Bulgarian State Railways BDZ announced it would increase ticket prices by an average of nearly 10 per cent, starting December 9 2007.

The raise in the ticket price would affect mainly fast and express, middle and long distance, trains, investor.bg said.

BDZ management said the higher prices resulted from improved quality of railway services. The company started using renovated carriages and would rent out dinning and bar cars in the fast trains.

Management said it considered price raises in other means of transport and BDZ prices remained competitive compared to busses.

Prices for thee short-distance trips would remain unchanged, BDZ said. Discount cards would also keep their prices.

A new timetable for passenger-trains will go into force on December 9.