On May 11, 2021, the consortium formed by CRRC Sifang Co., Ltd. and its partner ASTRA and the Bucharest City Hall of Romania formally signed a contract for the supply of 100 trams. According to reports, the project vehicle is a 100% low-floor modern tram, using standard gauge, 4-module marshalling, and DC750V power supply. This is the first complete vehicle project won by a Chinese rail transit equipment company in Romania.

CRRC Sifang has been committed to the development of the Romanian rail transit market for a long time, and has joined hands with the local ASTRA company to carry out market cooperation. In 2019, the Bucharest City Hall purchased trams through an international tender. CRRC Sifang and ASTRA formed a consortium to compete with international suppliers. After multiple rounds of comprehensive evaluation of the bidding proposal, CRRC Sifang finally won the bid for the project with a full score of comprehensive evaluation.

As the capital of Romania, Bucharest is the largest city in Romania. Tram is one of the most important local public transportation methods in Bucharest, and currently operates a tram network of approximately 143 kilometers. The vehicle for this project is expected to begin delivery in 2022. After delivery, the vehicle will be put into operation on 8 tram lines in Bucharest.

As the first complete vehicle project won by CRRC Sifang in Europe, this project is another breakthrough of CRRC Sifang in the international high-end market, and is an important milestone for the further development of the European market. Editor/He Yuting