The late-delivery penalties calculated by Romania's Railway Reform Authority ARF for Alstom for the 37-train contract worth RON 2.4 billion (EUR 480 million) are nearing EUR 50 million, not including VAT, according to Agerpres. 

Out of the 37 interregional multiple electric frames RE-IR, only two have been delivered so far, of which one is already in use. All 37 should have been delivered by the end of last year. The contract includes a 15-year maintenance period as well.

ARF assures that the penalties were not written off, as claimed by passenger railway company CFR Calatori – the final beneficiary of 12 of the 37 trains. 

CFR Calatori estimates RON 30 million losses incurred last year for the non-delivery of the trains.

"The first electric train should have been delivered to CFR Calatori in December 2023 and the remaining 12 by the end of February 2024," the company's representatives said.

According to an updated delivery schedule, the third train was scheduled to be delivered to ARF in March 2025, but it did not arrive, and the last three out of the 37-unit batch are to be delivered in January 2026, according to representatives of the railway authority.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/ARF-Autoritatea pentru Reforma Feroviara)