INFRASTRUCTURE manager CFR has awarded the TrackWorks consortium of Greek construction company Terna and Alstom two contracts worth a combined €992.6m to rehabilitate two sections of the Craiova - Drobeta-Turnu Severin - Caransebeș line in southwest Romania.

The 226km line is part of the Rhine-Danube TEN-T Corridor and the Bucharest - Timişoara main line. Speeds on much of the single-track line are restricted to 70km/h, and are as low as 50km/h, although trains can run at up 120km/h on the southern section.

The project aims to introduce double track and increase line speeds for passenger trains to 160km/h and 120km/h for freight, supporting a maximum axleload of 22.5 tonnes. Work will include updating electrification to 25kV ac and installing ERTMS Level 2.

TrackWorks has been awarded contracts to conduct design and comprehensive rehabilitation works on two sections totalling 83km: Craiova - Filiași (Lot 1) and Filiași - Igiroasa (Lot 2). Lot 1 is worth €543.4m and Lot 2 €449.2m. Terna has a 69% share of the contract for Lot 1 and 74% for Lot 2 and was named alongside Alstom as preferred bidder in July 2025.

Design is expected to take 12 months to complete with the work expected to be completed within 60 months.

Lot 5

Austrian construction firm Porr was awarded a €428m contract in July 2025 for Lot 5 of the project, comprising the 32.6km section from Băile Herculane to Poarta. The contractor is building 18 bridges and 54 culverts along with a new 1.3km double track tunnel, known as Poarta. It will also refurbish the existing 496m Rachitoberg Tunnel and six stations at Băile Herculane, Mehadia Nouă, Mehadia, Iablanița, Crușovăț, and Domașnea Cornea.

The project is scheduled to take 60 months to complete from the start of work.

In addition, domestic construction firm Rotary Construcții Mentenanță in a consortium led by Turkish firm IC İçtaş won the contracts for lots 4 and 6.

Lot 4 comprises the 41.6km Drobeta-Turnu Severin - Băile Herculane section and is worth €450m. Work includes upgrades to seven tunnels and 23 bridges along with station improvements.

Lot 6 comprises the 37.2km Poarta - Caransebeș section and is worth €408m.

The Lot 3 contract has yet to be awarded, with CFR relaunching the tender in September after previous attempts were unsuccessful, The contract is set to be worth an estimated €1.21bn, with the higher comparative cost driven by the new 6.19km dual-bore Balota tunnel.

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