"Astra Vagoane Călători" Arad continues negotiations to acquire a license to produce streetcars

Paula Bulzan,Arad

Arad-based company "Astra Vagoane Călători" continues negotiations for acquiring a license for producing streetcars. The mayor of Arad, Gheorghe Falcă, claims that producing streetcars would boost Arad"s economy. "We hope that by the end of this year, will complete the negotiations for obtaining the license for making streetcars. At first, the output will be sold on the Romanian market, which means a lot to us", Gheorghe Falcă said.

The mayor of Arad also said that he had several discussions with the officials of "Astra Vagoane Călători", concerning the rehabilitation of streetcars of the Arad Public Transportation Company and their modernization.

Mayor Gheorghe Falcă suggested one possible solution for upgrading old streetcars, by creating one new streetcar out of two old ones and refurbishing their exterior.

Streetcars made by Astra Vagoane Călători will feature two- and three-car models. Production cost-wise, streetcars produced in Arad will be 40% cheaper.

"Whereas right now, a streetcar made by other companies costs around 2.8 million Euros, officials of "Astra" claim that they want the unit price for their streetcars to be at most 1.6 million Euros. Under these circumstances, considering the technology and production facilities available, the company could output 25 to 50 streetcars a year.

"Astra Vagoane Călători" is the main supplier of railway passenger cars of the Romanian National Railway Company (CFR), but it exports most of its output, as the company has contracts with renowned companies, such as Siemens.

In the next two years, "Astra Vagoane Călători" is expected to deliver 200 carriages of the AVA200 family, to the "CFR Călători" National Railway Company. The 200 carriages include IInd class, ZARAND Ist and IInd class lounge, EXPRESS Ist and IInd class or combined CB-type carriages with bar.

Aside from its traditional cooperation with Hungary or Bulgaria, the company also produces passenger carriages for its partners in France, Iran and Egypt.