AKTOR Romania, part of the construction company AKTOR Group, has started the construction of two pairs of tunnels on the subsection 2 Apața-Cața of the Brasov – Sighisoara railway line using four Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs).
All four TBMs have entered the mountains near Racos, a commune in Brașov County, Transylvania, Romania.
The latest development comes after AKTOR Romania deployed its fourth TBM last month for the railway project.
Two of the tunnels are heading towards Ormenis commune and the other two towards Homorod.
Subsection 2 Apața-Cața is part of the Brașov-Simeria railway line rehabilitation, which is part of the Rhine-Danube Corridor.
TBM 3, Alexandra, which began in mid-October 2024, has bored 123m and installed 87 concrete lining rings. TBM 4, Konstantina, which started in mid-December, has bored 201m and installed 104 concrete lining rings. Both machines are now inside the mountain.
The two TBMs will create a 5.1km pair of tunnels towards Homorod, marking the northern section of tunnels AKTOR is building on the Brasov-Sighisoara railway line.
This continues the work on the southern pair of tunnels towards Ormenis, which spans 6.9km. TBMs 1, Varvara and 2, Eleni began in spring 2024.
Despite unexpected challenges, they have made significant progress into the mountain towards Apața, The Diplomat reported.
TBM Eleni, which started in March 2024, is now over 1.15km deep, while TBM Varvara, which started in May, is over 0.76km deep.
Over 200 Romanian subcontractors and suppliers are contributing to the construction of subsection 2 Apața-Cața on the Brasov-Sighisoara railway line.
They provide a wide range of materials, including precast concrete elements, metal structures, pile casings, aggregates for earthworks, and waterproofing solutions.
Additionally, they offer specialised services such as geotechnical studies, signalling, electrification works, laboratory testing, design, and environmental monitoring.
These subcontractors will support the project’s success, with AKTOR experts overseeing the quality of all deliverables.
The railway line project aims to enable traffic at a maximum speed of 160km/h on the Brașov-Sighișoara section. It has a budget of €573m and is co-financed by the European Union.
The contract was signed between the National Railway Company (CFR SA) and the consortium of AKTOR, Alstom Transport, and Arcada Company.
AKTOR Romania is also overseeing the restoration of two other sub-sections on the same railway line, Brașov – Apața and Cața – Sighișoara. The combined budget for these projects exceeds €186m.
