The state railway company BDZ could double its capacity for cargo transport until 2017, Pencho Popov, director of the cargo transport unit at BDZ said.

The expectation was based on the acceleration of trans-border railway transportation and a 120 million Eurobond issue aimed at financing waggons repair, Intellinews reported.

At the same time, local transport was declining because of competitive offers from truck transporters.

BDZ accounted for 10 per cent of local cargo transport, according to company estimates.

Separately, the company announced that average prices would rise by 5.5 per cent as of next year due to electricity price increases and an increase in diesel prices.
The price increase would be 30 per cent for areas serviced by diesel machines and 15 per cent for short distances.

BDZ had already raised its cargo tariffs by 10 to 15 per cent in August 2007.