French group Alstom and the Romanian Railway Reform Authority (ARF) signed an additional act on September 16 for the delivery of 17 Coradia Stream inter-regional electric trains and related maintenance services for 15 years. The contract has a total value of EUR 220 mln, News.ro reported.

Initially, ARF ordered 20 such trains in March 2022. The RE-IR electric frames will connect the capital with the main urban centres of the country and will also facilitate inter-regional connections, contributing to ensuring mobility, reducing travel times and improving the general level of public services provided for public rail transport.

The total value of the contract for the purchase of the 37 trains and related maintenance services for a period of 15 years amounts to a total cost of RON 2.4 bln (EUR 480 mln) without VAT.

The first train will be delivered at the end of 2023 and the entire package of 37 by the end of 2024. The financing of the project is provided by non-reimbursable European funds and from the state budget.

The routes served by the long-distance electric trams are Bucharest North - Constanţa, Bucharest North - Braşov - Arad - Timisoara, Bucharest North - Braşov - Cluj, Bucharest North - Braşov - Deda - Cluj, Bucharest North - Braşov, Bucharest North - Iași, Bucharest North – Suceava, Bucharest North – Galaţi, Bucharest-North – Craiova – Târgu Jiu-Petrosani – Simeria, Bucharest-North-Craiova-Timişoara-Arad, Cluj-Timişoara, Cluj-Suceava-Iaşi.

andrei@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/ARF - Autoritatea pentru Reformă Feroviară)