Romania launches €60 m Iași tram depot and €229 m hydrogen train contract

Romania has begun construction of a modern public‑transport depot in Iași worth more than €60 million. The facility will cover tens of thousands of square metres, house up to 40 trams and 44 electric buses, and feature green technologies such as photovoltaic panels and heat pumps to operate largely off‑grid. Funding comes from European Union sources and a loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, with a two‑year construction schedule.

Separately, the country signed a contract for 12 hydrogen‑powered trains valued at 1.135 billion lei (about €229 million) without VAT. The agreement, financed through the Transport 2021‑2027 programme, includes 15 years of maintenance and targets routes from Bucharest to Pitești, the Henri Coandă Airport and other destinations. However, the necessary hydrogen‑fueling infrastructure has not yet been assigned and operating cost estimates per kilometre remain undisclosed.