Russian Railways Tendering To Upgrade Cuba’s Railway Infrastructure

Russian Railways (RTZ) are planning to tender for contracts to restore Cuba’s railway infrastructure, according to Sergei Pavlov, First Deputy Head of RTZ has stated at the TransRussia international exhibition being held in Moscow.

Pavlov said “We plan to begin the process of reconstructing Cuba’s railway infrastructure. This year we will formulate and structure the project. The situation has changed, and many years have passed (since the Soviet era). Therefore, we need to look at what they have done there, and what needs to be done. Then we will reformat it as part of the implementation of the Cuban government’s redevelopment plan. In this respect, we will probably have a contract prepared. It could be signed in 2024.”

Cuba has 4,556.25 kilometers (2,831.12 mi) of track, much of which is diesel-powered with just 1,055 kilometers (656 mi) electrified. Recent contributors to upgrading Cuba’s railways have been from Russia, China, and Iran, with other countries such as Mexico, Finland and France selling second hand rolling stock to Cuba. Consequently, the Cuban system is somewhat patchwork and needs standardisation.