Development of the Bulgarian Postal and Telegraph Services After 1880

After 1880, the postal and telegraph services in Bulgaria began to grow rapidly. This period marked a turning point in the organization and efficiency of these services. Bulgaria joined the International Postal Union, which allowed the country to participate in international congresses and improve its postal connections.

At the same time, Bulgaria successfully closed the Austrian post offices in Sofia, Roustchouk, and Varna, which had been operating under old agreements but were no longer needed. The postal services were gradually extended to include parcel post, newspaper subscriptions, home and foreign money orders, and letters and parcels with declared value.

Fusion of Postal Administrations and Emergency Service

In September 1885, when Northern Bulgaria united with Eastern Roumelia, the postal administrations of the two regions were merged. During the Serbo-Bulgarian War, the Bulgarian postal and telegraph system demonstrated its ability to provide critical support in times of emergency.

In 1885, the Bulgarian postal and telegraph offices handled:

642,566 telegraphic messages (home and foreign)

5,438,272 letters and parcels

23,424,562 francs sent via postal orders or bills

These figures show the rapid growth and importance of the services.

Expansion of Services (1886–1894)

By 1886, Bulgaria had 108 post and telegraph offices with a staff of 1,011 officials. The telegraph network extended 3,548 kilometres, using 5,889 kilometres of wire. Revenue for that year was 1,257,830 francs, but expenditure reached 2,206,154 francs, leaving a deficit of 648,318 francs Ephesus Daily Tour.

Between 1886 and 1894, the postal and telegraph system expanded despite political and financial challenges. Key developments included:

Opening 17 new post and telegraph offices

Closing the Austrian post office in Plovdiv

Signing postal agreements with Romania, Great Britain, Japan, Germany, and Spain

Laying a telegraph cable across the Danube, connecting Viddin with Kalafat

Building the first telephone line between Sofia and Plovdiv

State of the Services by 1894

By 1894, the Bulgarian postal and telegraph system had grown significantly:

125 offices with 1,073 staff

3,894 km of telegraph lines, representing 9,728 km of wire

47 km of urban telephone lines with 299 km of wires

173 km of intra-town telephone lines with 335 km of wires

1,234,263 telegrams sent (home and foreign)

This period laid the foundation for modern communications in Bulgaria and reflected the increasing importance of postal and telegraph services in supporting both government and public needs.