Romania's railway authority is emerging as a critical player in European rail testing, as there are only a few railway testing circuits in the world at the standards of the one in Faurei, and the existing such facilities worldwide are currently highly solicited, Mircea Arnautu, director of the Romanian Railway Notification Body (ONFR) of the Railway Reform Authority (AFR) said on Tuesday in remarks at the Railway Days Conference.
Of 66 notified bodies under the EU's Interoperability Directive 2016/797, only five hold laboratory accreditation - four in Germany and one in Romania, placing it among an elite group authorized to conduct interoperability tests, with the country investing heavily in cutting-edge equipment over the past two years, Arnautu said.
According to him, the Faurei railway testing circuit is one of the few globally with high-level parameters, comparable to the ones in China, Russia, the USA (Pueblo), and Velim (Czech Republic), but Faurei's strategic importance lies in its accessibility, language, and practices, making it preferable for EU companies amid overcrowded testing facilities.
The railway official emphasized that Romania is experiencing unprecedented transport development, like for instance Bucharest's Metro Line 6 to Otopeni Airport - which had been discussed since Arnautu's childhood - which is finally under construction following the recent completion of Line 5. Also, Romania has accelerated work on Railway Corridor 4, started in 2000, while launching additional major projects, he said.
New rolling stock is also being certified, such as the Coradia multiple unit train (completed last year) and the PESA multiple unit (currently in testing), he mentioned, referring also to the new rolling stock purchased by the Railway Reform Authority.
Arnautu expressed optimism about a future European high-speed rail network passing through Romania, citing an EU survey where Romania topped support for such connections.
The Railway Days Conference returned on October 14 and 15 to Bucharest, bringing together the main actors in the field of rail transport, specifically authorities, top companies, experts and strategic partners.
According to the organizers, the conference, now in its 20th edition, brings together influential voices that define the present and future of rail transport.
The Railway Days Conference is the largest and most relevant railway conference and exhibition in Romania, as hundreds of professionals and market leaders in the field participate every year in the event with tradition and resonance in the Romanian industry.
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