After multiple setbacks and stalled procurement rounds, Siemens Mobility has finally been awarded a contract to deliver 12 H₂ fuel cell electric trains to Romania’s Railway Reform Authority (RRA), marking a significant step forward for H₂-powered rail in Eastern Europe.

The German technology group—acting as the sole bidder—secured the $373-MM tender following the completion of financial and technical evaluations, along with approval from Romania’s National Authority for Public Procurement. The contract also includes a long-term maintenance agreement spanning 30 years, with the option to extend for an additional three decades.

The tender process has been anything but straightforward. Since its initial launch in 2023, the project has been cancelled three times—twice due to a lack of bidders and once because of a non-compliant submission. The most recent relaunch in late 2024 came after the project lost backing from the EU’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, forcing the RRA to seek alternative financing for a broader initiative previously valued at more than $868 MM.

Building on Germany’s H₂ rail experience. Siemens brings proven experience to the project. Its Mireo Plus H H₂ trains entered commercial service in 2024 on the Berlin-Brandenburg network, with additional units currently being manufactured for Germany’s Südostbayernbahn line.

The trains are powered by a 1.7-MW fuel cell system paired with onboard batteries, enabling ranges of up to 1,200 km on a single tank—positioning them as a viable alternative for non-electrified routes.

Despite growing interest, H₂ rail deployment across Europe has encountered headwinds. Supply chain disruptions for H₂ fuel and reliability issues with key components have sidelined some early fleets over the past two years.

Still, advocates argue that H₂ technology offers a compelling decarbonization pathway—particularly for long-distance, non-electrified rail corridors where full electrification remains cost-prohibitive.

For Romania, the Siemens award signals renewed momentum in modernizing its rail network while exploring low-emission alternatives to diesel—an effort that could serve as a test case for broader H₂ adoption across the region.