Tram number 5, which connects the north and east of Bucharest and transports numerous office workers in the area, has resumed circulation after works that lasted 2 years.
The resumption was announced by Bucharest City Hall on Sunday, March 8, in a post on Facebook. The institution highlighted the importance of the tram line and mentioned that certain works are still underway.
“After two years, the tram returned to the rehabilitated rails. But on an extended route: between Băneasa Airport and the Pantelimon terminal,” the City Hall noted in the post.
The line now has 18 stops: “Aeroport Băneasa”, Bd. Aerogării, Str. Căpitan Aviator Alexandru Șerbănescu, Str. Barbu Văcărescu, Şos. Ştefan cel Mare, Bucur Obor, Şos. Mihai Bravu, Piața Iancului, Şos. Iancului, Şos. Pantelimon, and terminal “Pantelimon.”
Tram 5 will also return to the usual route, Băneasa–Piața Sfântul Gheorghe, in approximately a year and a half, after the completion of the works on the rails on Arman Călinescu – Vasile Lascăr – Lizeanu.
Bucharest mayor Ciprian Ciucu participated in the inauguration of tram line 5. He specified that the rehabilitation works of the line lasted longer than initially planned and emphasized the importance of modernizing the tram infrastructure in the capital.
“Approximately 5 km of rail were rehabilitated, from Pod Băneasa to Ștefan cel Mare. It is a very requested line, it crosses a dense office area, and I am glad that finally we were able to put it into use,” he declared. “Due to the very poor condition of the tram lines today, the new trams that we have purchased and that we are going to purchase break down, and immediately after the warranty period ends, the repair costs are very high,” Ciucu concluded.
Bucharest has about 141 km of double tram track, out of which 50 km are in a critical condition. The rehabilitation of the number 5 tram line was the first project within a large-scale initiative to renew the entire 50 km. Works began in February 2024 on a 4.25 km section, and went past its deadline due to the non-payment of outstanding invoices.
In total, the rehabilitation of 50 km will cost RON 2.3 billion, with around RON 1.11 billion in European funding and RON 850 million from the European Investment Bank. Works on the number 5 tram line cost RON 160 million, or EUR 31.38 million.
(Photo source: Primaria Municipiului Bucuresti on Facebook)
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