Cluj-Napoca metropolitan train project is progressing as the City Council has approved the technical-economic indicators as well as the partnership to implement the first phase of the rail project between Gilău, Floreşti and Bonțida.
The approved partnership is made of Cluj-Napoca Municipality, as awell as the towns in the metropolitan area covering Apahida, Baciu, Jucu, Bonțida and Gârbău.
„The agenda to submit projects under the metropolitan train project is opened until December 2024. In order to be the first of the other cities in Romania to submit metropolitan train project, we made huge effort to complete the entire documentation and legal details of the project. The signing of the partnership is the last phase ahead of documentation submission. We intend to submit the project in the first week of November to obtain European financing,” Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, Emil Boc, said at the meeting held on October 22, 2024.
In the first phase, the project will se the trains running between Gârbău, Baciu, Cluj-Napoca, Apahida, Jucu and Bonțida, which are currently connected by railway infrastructure which needs modernisation and upgrade. The 48.8 km cross-city line will have 23 stations and stops and will provide passengers 30 daily services. The line will be operated by seven trains with a capacity of 420 seats.
The works are estimated at RON 1.15 billion (EUR 228.5 million) of which the Cluj County Council would provide a financing of EUR 10 million. The project would also be co-financed through European Funds – under the Operational Programme ‘Transport’ 2021 – 2027, the State Budget and will also have local financial support from the Apahida, Baciu, Jucu, Bonțida and Gârbău counties.
The work is expected to be completed in four years, of which one year for tender procedures and three years for desing and construction work.
The project covers the modernisation of the existing rail infrastructure and the construction of the missing link which will create the rail connection between Cluj-Napoca and its metropolitan area.
To implement the project, Cluj-Napoca City Council will enter partnership with Romania’s rail infrastructure manager CFR S.A.
The two entities will work together to launch infrastructure works, to develop multimodal facilities in each new and existing stations, to ensure works to adapt the road infrastructure, as well as to regenerate urban landscape.
The two parties will also establish the members of a working group to develop the special requirements for heavy rail and urban transport, which are necessary for the development of a feasibility study.
Cluj-Napoca City Council will be responsible for the technical and economic documentation related to the needed works for the infrastructure, rolling stock procurement for which electric, battery, hybrid or hydrogen trains are considered. The Council will be also responsible for the development of technical documentation to secure funding and technical assistance together with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, CFR SA, and JASPERS/EIB.
The signed agreement entered into force on October 2024 and will end no later than December 2030.
Cluj-Napoca metropolitan train will promote sustainable mobility and will discourage citizens to travel by private cars and instead to take the train to their destinations. This is part of city’s climate actions and strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as to shift road transport towards railways and urban public transport.
Cluj-Napoca is focused on the development of sustainable mobility encouraging walking and cycling mobility, as well as public transport for which is implementing investment projects. Currently, at a 15-minute travelling by bike, metropolitan train stations serve almost all urban and peri-urban areas of Cluj situated on the two mainlines (Line No. 300 part of TEN-T Comprehensive and Line No.400). But to provide increased access to rail transport with bike as the ‚last mile’ connection, the metropolitan train which will cross Cluj-Napoca and the other towns is essential.
In June 2024, the city and Romania’s Government representatives launched the construction of Cluj-Napoca’s first metro line which will have 21 km and will be served by 19 underground stations. according to the City Hall, the first seven stations are expected to be put into operation in 2026 and the remaining section of the line would be operational in 2031. This metro line will have connection with the metropolitan train system to deliver passengers an integrated infrastructure and better and fast services.
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