Romanian operator Astra Trans Carpatic is expected to begin operating a train manufactured by CRRC Sifang of China on the Prahova Valley route this summer.
The company recently obtained both the type authorisation and the market authorisation from the Romanian Railway Safety Authority (ASFR), bringing significantly closer the moment when the CRRC-built train will enter service on Romania’s rail network. It is also worth noting that the train purchased by Astra Trans Carpatic from the Chinese manufacturer is fully compliant with Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI).
Before entering commercial service, Astra Vagoane Călători must obtain certification from ASFR as the Entity in Charge of Maintenance (ECM). Maintenance activities will be carried out at the Astra Vagoane Călători plant in Arad (western Romania), where a dedicated maintenance hall has already been equipped with an inspection pit, lifting equipment and specialised systems supplied by CRRC. Astra Vagoane Călători Arad already holds the certificate of conformity for maintenance functions. The new train will be added to the annex of this certificate, after which it will be ready for commercial operation.
“We hope this will happen during July. Initially, the train will be introduced on services to Brașov,” said Marian Mihail Călin, Development Director of the group.
CRRC exclusion from the ARF tender
The history of the Chinese-built train has been as turbulent as the dispute surrounding CRRC’s participation in Romania’s first tender for interregional trains organised by the Railway Reform Authority (ARF).
In 2021, the Astra Vagoane Călători – CRRC consortium was excluded from the ARF tender for the procurement of 20 interregional trains, a contract that was later expanded to 37 units. The former government led by Prime Minister Florin Cîțu, with Cătălin Drulă serving as Transport Minister, adopted emergency legislation preventing companies from third countries from participating in tenders financed through national or European funds. The ordinance was introduced after CRRC had already submitted its bid, leading to the consortium’s exclusion. The company challenged the decision before the Court of Appeal, which subsequently referred the case to the Court of Justice of the European Union.
European Court overturns the exclusion
The Court ruled that the exclusion of the Chinese company had been unlawful, stating that Romania did not have the authority to legislate in an area governed by European Union competence. Subsequently, the Bucharest Court of Appeal delivered its judgment on the action brought by the CRRC–Astra Vagoane Călători consortium regarding its exclusion from the procurement procedure for 20 interregional trains.
The ruling was issued after no fewer than eight postponements. The proceedings began in February 2023 and resumed after the Court of Justice of the European Union determined that Romania could not exclude a company from a third country solely on that basis, as public procurement policy is established at EU level rather than nationally. At most, the contracting authority could have applied an evaluation methodology under which bids from companies based outside the EU received fewer points.
Following the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union, the Bucharest Court of Appeal partially upheld the challenge filed by CRRC Qingdao Sifang and Astra Vagoane Călători, cancelling the decision that had excluded the consortium from the interregional train procurement procedure. However, the court rejected the remainder of the consortium’s claims, as well as a separate challenge brought by Alstom. The judgment became final on 11 July 2025. One of CRRC’s claims that was rejected concerned its request for the court to declare Alstom’s bid non-compliant.
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