On 7 April 2026, Alstom has delivered the first batch-built passenger TRAXX, 188 002, for the ARF (Autoritatea pentru Reformă Feroviară, Railway Reform Authority). The locomotive 188 001 was sent to the Făurei test centre in July 2025. Until now, the new locomotive version, equipped with Alstom’s Onvia Cab on-board ETCS, has successfully completed its full testing for the market authorisation process, confirming its readiness for operations at speeds up to 200 km/h (in fact not possible on the Romanian network).
In the coming weeks the 10,000 km endurance testing phase will start, in parallel with driver training, and deliveries will continue throughout 2026. After the endurance tests, the locomotive will be handed over to CFR Călători, the Romanian national passenger operator, for the comercial use, based on the contract of public service obligation until 2032.
In total 16 TRAXX3 MS locomotives were ordered in the contract signed in January 2024. The contract includes 20-year maintenance and repair services that can be extended by a further 20 years. The Class 188 TRAXXes will run on the lines:
– Constanța – Bucharest – Brașov – Arad – Timișoara,
– Constanța – Bucharest – Brașov – Dej,
– Constanța – Bucharest – Iași/Suceava,
– Timișoara – Cluj-Napoca – Iași.