Romania launches new railway investment plan that can support demand for steel

The Romanian government has approved a Plan for the development of railway infrastructure for 2026-2030, aimed at stopping the technical deterioration of the country's railway network and accelerating the accumulated renovation work. According to the new plan, Romania intends to carry out maintenance, renovation, modernization and expansion of the railway infrastructure, while continuing to implement priority projects along the TEN-T European railway corridors. According to data released by the Romanian government, the country's railway infrastructure has deteriorated significantly due to years of insufficient funding. In 1990, the total length of overdue railway lines was 1,364 km, which is 10.10% of the network. By 2010, this figure had grown to 5,596 km, or 41.14%. As of 2025, the length of railway lines that have exceeded their technical service life has reached 9,753 km, which is 72.56% of the total length of the network. The Government noted that this figure has almost doubled over the past 15 years. In the previous period, only 45.76% of the financing needs were met. The government stated that the financial resources provided in the period 2021-2025 covered only 45.76% of the actual financing needed for the railway infrastructure. The funding gap for maintenance and repair of the existing infrastructure alone exceeded 12 billion reais. Insufficient funding has led to speed restrictions across the entire railway network and accelerated deterioration of infrastructure. During the same period, the volume of rail passenger traffic decreased by more than 2%, while the volume of freight traffic decreased by about 23%. The previous plan envisaged a 25% growth in the transport market . . . Upgrading the railway network will be a priority. According to the plan for 2026-2030, accelerating the renovation of the railway infrastructure accumulated over previous periods has been identified as a key priority. Other main objectives include improving the competitiveness of rail transport in the domestic market and strengthening the integration of Romania's railway network into the pan-European railway system. The program covers various areas of the railway system, from basic maintenance and operational activities to infrastructure renovation and expansion, and includes administrative reforms aimed at improving the sector's efficiency. Investments , , , , can support the demand for steel. . . The implementation of planned railway investments can support the demand for steel products,