First electrified railway with European gauge on Chisinau–Ungheni segment: feasibility study to be completed in 2026

A feasibility study targeting the construction of the first electrified railway line with European gauge, on the Chisinau–Ungheni segment, will be completed in 2026. This will allow trains to run at a speed of 140 kilometers per hour. Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development Vladimir Bolea has made statements to this effect.

In Chisinau, the electrified railway line will extend to the vicinity of the Airport. It will be a continuation of the electrified railway section that will start in Iasi and reach Ungheni.

“In 2026, the feasibility study for the construction of the railway segment from Ungheni to Chisinau will be completed. In Chisinau, the line will reach right in front of the airport. We are talking about a railway built from scratch, in line with European requirements and designs, fully electrified, with European gauge and high-speed trains of at least 140 km per hour,” said Vladimir Bolea at the show, In context, broadcast on the public television station Moldova 1.

The project will ensure a direct connection to the modern network of European railways.

“This will be the train that will initially connect Moldova to Bucharest, but later, when the Romanian side completes the construction project from Iasi to Pascani, and from Pascani northwards, towards the European Union, we will be able to reach, via Ungheni, any city in the European Union by high-speed train traveling at 140–160 km/h. It is an extraordinary opportunity,” emphasized Vladimir Bolea.

The new Chisinau–Ungheni line will represent not only a technical innovation for the national railway infrastructure, but also a strategic project that aligns Moldova with European transport standards.

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development has earlier announced that the project’s pre-feasibility study was being carried out with the support of the Eastern Partnership Investment in Connectivity (EPIC) Facility, an initiative that contributes to the development of sustainable infrastructure and the expansion of the European transport network.