ROMANIAN Railways (CFR) started modernisation and electrification on January 5 of the main line between Aghireş and Poieni in the northeast of the country, part of the trunk route linking Cluj Napoca with the Hungarian border.
Approximately 37km will be closed to rail traffic until January 2026 for a comprehensive programme of track renewals and to upgrade the line. During the blockade, freight trains will be rerouted and passenger service replaced by buses.
The work involves: increasing the line speed to up to 160km/h for passenger trains and 120km/h for freight trains; station modernisation, including raising platform heights to modern standards; improving access for passengers with reduced mobility; installation of noise barriers; increasing the maximum axleloads to 22.5 tonnes; electrification at 25kV ac; and installation of ERTMS Level 2.
CFR has divided the 166km route between Hungarian border and Cluj Napoca into four lots. The Lei 1.5bn ($US 331.6m) contract for the current section was awarded to the Railworks consortium, a joint venture between Alstom and Romanian construction company Arcada, in December 2022.
The work is being funded by the European Union via Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) and work on the whole line to the Hungarian border is expected to be complete in 2026.
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