€317 million Romanian rail contract awarded

Romanian state rail company CFR SA has awarded a €317 million contract for the construction of a 42.2km section of rail line in the west of the country.

The contract was awarded to a consortium of contractors including Strabag, whose share of the project is valued at €66 million and is for track construction, civil engineering and road construction.

The section of rail line will run between Vințu de Jos and Simeria in western Romania, near the city of Sibiu. The project is scheduled to start in the spring of 2014 and take 30 months to complete. It also includes the renovation of five stations, tunnelling and bridge building.

Strabag CEO Thomas Birtel said, “The current line, although dual-track and electrified, is in a poor state. The speed of 90 to 120km/h is to be raised to 160km/h after completion of the construction works.”