ROMANIA’s Railway Reform Authority (ARF) has selected Pesa to supply 20 three-car EMUs for use on medium and long-distance services. The Polish manufacturer is also the front-runner for a second contract to supply up to 62 regional EMUs following the opening of bids.

Pesa says the contract for the long and medium distance EMUs is worth more than Zlotys 1bn ($US 230m) and includes 15 years’ maintenance as well as options for an additional nine vehicles and another 15 years’ maintenance. ARF estimates the total value of the order to be worth Lei 1.2-2.3bn ($US 260-490m) excluding VAT.

The 160km/h, 25kV ac EMUs will be equipped with Romania’s PZB 90 signalling system. Pesa says the trains will be based on the Pesa 655-3 design delivered to Czech private operator RegioJet, and will be designated 655-5 and 655-6. They will offer 192 seats across first and second-class accommodation.

Pesa is competing with Alstom for the second contract and says it has submitted the best offer. In total both orders are worth in excess of Zlotys 4bn and contracts for both orders are expected to be signed by the end of the year.

Pesa says the orders for up to 91 vehicle is the company’s largest and strengthens its presence in the Romanian market.

Financing for the medium and long-distance fleet order is provided through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and the budget of the Romanian Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure.

ARF confirmed that the new long and medium-distance trains are expected to be deployed on the following routes:

  • Cluj Napoca - Sighisoara - Brasov
  • Cluj Napoca - Alba lulia - Simeria- Târgu Jiu - Craiova
  • Brașov - Ploiesti - Buzău - Focșani - Bacău-Pașcani-Iași/Suceava
  • Galati - Mărășești - Bacău - Pașcani - lași/Suceava
  • Galati-Brăila - Făurei - Fetești - Constanța (Mangalia)
  • (Mangalia) - Constanta - Fetești - Brăila - Mărășești - Bacău - Pașcani - Iași/Suceava, and
  • (Giurgiu) Bucharest - Ciulnița - Călărași.
  • The European Commission has allocated more than €52m from the European Regional Development Fund to support the purchase by ARF of 37 EMUs from Alstom. A €290m contract for an initial 20 six-car Coradia Stream EMUs was awarded in March 2022 with an agreement worth €220m for an additional 17 sets added to the order in September 2022. The deal includes 15 years’ maintenance.

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