Romania to Invest €100 Million in Electrifying the Iasi–Ungheni Railway Line

The Romanian government has approved the technical and economic parameters for the electrification of the railway line between Iasi and the border with Moldova. The project is valued at nearly 495 million Romanian lei (approximately €100 million). The investment will finance the modernization of a 23.4-kilometer section stretching from Iasi railway station to the Ungheni-Prut border crossing. The works form part of the broader rehabilitation of the Roman–Iasi–border railway line, which is included in the European TEN-T transport network, according to bani.md. Under the approved documentation, 50% of the funding will come from European Union resources through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) program, while the remaining half will be financed by the Romanian state budget. At present, only the 6.3-kilometer section between Iasi and Socola is electrified. The remainder of the route to Ungheni operates on non-electrified infrastructure. The line passes through the municipality of Iasi and the localities of Holboca and Ungheni, and includes four railway stations—Iasi, Nicolina, Socola, and Cristesti-Jijia, as well as two passenger stops in Holboca and Ungheni-Prut. According to the project documentation, much of the infrastructure along the route is in poor technical condition. Identified problems include worn rails and sleepers, defective switches, unstable embankments, deteriorated level crossings, and equipment requiring major repairs. The project stipulates modernization of the existing infrastructure without major route alterations or significant land expropriations. Planned works include reinforcing the railbed, reconstructing bridges and culverts, rehabilitating level crossings, upgrading passenger platforms, and fully electrifying the Socola-Ungheni section. Romanian authorities state that the project will increase train speeds, eliminate hazardous sections, and improve the quality of both passenger and freight transport services. The project is considered strategically important for strengthening transport links between Romania and Moldova. The Iasi-Ungheni line is a key railway corridor connecting Romania’s Main Line 500 with the Moldovan border and is also integrated into the new Baltic Sea-Black Sea-Aegean Sea European transport corridor.