CFR SA reports that a contract has been signed for the modernization of railway infrastructure worth 1.34 billion lei excluding VAT for 39 km between Karansebesh and Lugozh. The fastest trains take 30 minutes, compared to 25 minutes 25 years ago. The railway will be doubled, with a length of 32 km.

It is promised that in 2027, trains will be able to reach a maximum speed of 160 km/h on the 163 km between Arad and Karansebesh. The fastest trains take approximately 3 hours 20 minutes.

The duration of the contract worth 1.34 billion lei excluding VAT is 42 months for design and implementation, of which 6 months for the development of the technical project and 36 months for the execution of the works.

RailWorks Association will develop a technical design and carry out works on the modernization of the railway infrastructure and superstructure for a maximum speed of 160 km/h on the section Karansebesh – Lugozh (Lot 1) with a length of 39.56 km, including the doubling of the CF line on one length of 31.69 km, construction works at 4 CF stations, the most important is the Caransebeș CF station, which will include a maintenance building and the construction of a pedestrian bridge, 2 passenger stops, works to modernize works of art – 12 bridges and 49 pedestrian bridges, the construction of a flyover at the entrance to Lugozh (DJ 584) , installation of automatic signaling systems at 12 level crossings, special railway operation works, as well as signaling works through the implementation of the ERTMS system (ETCS level 2 and GSM-R) on the entire 39.56 km route.

“Today we signed the last contract for the amount of 1.34 billion lei in the framework of the modernization program of the Karansebesh – Timisoara – Arad section (162.19 km), namely Lot 1 Karansebesh – Lugozh, the section that will be developed including for the doubling of the line. on a route with a length of about 32 km. The signing of this latest contract virtually marks the end of the contracting phase for one of the largest infrastructure development projects within the PNRR, which will see passenger trains run from 2027 at a maximum speed of 160 km/h,” Ion said. To Sim Alexander, CEO of CFR SA..

“At the moment, we have signed all 8 contracts, including consultations, investments with a total value of more than 6.88 BILLION lei for the modernization of the section from Karancebesh to Arad. As an important investment for the continued development of rail infrastructure in the western part of the national network and subject to the deadlines set by the PNRR, I expect the contractors to honor their contractual obligations in a context in which, as I also indicated when signing the other three contracts, they also develop the technical designs on which they will carry out the modernization works, which means that from the outset we eliminate ‘potential design problems’, as has happened in other railway modernization projects, where design and works have been included in separate contracts” , – says Ion Simu Alexandru, CEO of CFR SA.