Alina Oprea • 9 November, 2023 at 2:40 PM
Alstom has announced is investing over €50 million to establish a state-of-the-art depot in Bucharest, for the maintenance of the new Coradia Stream electric passenger trains. To begin with, Alstom contracted the purchase of 30,000 sqm which includes several buildings on Calea Grivitei in the center of Bucharest, with direct access to the railway main. The transaction was concluded with Atelierele Grivița, a company from Bucharest that specializes in rolling stock repairs. The project will include significant work to modernize existing facilities and build new ones to create a modern and fully equipped depot for the maintenance of the 37 Coradia Stream passenger trains purchased by the Railway Reform Authority (ARF).
Alstom is hiring for the new maintenance facility, with at least 50 new employees to join the company for the project, after which they will undergo a specialized training phase.
The initial phase of the investment – a depot equipped for testing and maintenance operations – will be ready at the end of January 2024, and full completion is expected in the second half of 2024. The new depot will be equipped with state-of-the-art machinery and technology, which are used in modern rolling stock maintenance depots in Europe, including a state-of-the-art digital diagnostics facility, HealthHub – Alstom's predictive maintenance solution, and an underground wheel retreading lathe.
"This investment reflects Alstom's long-term commitment to the Romanian market, where we have been providing maintenance services for the Bucharest metro fleet for almost 20 years. The investment in a new maintenance facility for multiple electrical units for ARF marks a significant milestone for us and will open a new chapter of our presence in Romania, especially as the completion of the investment coincides with Alstom's 30th anniversary in Romania," said Gabriel Stanciu, managing director of Alstom for Romania, Bulgaria, and Moldova.
In March 2022, Alstom and the Romanian Railway Reform Authority (ARF) signed a contract for the delivery of 20 interregional Coradia Stream trains and associated maintenance services for 15 years. In September 2022, an addendum to the original contract was signed for the delivery of 17 more Coradia Stream interregional trains and associated maintenance services over 15 years.
In Romania, Alstom has provided uninterrupted maintenance of the Bucharest metro fleet since 2004.