Romania pays for Bucharest airport subway link with money from emissions trading

Romania’s Government has decided to use EUR 42.8 million of the money it got from emissions trading to finance the subway network development in Bucharest.

The Government has allotted EUR 34 million for financing the M4 subway line extension and EUR 8.75 million for starting the subway line to the Henri Coanda international airport in Otopeni, north of Bucharest.

The M4 subway line currently goes from the Gara de Nord train station to the Bazilescu Park. The line will be extended with two new stops, Laminorului and Straulesti Lake. Once finished, this line would reduce car traffic in Bucharest by about 2%, or 822,000 vehicles a year, according to a feasibility study.

The construction work on this extension started on April 16. Italian group Astaldi and local companies Somet, Tiab, and UTI Construction & Facility Management work on the project, which has a total value of EUR 253 million and should be finalized by 2018.

The M6 line will go from Gara de Nord to the airport and should be finalized by 2020. Both the European Commission and UEFA have asked for this metro line, as Bucharest will host three matches of the European Football Championship. Metrorex plans to get European financing for this line, which passes through Baneasa, one of Bucharest’s richest neighborhoods, not currently connected to the subway.

The Government estimates that the subway line to the airport would reduce car traffic in the area by over 4 million vehicles a year.

Bucharest’s subway operator plans to get EUR 1.3 bln EU funds by the end of 2015

New Bucharest metro line, due by end-2016

Subway rides in Bucharest get more expensive starting end-March