A network of electric bicycles will connect Bulgaria and Romania.

The network will be developed in the Bulgarian-Romanian cross-border region under a project financed by the Interreg programme.

Each tourist will be able to rent an electric bicycle for the duration of three hours and to explore the tourist sites along the two banks of the Danube river.

The project foresees the purchase of 240 bicycles, with half of them to be stationed in Bulgaria, the other half in Romania.

The bicycles will be distributed between sixteen Bulgarian and sixteen Romanian towns.

The electric bicycle allows riders to travel between fifty and seventy kilometers with minimum efforts.

The project is developed by two Bulgarian and two Romanian organizations, namely the Agency for Regional Development and Business Centre – Vidin (the lead partner), Vidin Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Romanian Association for Electronic Industry and Software Oltenia, Local Employers’ Association for Small and Middle Enterprises Calafat.

The work on the E-bike Net project, which is funded by the V-A Interreg Romania – Bulgaria 2014-2020 programme, began in February.

The sixteen Bulgarian towns participating in the project are: Dobrich, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Pleven, Vratsa, Gorna Oryahovitsa, Svishtov, Mezdra, Balchik, Lom, Montana, Cherven Bryag, Dulovo, Oryahovo, Silistra and Vidin.

The Romanian participants are: Giurgiu, Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Calarasi, Constanta, Craiova, Alexandria, Medgidia, Mangalia, Caracal, Rosiorii, Turnu Magurele, Cernavoda, Navodari, Slatina, Oltenita and Calafat.

The bikes will be serviced by specially trained people, so-called operators, whose selection is forthcoming.

The project foresees the installation of charging stations in 35 points in each of the two countries. Each station allows for five bikes to be charged simultaneously.

The charging will last around four-five hours, with users paying for the consumed electricity. The price for renting the bicycle for three hours will be EUR 1.

The speed of the bike will be set by default to 25 km/h in order to limit accidents.

The project has a budget of EUR 762 085.