Plamen Patarchanov 1, Emilia Patarchanova 2, Kaloyan Tsvetkov 3
1, 3 Assoc. Prof. PhD, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Faculty of Geology and Geography, Sofia, Bulgaria
2 Assoc. Prof. PhD, SWU “Neofit Rilski”, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
ORCID IDs: 1 0000-0003-2494-3217, 2 0000-0002-1806-557X, 3 0000-0002-6199-5000
Corresponding Author: Plamen Patarchanov, E-mail: p_patarchanov@abv.bg
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https://doi.org/10.63711/ijdr.net20260203
ABSTRACT
In the spatial and regional development of the territory, railway transport is of crucial importance, dictated by its indisputable advantages such as reliability and regularity. These characteristics are the basis of the security and the predominantly social nature of the transport of passengers from various professions and groups of society. This essential role of railway transport is vitally important, especially in territories with significant spatial limitations of the geographical environment, such as the mountainous and rural regions. In many cases, this transport not only provides spatial accessibility but is the basis of the normal functioning of the entire complex of social and economic activities. The role of mountain railway transport continues to be upgraded with new technical solutions that allow the development of specialized economic functionalities, fully utilizing the resources of these spaces. In the national space of the Republic of Bulgaria, railway transport began to play a more significant role already at the end of the 19th century. Its importance for exploiting the national territory in the last century formed the backbone of the economy, gradually outlining its industrial profile. In its development, the spatial focus is predominantly on the plain-lowland and river valley territories. The evolution of railway transport in the mountainous areas mostly plays a transit role. In addition, there are also mountainous areas where rail transport has an organizing role to a much greater extent. The Rhodope mountain massif, with its significant spatial extent, specific geological structure, and geomorphological development, generates serious infrastructural interest in the territory. The historical dynamics of the geopolitical processes within this border mountain Rhodope, the significant demographic potential that has formed, and its settlement and economic development are, in no small measure, the result and the role of the few railway lines that continue to exist. An essential role is played by the so-called “Rhodope Narrow Gauge Railway,” which tops the Guardian readers’ 2020 ranking of the top 10 best scenic railway journeys in Europe. The article is devoted to the stages in this railway line’s creation, development, and use. The analysis includes demographic, settlement, and economic assessments of the infrastructural impact in the various territorial communities within its spatial scope today, as well as the prospects for its future development and use.
Keywords: Railway transport, Mountainous regions, Rural regions, Local development, Narrow-gauge railway
Research Area: Transport Geography, Regional Development, Rural and Mountain Studies
Copyright © 2026 The Author(s). This article is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
