Cluj-Napoca has signed financing contract no. 166/2026 with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, the managing authority for the Transport Programme 2021-2027, to continue building Metro Line I. The project began under Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and is now funded through the Transport Programme. The contract sets a firm target: 8.8 km of the 17.8 km covered must be finished by the end of 2029.
What the contract covers
The project, “Component 1 Cluj Metro Line I” (SMIS code 368591), covers 17.8 km of metro line within Metro Line I. Of these, 8.8 km must be completed by the end of 2029 with Transport Programme funding. The contract runs from signature until 31.12.2029 at the latest. The project was submitted under Priority 6, on sustainable mobility in urban nodes, and contributes to the policy objective “A greener Europe”.
The money
| Item | Amount (lei) |
|---|---|
| Total eligible value | 1,856,780,470.55 |
| Maximum non-reimbursable funding | 1,819,644,861.13 |
| of which national budget contribution | 241,381,461.17 |
| City’s eligible co-financing | 37,135,609.42 |
| Non-eligible value | 9,011,675,597.83 |
The maximum non-reimbursable funding equals 98% of the approved eligible value. The city pays its eligible co-financing from its own budget.
The full line and why it is needed
When complete, Metro Line I will be 21.03 km long, with 19 stations and a depot. It will link Florești, the city’s main neighbourhoods, the centre and the main economic and service areas along the west-east axis of the metropolitan area. The city cites growing mobility demand in Cluj-Napoca and nearby localities, especially Florești, and heavy road traffic on the west-east corridor. The system is sized for about 164,400 passengers a day in 2030, rising to about 246,000 a day in 2060. The aims are shorter and more predictable journeys, better access to jobs and public services, less congestion and a shift from private cars to public transport.
Background and next steps
The project started under Component 4, Sustainable transport, of the PNRR, where it received about 1.43 billion lei. To continue it and secure the funding needed, the investment was taken over by the Transport Programme 2021-2027. The project documentation sets 108 months for the complete investment, meaning August 2032.