Bucharest/Brasov Journal: New electric train service offers Romanians and visitors a comfortable journey into the mountains

“I am delighted that the 37 modern regional electric trains from Alstom are going to make a difference in the quality of railway transport towards popular destinations such as Brasov and Constanta, ” said Gabriel Stanciu,  Managing Director Alstom Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova. “ These modern trains will play a significant role in the country’s shift towards sustainable mobility, aligned with our aspiration to promote greener and more intelligent mobility solutions on a global scale.”  The first of the 37 inter-regional Coradia Stream electric trains started  passenger service on 20 November,2024,  following a testing phase of 10,000 km””

Each electric train designed for ARF consists of six cars, accommodating a total of 351 seats and offering a 100% low-floor design, ensuring convenient access for all passengers. To facilitate smoother passenger movement, there are two entry doors on each side of the middle-cars and one door on each side of the end-cars. The train also includes four eco-friendly toilets evenly distributed throughout its length, with one specifically tailored for passengers with reduced mobility. For passenger comfort, the trains feature generously sized luggage racks. The passenger information system integrates a sound system and a dynamic display system. Notably, these Coradia Stream™ trains are equipped with a digital passenger counting system that utilizes high-precision sensors to provide operators with precise data on passenger traffic for effective planning and optimization. The contract between ARF and Alstom also includes the maintenance services for 15 years, with the option of 15 additional years.

Alstom has initiated a €50 million investment in a state-of-the-art maintenance depot located in the central area of Bucharest to cater to the maintenance needs of this fleet. This facility is fitted with advanced machinery and technology commonly employed in rolling stock maintenance depots throughout Europe. It includes specialised equipment such as an underfloor wheel lathe and a digital diagnostic facility. The initial phase of the investment – a depot equipped for testing and maintenance operations – was completed in April 2024. The 30,000 square metres project will continue with a second phase, to establish a modern and fully equipped maintenance site.

Alstom has been active in Romania for 30 years and is a market leader in railway electrification, rolling stock and signalling solutions. The company is responsible for implementing signalling or electrification solutions on the Rhine-Danube railway corridor as well as in the Cluj area, where Alstom is part of the consortium building the second metro system in the country, in the city of Cluj Napoca. The first CBTC urban signalling solution in the country is under implementation by Alstom on Bucharest’s metro Line 5, where the first new Metropolis trains have already been delivered. The company has also been the provider of maintenance services for the Bucharest metro fleet for the last 20 years, with an ongoing contract valid until 2036.

Alstom developed the Coradia Stream™ regional train specifically for the European market. These units come equipped with the ERTMS Level 2 traffic control system and adhere to European standards (EN) and Technical Interoperability Specifications (TSIs). They are designed to operate seamlessly across all major European power supply systems. Currently there are over 700 single-deck Coradia Stream trains (EMU and Hydrogen) already sold in several countries in Europe including Denmark, Netherlands, Germany and Italy.

ALSTOM™, Coradia™, Coradia Stream™ and Metropolis ™ are protected trademarks of the Alstom Group.