Railways company to present several options for Bucharest-airport rail link by year end

The project for the modernization of the railway line between Gara de Nord, Bucharest’s main train station, and the Otopeni Airport (Henri Coanda Airport) will be presented at the end of this year in five variants, according to a statement of state-owned railways company CFR SA, cited by local Mediafax. The company began the process of updating the feasibility study drawn up in 2008, and published in the electronic public purchase system – SEAP the acquisition documentation for the revision of the feasibility study. “At the end of 2018, CFR SA will be able to present to the decision-makers and the public opinion the financial estimates and the detailed technical solutions for the five variants of the connection with the airport,” reads the statement. After the completion of the public procurement procedure and the signing of the service contract, the consultant will complete by December 2018 the technical and economic analysis for the possible connection options. Ion Gavrila, CFR’s general manager, said a few days ago that the direct rail link between Gara de Nord and Otopeni airport will not be ready in time for the European Football Championship in 2020, when Romania will host four matches. He also talked about an alternative to this direct railway line, namely buses that would take tourists to the train station in Otopeni. The authorities plan to modernize this train station, and build a road for the buses between the train station and the airport, as well as a terminal at the Otopeni airport. Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com