Bulgaria Design and Construction Ruse Airport Upgrades

The Ruse airport, also known as Shtraklevo, is a former military and passenger airport located about 20 km south of the city of Ruse, which lies along the Danube River, the border with Romania. It is currently open, with an active license for small passenger and cargo flights. The airport runway is 2,500 meters and 50 meters wide, which is large enough for regional jets. The airport’s location is strategic for the city of Ruse and for North Bulgaria, offering the intermodal terminal possibility of combining rail, land, river and air cargo transportation. 

In February 2015, airport ownership was transferred to the Municipality of Ruse. In February 2023, the Municipality of Ruse signed a contract with the company “Airport Ruse,” which has launched an investment program to renovate and upgrade the airport.

The Ruse airport investment plan has three stages. The first stage will focus on the licensing activities of the airport and will also include multiple improvements. These improvements include construction of hangars for storage of six aircraft stands; maintenance, repair and reconstruction of a passenger terminal; upgrading the aviation security; construction of a new aeronautical light system; development of flight procedures and air traffic management; construction of a cargo terminal; building infrastructure for drone operations; purchase of equipment for checking passengers, luggage and cargo; and purchase aircraft maintenance equipment. 

The second stage will bring the runway into compliance with ICAO code 4C and will complete the construction of hangars for technical maintenance of four aircraft stands. It also includes completion of the aeronautical light system and an upgrade to the traffic management system (for the larger class of aircraft).

In the third stage, conditions for commercial air transport at the airport will be improved, including construction of a new platform with four stands for passenger aircraft on the north side; construction of a new platform with 10 stands for passenger aircraft on the south side; and completion of additional hangars for maintenance of Airbus A320 or Boeing 737 size aircraft. 

A municipality marketing study showed that the airport upgrades and modernization will cost nearly $1.4 million to receive a certificate of operational suitability for civil airports and for issuing a license to airport operators and ground handling operators.

The airport is currently developing its website and most procurement opportunities will be announced on that site. The municipality of Ruse also will announce procurement opportunities on its website. 

For more information about this project and the transportation sector, please contact Commercial Specialist Peter Delin: peter.delin@trade.gov .