Suburban rail projects are moving forward in several Romanian cities, with funding agreements now secured for schemes in Cluj-Napoca and Oradea. According to Railway Gazette International, these initiatives reflect the government’s strategy to catalyse metropolitan rail networks across the country, though similar plans for the capital remain stalled.

In June 2022, infrastructure manager CFR and railway reform authority ARF signed a collaboration agreement to support the implementation of metropolitan rail projects. The framework allows municipal and county authorities to form joint investment management associations, known as ADIs, and partner with CFR to bid for European and national co-financing.

CFR retains responsibility for managing and maintaining railway infrastructure, keeping the manager closely involved in track, signalling and electrification works. Local authorities can contract out and manage station works directly. The associations can also procure rolling stock and arrange public service obligation contracts for operations, coordinating with ARF and the transport ministry.

The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure issued a call for proposals in September 2023, offering up to 495 million euros of co-financing for ADI partnerships. This draws on the European Union’s Transport Programme for Romania 2021-2027, which supports regional rail schemes. The suburban projects are intended to complement nationwide regional and long-distance services managed by ARF.

Projects have kicked off in the west. The municipality of Cluj-Napoca signed contracts for financing and station works on a 48.8 km section of existing line linking Bonțida with Gârbău via the city’s main station. It also called tenders for vehicle procurement. In Oradea, project promoter Bihor county signed a contract on April 15 to allocate 1.376 billion lei of non-reimbursable co-financing for a 33.4 km tram-train network. The programme includes upgrading and electrifying 24.2 km of existing railway and procuring 14 tram-train vehicles; tenders have already been called.

On June 1, the ministry approved development of two more suburban rail networks. A three-line network totalling 72 km is to be created around Brașov, and a suburban service introduced on a 72 km section between Reghin, Târgu Mureș and Luduș.

Progress in the capital has been slow. While Bucharest has inter-regional trains and a rail link to Henri Coandă Airport, it lacks a dedicated suburban rail operation. Local authorities have been exploring ways to offer denser passenger services for districts surrounding the urban core. Better suburban rail provision was a key tenet in the election campaign of Nicușor Dan, who served as mayor from 2020 until he was elected President of Romania in May 2025.

Transport agency TPBI, comprising Bucharest city council, Ilfov county and over 40 municipalities, produced a master plan in 2021. It outlined an integral suburban rail network covering 330 km of orbital and radial lines, requiring substantial infrastructure enhancements and new stations. The 2023 legislation supporting metropolitan rail projects encouraged TPBI to prioritise elements that could use EU funding.

TPBI identified two priority projects. The first is a suburban service on the Bucharest Nord – Chitila – Buftea – Periș – Scroviștea axis, part of the main line towards Ploiești, which currently carries inter-regional and long-distance services but no suburban operations. The second is a semicircular service on the Bucharest Nord – Bucharest Obor railway, requiring construction of 10 new stations. Both are subject to feasibility studies, which TPBI is working on jointly with CFR. Last October, TPBI launched a market consultation for the procurement of five electric multiple units including maintenance, though no specific routes have been disclosed.

Other local associations are also advancing metropolitan rail projects. In Iași, the AMTPI local project promoter, established in 2020, is coordinating delivery. In the first phase, a two-line network would use 57 km of existing routes, with investment in modernisation and new stations. Total project cost is estimated at 300 million euros. A west-to-east line would link Podu Iloaiei with Ungheni via Iași main station on a partially electrified route. A second line would run from Iași Nicolina station southwards to Picioru Lupului. A later stage would include a greenfield link to Iași Airport.

AMTPI signed a partnership agreement with CFR in 2024. Studies and pre-approval works are underway. The European Union’s Jaspers advisory body started an assessment in February 2026, while AMTPI launched a market consultation in November 2025 to determine costs for fully electric or bi-mode trains.

This article first appeared in the July 2026 issue of Railway Gazette International.