CFR Călători adds 19 modernized locomotives under EU‑funded PNRR program

CFR Călători completed a contract financed by the EU‑backed National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) to modernise 19 electric locomotives originally built by Electroputere Craiova. The agreement, signed in December 2023, earmarks €67.45 million for modernisation services and €33.23 million for maintenance, with the first ten units funded under PNRR Pillar 1 and the remaining nine through the 2021‑2027 Transport Programme.

The upgraded locomotives feature contemporary technologies that improve energy efficiency, reliability, safety and passenger comfort. Each unit also carries the name of a prominent Romanian cultural, scientific or historical figure, linking national heritage to the modern rail fleet. In parallel, CFR Călători is pursuing additional modernisation contracts with RELOCS (18 of 19 targeted electric units delivered) and SCRL Brașov (13 electric locomotives and 12 electric‑plug‑in‑battery hybrids delivered), bringing the overall programme to 75 locomotives.

The project is presented as a step toward a more sustainable, high‑performance railway network in Romania, aligning with European standards for green mobility.