Romania's Cluj – Napoca municipality gets first trams with built in Wi-Fi from Polish PESA

The Cluj – Napoca city hall in Romania will receive by year-end five more trams made by Polish firm PESA, which won the tender to supply trams to the local municipality. The first such tram was already delivered and installed and should become functional at the beginning of next week, according to Cluj – Napoca City Hall. In total, the Cluj – Napoca city will receive 12 new trams from PESA. The next will arrive in the city next month. The new 44-seat tram uses 50 percent less electricity than the older models and has Wi-Fi functionality, allowing passengers to connect to the Internet for free. PESA's contract with the Cluj – Napoca municipality is worth around EUR 18 million, or some EUR 1.5 million per tram. PESA won the tender after Romanian firm Astra Vagoane, which also took part in the bid, started a lawsuit against the municipality. Earlier this year, the Romanian company contested at the National Arbitration Council (CNSC) the results of the auction organized by the municipality, after the Polish company won the contract. CNSC’s decision was in favor of Astra Vagoane. Cluj-Napoca City Hall then appealed the CNSC’s decision to the Court of Appeal in Cluj, and won. editor@romania-insider.com