Romania secures €630 million EIB financing for Brașov-Sighișoara railway upgrade

Romania is moving ahead with a major investment in its rail network after the European Investment Bank (EIB) signed a €630 million financing agreement for the modernisation of the Brașov–Sighișoara railway in central Romania.

The financing will support a broader €2.25 billion project involving European Union funding and a contribution from the Romanian state, according to the EIB. The programme covers 113 kilometres of double-track, electrified railway connecting Brașov with Sighișoara.

The railway is part of two European transport corridors: the Rhine-Danube corridor and the Baltic Sea–Black Sea–Aegean Sea route. Upgrading the line is expected to improve its role in Romania’s connections with the wider European rail network, while increasing the capacity available for both passengers and freight.

Once modernisation is completed, passenger trains will be able to operate at speeds of up to 160 km/h and freight services at up to 120 km/h. The EIB estimates that the route could serve around four million passengers annually and carry approximately six million tonnes of freight.

The project is also designed to accommodate more traffic on the line, with capacity planned for up to 29 passenger trains and 22 freight trains a day. Longer and heavier freight trains will also be able to operate on the upgraded infrastructure.

Technology will form another part of the investment. The railway will receive the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), supporting interoperability and safer train operations across the European network. Stations and stops along the route are also due to receive improvements aimed at making rail travel more accessible, including for people with reduced mobility.

For Romania, the investment comes as the country seeks to strengthen transport infrastructure and improve the efficiency of connections between regions and European markets. Better rail capacity could also provide businesses with an alternative route for moving goods while improving passenger connections across central Romania.

The EIB expects the upgraded railway to encourage greater use of rail for both passenger and freight transport. This could reduce pressure on roads and contribute to lower congestion, accidents, noise and transport-related emissions.

The project has also received advisory support from the EIB during its preparation and implementation. The Bank’s involvement follows approval of the project within its financing programme and adds European investment to Romania’s national infrastructure priorities.

The Brașov–Sighișoara upgrade therefore represents more than a domestic railway investment. Its connection to major European transport corridors places the project within the broader effort to improve cross-border rail connectivity and strengthen the movement of people and goods across the European transport system.