Giurgiu–Ruse II Bridge to Be Built Together with Bucharest–Giurgiu Motorway

The second bridge between Giurgiu and Ruse will be developed in parallel with the Bucharest–Giurgiu motorway, according to Romania’s State Secretary for Transport. The announcement comes in the context of the finalization of rehabilitation works on the existing Danube crossing, expected to be completed in June, which should ease seasonal traffic flows toward Bulgaria and Greece and improve connectivity within the Schengen area.

The feasibility study for Giurgiu–Ruse II is coordinated by CNAIR. The tender procedure, launched in August 2024, has advanced to the financial evaluation stage following the completion of the technical assessment. The estimated value of the feasibility contract amounts to RON 60.87 million (excluding VAT) and is financed under the military mobility component of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF 2). This financing structure underlines the dual-use relevance of the project, combining civilian transport efficiency with strategic mobility objectives.

The feasibility study, to be completed within a maximum of 23 months, will determine the optimal location of the bridge, its functional profile (road-only or road-rail), and the projected construction costs. The new crossing is expected to be approximately two kilometers long and may include a railway line, thus enhancing multimodal transport capacity along the North–South European axis.

The European Commission previously approved €2.5 billion in funding for the construction of a new Danube bridge near Ruse, with the Romanian side acting as project coordinator. The participation of 11 international consortia in the design tender demonstrates substantial market interest in strengthening cross-Danube connectivity.

Currently, Romania and Bulgaria are connected by two Danube bridges: the Giurgiu–Ruse “Friendship Bridge,” opened in 1954, and the Calafat–Vidin “New Europe Bridge,” inaugurated in 2013. In the evolving geopolitical and logistical environment of the Danube–Black Sea region, the third crossing at Giurgiu–Ruse is acquiring systemic importance.

Comment of the Institute of Danube Research

The Giurgiu–Ruse II bridge should be interpreted not merely as a bilateral infrastructure project, but as a structural component of the reconfiguration of the wider Danube–Black Sea transport system. In the context of increased freight flows, military mobility requirements, and the gradual integration of Ukraine into European transport corridors, strengthening the Romanian–Bulgarian segment of the Danube enhances resilience across the entire South-Eastern European macro-region.