Construction begins at Romania’s second subway system in Cluj-Napoca

The construction of the Cluj-Napoca subway began on Tuesday, February 25, with the consolidation work on the hill located in the area of station 2 in the Florești suburb.

Once completed, the subway in Cluj-Napoca will be Romania's second, after the one in Bucharest. It will be 21 km long and include 19 stations.

The current works are meant to prevent landslides in the area where the subway will go underground, and is the first objective for the builders before excavation begins. The hill, located approximately 30 meters from station 2, will be stabilized with bored piles, the construction of which must be completed by the second half of March, according to local news outlet Radio Cluj.

Longtime Cluj-Napoca liberal mayor Emil Boc argued that without additional precautionary measures, the tunnel boring machines create vibrations that can lead to landslides. He added that the exact moment when the tunnel boring machines will start digging will be known by the end of the next month.

The initial deadline for the underground entry of the equipment was April of this year. Emil Boc said that there are no signs that the deadline will be delayed.

Roughly EUR 230 million was paid last year for the Cluj-Napoca subway project, around 10% of the total value. The money was used for expropriations and reimbursements to the builder. The city, a vibrant tech hub, is Romania’s second-largest city.

Romanian authorities inaugurated the construction site of the first subway line in Cluj-Napoca in June of 2024.

The subway is scheduled to become fully operational in 2031.

(Photo source: Emil Boc on Facebook)