Cluj-Napoca breaks ground on new metro line amid major infrastructure unveilings

On 5 June, Cluj-Napoca held a ceremony for its first ever metro line, which is set to become Romania's second subway system after the one in Bucharest. The new Line 1, stretching 21 km with 19 stations, is anticipated to be fully operational by 2031, serving 164,000 passengers daily. The project, costing an estimated RON 13.7 billion (approximately €2.8 billion), is funded mainly by the state budget, with RON 1.48 billion from the EU-backed Recovery and Resilience Facility.

In addition to the metro line, officials also inaugurated a new extension of the departures terminal at Cluj-Napoca International Airport. These events are part of a series of large infrastructure developments unveiled amid Romania's current electoral campaign for European and local elections. Emil Boc, Mayor of the city of at Cluj-Napoca since 2004 and Romania’s prime minister between 2008-2012, attended both ceremonies to showcase his administration's achievements.

Other construction projects launched during the campaign in Cluj-Napoca include the metropolitan belt, a regional emergency hospital, the Artificial Intelligence Research Institute and a new school campus. These initiatives highlight the city's rapid development and the administration's commitment to enhancing local infrastructure.