction of the line, bringing it to its present length, continued until December 9, 1945.

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