More than BGN 4.4 million will be saved by freight railway carriers next year as a result of changes in the tariffs of the National Railway Infrastructure Company. This was said by the Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeykov at a briefing today with the management of the National Railway Infrastructure Company on the occasion of the change in the prices of some services of the company.
Minister Gvozdeykov explained that from 1 November the prices of several additional services for express freight rail transport have been increased, which must be requested up to 48 hours before the desired departure time of the train. "The tariffs for assigning extra trains and making timetables outside the annual schedule have not been changed for 15 years. During the same period the price of rail freight has increased by 223%," the Transport Minister stressed.
According to him, the NRIC has taken a decision to update prices as early as 2022, but it has been postponed several times by the caretaker cabinet. "From the beginning of next year the infrastructure charge for using the rail network will be reduced by 32% and the charge for unused capacity will be reduced by 16%. Taking into account all these changes, the calculations show that cumulatively the business will save money and will not be at a loss", Gvozdeykov emphasized.
"Suggestions were made today that I don't want to have talks with the industry and I don't want a meeting with these people. Since I became a minister I have not refused a meeting of any branch", Minister Gvozdeykov pointed out. He added that in October, a meeting was held between the line deputy minister and the management of the Association of Railway Transport Enterprises, and a meeting was scheduled for this morning between the management of the NRIC and the Association, which was cancelled by them.
The Director General of the National Railway Infrastructure Company Maria Genova stressed that the services for which the increase was introduced are not mandatory, but rather for the benefit of the business and the carriers. "These services enable businesses to satisfy their customers and shippers as quickly as possible by requesting an express rescheduling," Genova explained.
Depending on the timing of the carrier's request, three types of service are defined:
- Standard - received a minimum of 48 hours before the desired departure time. The price changes from BGN 0.50/km to BGN 1.61/km.
- Normal - received less than 48 hours before the desired train departure time and no later than 10:00 the previous day. The price changes from 0,75 BGN/km to 2,42 BGN/km.
- Express - received after 10:00 on the day of departure. The price changes from BGN 1.00/km to BGN 3.22/km. In the case of the express request, the carriers' need to carry out an additional unscheduled shipment is satisfied in 2 hours, which is not the case in other countries.
