The company Electroputere VFU Pașcani, part of the GRAMPET Group, started testing the first modernized wagon with the help of the funds accessed through the contracts financed from the PNRR.
Currently, the wagon is at the Făurei Railway Testing Center, of the Romanian Railway Authority, in order to carry out road tests, while the structure of the wagon body has already been subjected to static tests. In 2023, the factory in Pașcani won two tenders, following which it concluded with SNTFC CFR Călători SA two contracts for the modernization of 42 passenger carriages, financed by PNRR, the cumulative value of which exceeds 66 million euros.
“The railway industry is vital for the economy. Rail transport is more sustainable than other types of transport, and the Romanian state must support the development of this strategic industry for the country. The carriage that is now being tested is only the first of many others, and we hope that in the future we will be able to engage in many such projects, through which we will contribute to the development and modernization of the entire fleet of passenger carriages in Romania. The current state of the railway network in the country represents for us, the companies in the field, a challenge that, once overcome, will bring major opportunities. We want to be able to capitalize on these for the benefit of everyone, but especially the travelers who will benefit from better travel conditions” – Gruia Stoica, president of the GRAMPET Group.
These are the most complex passenger rail modernization projects, carried out at Electroputere VFU Pașcani, railcars that comply with the Interoperability Technical Specifications, and after the tests are completed they will be CE certified. The deadline for the modernization of all 42 wagons is June 2026. The contracts include, in addition to the lining modernization services, preventive and corrective maintenance services for a period of nine years after their modernization. The 42 wagons will run on the railways of Romania, Austria and Hungary.