The Bypass needs enlargement badly, 3x3 lanes all the way around. after Tsarigradsko shosse it's the busiest road in the country. nice thread 
Transportation & Тourism | Транспорт и Туризъм
Hello,
I started this thread because I didn't find some else that was "suitable" for this kind of info&images.
I'm going to post some info&images from my trips around the country. I'd be glad if other forumers post theirs too.
These are from my recent weekend trip to Melnik (near Greek/Macedon border).
First: there is the route (I'm poor at graphics drawing, sorry ):
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These are some images and brief description of the road (could be useful to people from Macedonia or Greece)
Leaving Sofia, southern direction (this is from a southern Sofia's neighbourhood):
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On the way to Sofia bypass:
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Sofia bypass - some construction works here (is that the "extension" project?)
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Again the bypass - traffic got congested here in our direction
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Leaving Sofia's bypass in south-eastern direction. This is the district of Boyana:
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Sofia-Pernik. The road is awful, sometimes 1x1, sometimes 2x2, sometimes 1x2. High traffic volume. Road is in a bad condition and urgently needs repairs
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Pernik-Dupnica has about 20-30km almost completed highway, part of "Struma" project. Minor construction works, still not officially a highway, still the 90km/h limit, but it's already 2x3 (with emergency lanes).
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Some scenery here:
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Highway ends here...again 1x1...blah
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Near Blagoevgrad....for about 10km it's 2x2:
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Blagoevgrad's commie neighbourhoods:
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After Blagoevgrad, we have again 1x1, but this time the road passes through a mountain:
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This is near Sandanski...the landscape looks strange for Bulgaria...a bit mediterranian somehow?
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This is near Melnik, almost 10-20km from the Greek border
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Now some sightseeing...
That's Melnik:
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I titled this image "controversy"...many people, especially nationalists from BG and MK get ignited by just seeing that:
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The Rojen monastery:
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This is "Rupite" where Vanga lived (beautiful place):
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The Vanga's house:
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And some hot water spring:
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And finally some advice: DO NOT use the Sofia's bypass. Driving through the city with all its awful traffic can be better.
And some thoughts about the people that build the "Struma" highway: they are dickheads and should all be imprisoned.
In 2-3 weeks I'll post images of a Sofia-Ruse trip. Expect them soon
Thank you
I started this thread because I didn't find some else that was "suitable" for this kind of info&images.
I'm going to post some info&images from my trips around the country. I'd be glad if other forumers post theirs too.
These are from my recent weekend trip to Melnik (near Greek/Macedon border).
First: there is the route (I'm poor at graphics drawing, sorry ):
These are some images and brief description of the road (could be useful to people from Macedonia or Greece)
Leaving Sofia, southern direction (this is from a southern Sofia's neighbourhood):
On the way to Sofia bypass:
Sofia bypass - some construction works here (is that the "extension" project?)
Again the bypass - traffic got congested here in our direction
Leaving Sofia's bypass in south-eastern direction. This is the district of Boyana:
Sofia-Pernik. The road is awful, sometimes 1x1, sometimes 2x2, sometimes 1x2. High traffic volume. Road is in a bad condition and urgently needs repairs
Pernik-Dupnica has about 20-30km almost completed highway, part of "Struma" project. Minor construction works, still not officially a highway, still the 90km/h limit, but it's already 2x3 (with emergency lanes).
Some scenery here:
Highway ends here...again 1x1...blah
Near Blagoevgrad....for about 10km it's 2x2:
Blagoevgrad's commie neighbourhoods:
After Blagoevgrad, we have again 1x1, but this time the road passes through a mountain:
This is near Sandanski...the landscape looks strange for Bulgaria...a bit mediterranian somehow?
This is near Melnik, almost 10-20km from the Greek border
Now some sightseeing...
That's Melnik:
I titled this image "controversy"...many people, especially nationalists from BG and MK get ignited by just seeing that:
The Rojen monastery:
This is "Rupite" where Vanga lived (beautiful place):
The Vanga's house:
And some hot water spring:
And finally some advice: DO NOT use the Sofia's bypass. Driving through the city with all its awful traffic can be better.
And some thoughts about the people that build the "Struma" highway: they are dickheads and should all be imprisoned.
In 2-3 weeks I'll post images of a Sofia-Ruse trip. Expect them soon
Thank you
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Nice photos kay:
BTW what does melnik mean?
kay:BTW what does melnik mean?
kay: awesome thread. Bulgarian roads were always missing on EE road threads, hopefully we'll see more here.
A short movie about the western entrance of Veliko Tarnovo and part of the Sofia - Varna national road :
The South - East Exit of Veliko Tarnovo and the crossroad of the national roads Sofia-Varna & Russe - Stara Zagora(Sorry for the bad quality of the images) :
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You are generally right but i think Veliko tarnovo is a little exception ... That exact part of the road shown in the last part of the movie is set for renovation this year. The project is for the whole section from the West entrance to the South-East exit and includes couple of bridges and new sidewalks.
The Municipality of Tarnovo is doing a great job in the last 3-4 years too. They totally renovated the whole road and sidewalks infrastructure of 2 of the big commie block quarters of the city and now they look attractive and better then any other quarter in the big cities like Sofia or Varna. For the same renovation of the road and sidewalk infrastructure of the last 3rd new quarter of the city this year are set 3 mil. euro from the municipality budget. I think today maybe 40% of the city infrastructure consists of brand new roads and sidewalks ... lets hope that next year the percantage will be 60% ... :cheers:
This is how one of the renovated kommi block neighbourhoods looks like now :
I'm just back from a teambuilding in Bansko. I didn't take my camera so I'll just share my impressions.
First, the route is exactly the same as the previous "Sofia-Melnik" one, with the exception of the last 30-40 km, which is a mountain passage between Rila and Pirin mountains, called "Predela". It is a nasty mountain road, many curves, etc. Currently it's under reconstruction (the EU infrastructure funds) and almost 60% of it is already complete (the rest 40% are still a nightmare). They were doing heavy construction works, new asphalt, new water drainage systems, new anti-erosion systems and they were even changing the course of a river near the road.
My impressions of Bansko (off-season): perhaps 1/3 of the town is either built in the recent 2-3 years, either under construction. Lots of construction sites, the place is under an extensive development process. New hotels, gas stations, commercial complexes, etc. I was surprised to see Bansko's first large supermarket and traffic lights, lol The town officially has a population of 5000 people, but together with tourists (during winter) perhaps its population is more than 30-40k.
But there were only few tourists as it was offseason and the ski tracks were not operating. A few SPA hotels with hot mineral pools, sauna, etc were still attracting some tourists. Nightlife was fucked up (except the Planeta Payner Club, duh). There were very nice places for a drink and traditional dinner. The prices were OK, almost the same like these in Sofia (a bit higher though). The hotel rooms were very cheap (offseason) - a single room in a 4**** SPA hotel cost 25 euro, breakfast and swimming pool free of charge.
The "Predela" traffic was low. About 10-20 km from Bansko, there are everywhere hotel and motel construction sites along the road.
The few foreign tourists, as I could see most were either Germans, or Greeks.
In my opinion the town needs some parts renovated, especially its small industrial zone (in the eastern part), which looks abandoned (and perhaps is cause the town is relying 100% on tourism nowadays). Another strange thing is, I think a great percentage of the town is owned by "First Investment Bank"...ads everywhere, on the construction sites, on big billboards within the town, along the roads, etc.
Overall: a nice place. I should visit it during the winter (I'm afraid it would be far too expensive though).
so I'll just share my impressions.First, the route is exactly the same as the previous "Sofia-Melnik" one, with the exception of the last 30-40 km, which is a mountain passage between Rila and Pirin mountains, called "Predela". It is a nasty mountain road, many curves, etc. Currently it's under reconstruction (the EU infrastructure funds) and almost 60% of it is already complete (the rest 40% are still a nightmare). They were doing heavy construction works, new asphalt, new water drainage systems, new anti-erosion systems and they were even changing the course of a river near the road.
My impressions of Bansko (off-season): perhaps 1/3 of the town is either built in the recent 2-3 years, either under construction. Lots of construction sites, the place is under an extensive development process. New hotels, gas stations, commercial complexes, etc. I was surprised to see Bansko's first large supermarket and traffic lights, lol
The town officially has a population of 5000 people, but together with tourists (during winter) perhaps its population is more than 30-40k. But there were only few tourists as it was offseason and the ski tracks were not operating. A few SPA hotels with hot mineral pools, sauna, etc were still attracting some tourists. Nightlife was fucked up (except the Planeta Payner Club, duh). There were very nice places for a drink and traditional dinner. The prices were OK, almost the same like these in Sofia (a bit higher though). The hotel rooms were very cheap (offseason) - a single room in a 4**** SPA hotel cost 25 euro, breakfast and swimming pool free of charge.
The "Predela" traffic was low. About 10-20 km from Bansko, there are everywhere hotel and motel construction sites along the road.
The few foreign tourists, as I could see most were either Germans, or Greeks.
In my opinion the town needs some parts renovated, especially its small industrial zone (in the eastern part), which looks abandoned (and perhaps is cause the town is relying 100% on tourism nowadays). Another strange thing is, I think a great percentage of the town is owned by "First Investment Bank"...ads everywhere, on the construction sites, on big billboards within the town, along the roads, etc.
Overall: a nice place. I should visit it during the winter (I'm afraid it would be far too expensive though).
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