To initiate the project, Alstom has contracted the acquisition of 30,000m2 of land which includes several buildings on Calea Grivitei in central Bucharest, granting access to the rail mainline. The agreement has been executed with Atelierele Grivita, a Bucharest-based company specializing in rolling stock repairs.
The project will include significant modernization work on existing facilities and the construction of new ones to establish a modern and fully equipped site for the maintenance of the 37 Coradia Stream passenger trains acquired by the Railway Reform Authority (ARF).
The initial phase of the investment – a depot equipped for testing and maintenance operations – will be ready by the end of January 2024, and full completion is expected in the second half of 2024.
The new depot will be equipped with cutting-edge machinery and technology that is used in rolling stock maintenance depots across Europe, including a digital diagnostic facility based on the latest technology, including HealthHub, Alstom’s solution for predictive maintenance and fleet management, and an underfloor wheel lathe.
“This investment represents Alstom’s enduring commitment to the Romanian market, where we have been providing maintenance services for the Bucharest metro fleet for almost 20 years. The investment in a new facility for Coradia Stream electric multiple unit (EMU) trains for ARF marks a significant milestone for us and will open a new chapter of our presence in Romania, especially since the completion of the investment coincides with our 30th anniversary in the country,” said Gabriel Stanciu, Alstom managing director for Romania, Bulgaria, and Moldova.
Alstom is actively recruiting for the new maintenance facility, with over 50 new employees expected to join this project and go through specialized training.
In March 2022, Alstom and the Romanian Railway Reform Authority (ARF) signed a contract for the delivery of 20 Coradia Stream inter-regional trains and associated 15-year maintenance services. In September 2022, an addendum to the initial contract was signed for the delivery of 17 more Coradia Stream inter-regional trains and associated 15 years maintenance services. These 37 trains, currently in production, are the first new modern EMUs purchased in Romania.