Austrian construction firm PORR has secured a contract worth €428m ($487.7m) from the Romanian National Railway Company to renovate and modernise the Craiova – Drobeta Turnu Severin – Caransebeș railway line.

The project is part of the Romanian National Railway Company’s efforts to enhance the railway infrastructure to European standards.

This design-and-build contract covers the Lot 5 section of the line.

The project includes extensive renovation across 32.6km of track, from single-track to a double-track system.

The project will also include the construction of 18 bridges and 54 culverts along the railway line.

A new twin-track tunnel Poarta I, spanning 1,279m, will be built along with the renovation of the 496m Rachitoberg Tunnel.

Six stations will undergo renovation and modernisation, comprising Baile Herculane, Mehadia Noua, Mehadia, Iablanița, Crușovaț, and Domașnea Cornea.

The entire project is expected to be completed in 60 months.

Upon completion, the railway line will feature a fully electrified system equipped with an advanced power supply and signalling system, incorporating the European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS) Level 2.

PORR CEO Karl-Heinz Strauss said: “This project will contribute to improving the flow of traffic and increasing safety along the Orient/East-Med corridor. We at PORR are proud to be making such a sizable contribution to expanding Europe’s transport network.

“Overall, this major project will deliver a significant improvement. It cuts travel time, increases transport capacity, and brings the national infrastructure up to European standards for speed and safety.”

In 2020, PORR received a $115m contract to rehabilitate the Bucharest-Giurgiu railroad line in Southern Romania.