A contract was recently signed for the development of Cluj-Napoca Metro Line 1 in Transylvania, Romania. The contract was signed between France-based company Alstom and the Cluj-Napoca City Hall in Romania.
This turnkey project is valued at €1.8 billion. It involves a partnership between Alstom, Gulermak, and Arcada. Alstom is contributing approximately €400 million to the total cost. Additionally, Alstom will be responsible for various aspects of the project. These include system integration, signalling and communications, power supply and track work, platform doors, security and control centre.
They will also implement proven cybersecurity measures throughout the metro system. By employing the reliable and high-capacity CBTC signalling solution called Urbalis, Alstom will introduce communications-based train control (CBTC) technology, enabling the highest level of automation, known as Grade of Automation 4 (GoA4), for the first time in Romania.
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According to Alstom, autonomous railways can increase passenger capacity by around 30% and reduce energy consumption by 45%. Gian Luca Erbacci, President of Alstom Europe, expressed his pride in Alstom’s involvement in the Cluj-Napoca Metro project. He thus highlighted its significant impact on transforming mobility in Romania.
Erbacci emphasised Alstom’s longstanding presence and expertise in the country and described the project as an ambitious and innovative infrastructure endeavour demonstrating Alstom’s leadership in sustainable urban mobility.
Alstom’s Contribution to Transforming Mobility in Transylvania through the Cluj-Napoca Metro Line 1
Alstom has previously expressed its belief in the future of automated rail systems. This has been drawn from its extensive experience with over 50 autonomous operating systems since the 1970s. The company has successfully implemented autonomous solutions in various European countries, including France, where it was awarded a €430 million contract by the Métropole Aix-Marseille-Provence to refurbish and automate the Marseille metro.
The funding for the first phase of the Cluj-Napoca Metro Line 1 project will be completed in four years. Thus, it will cover slightly over 9 kilometres with nine stops and an above-ground depot, which will be provided through Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP).
As a result, Alstom views this as an exciting opportunity to innovate in the Romanian market. This is by introducing a driverless metro system, drawing on its extensive international experience in similar pioneering projects.
