Romania has signed a 229 million euro contract with Siemens Mobility for the delivery and maintenance of its first 12 hydrogen trains

The Romanian National Railway Authority (ARF) has officially signed a contract with the German technology consortium Siemens Mobility for the delivery of the country’s first 12 hydrogen trains. The total value of this large-scale agreement amounts to 1.13 billion Romanian lei excluding VAT (approximately 229.3 million euros). The bulk of the funding is provided under the European “Transport Program 2021–2027,” and the project is also supported by co-financing from Romania’s national budget, BalkanEngineer.com learned from Railjournal.com.

The contract covers both the manufacture and delivery of the rolling stock itself, as well as full service, technical support, and repairs for a minimum period of 15 years. The agreement also includes a legal option to extend this service period by another 15 years, which could extend Siemens’ commitment to a total of 30 years. To this end, the German company will build a specialized service center and depot in Bucharest, where all digital and technical inspections will be carried out. In addition, supporting infrastructure consisting of hydrogen refueling stations will be constructed.

The ordered two-car train sets are based on the innovative Mireo Plus H technology platform. Each railcar features 131 fixed seats, full air conditioning, areas for passengers with reduced mobility, and state-of-the-art information systems. The model is designed for a maximum speed of 120 km/h on Romanian territory. The propulsion system is entirely zero-emission—it combines hydrogen fuel cells located on the train’s roof with lithium-ion batteries under the floor. The batteries serve to store energy while the train is in motion and to recover energy released during braking (regenerative braking), ensuring smooth acceleration and higher energy efficiency.

According to the schedule approved by both countries, the first test train is scheduled to arrive in Romania for trials, track testing, and certification procedures in the second half of 2028. The full deployment of the entire fleet into regular passenger service is expected to take place in the spring of 2029. The new eco-friendly railcars will be allocated for use by the state operator CFR Călători and the private carrier Transferoviar Călători. They will serve busy regional and suburban routes that are currently not electrified—primarily the routes from the capital, Bucharest, to Pitești, Târgoviște (Romania), Craiova, as well as the direct connection to Henri Coandă International Airport.

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