The new Schengen Terminal for Foreign Departures, which can operate 8 planes simultaneously, has 18 check-in counters and a processing capacity of 800 passengers per hour. The most modern airport in Romania, inaugurated at Timisoara Airport. Video

TIMISOARA. Historic moment for Traian Vuia International Airport in Timisoara, Friday. On the eve of Romania’s entry into the air Schengen, the new Foreign Departure Terminal, the most modern airport in the country, was inaugurated, in the presence of Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, the presidents of the two chambers of the Parliament, Nicolae Ciuca and Alfred Simonis, the Minister of Transport Sorin Grindeanu, the of Foreign Affairs, Luminita Odobescu, and that of European Funds, Adrian Caciu, as well as several hundred other guests.

The construction of the new Timisoara Airport building started on November 1, 2022. The works lasted 489 days, and today the ribbon was cut for the most modern airport in Romania.

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The terminal has a built area of ​​8,000 square meters and a height of almost 14 m, about the size of a block of almost 5 floors.

The building is structured on several components: a check-in and ticketing room, a circulation room in the public area, which also includes the connection with the Schengen Arrivals Terminal, functional since 2021, a security control room for passengers and luggage, which also includes commercial spaces, a passenger regrouping room, where there are 8 boarding gates and which is set up on 3 levels, with pre-boarding counters, a food court area and a business lounge area.

In total, 18 check-in counters were installed, but there are also self-check-in equipment and 6 automatic document scanning gates.

The processing rate is high, 800 passengers per hour, which means that 8 aircraft can be operated simultaneously.

The weight of the metal structure of the building is over 700 tons, and for the construction of the new airport in Timisoara, the company Concelex worked with an average of 150 people in shifts of 15 hours a day.

The investment from Traian Vuia Timisoara International Airport, the construction of the Terminal and its equipment, was 190 million lei, of which almost 95 million European funds, almost 40 million from the state budget through the Ministry of Transport and almost 60 million own funds.

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UPDATE: Minister of Transport Sorin Grindeanu, at the inauguration of the Schengen terminal at Timisoara Airport: In one year, the number of those who will benefit from this Terminal could reach 3 million passengers

“Timisoara now has an airport as it deserves“, said the Minister of Transport present at the inauguration of the new Schengen International Departures Terminal of Traian Vuia International Airport in Timisoara, on Friday.

In addition to this accomplished objective, Sorin Grindeanu also spoke about the other major investments that will contribute to increasing the number of passengers who will benefit from the most modern airport in Romania, opened near the entry of our country into the Schengen Area.

“The opening of this new terminal is proof that Romania knows how to build to European standards and it is proof that we have the vision and capacity to ensure conditions for citizens.

I can’t wait for my next departure from home to Bucharest or to other destinations to be a passenger in this new terminal. It has grown under my eyes day by day and I feel fulfilled to see it completed.

Timisoara now has an airport as it deserves.

In just one year, the number of those who will benefit from this terminal will be able to reach 3 million travelers, an increase of 50%. The benefits of this investment will be reflected in the increased development of Timisoara. The new terminal is just one of the important development objectives managed by the Ministry of Transport. Next is the modernization of the railway line that will ensure the connection of the Eastern Railway Station with the airport, which requires the construction of a new segment of double electrified railway (…).

This summer, I say well, this summer the traffic on the south belt will open and I estimate that this summer we will also have signed the contract for the west belt.

To these is added another goal that I care a lot about, the construction of the Timisoara-Moravita highway, which we will launch in the auction by the end of this year.

All these projects have no political color and whoever holds the position of Minister of Transport is obliged to complete them successfully.

Today marks 20 years since Romania joined NATO. I wish to write a new page of our history and to be as united as we were 20 years ago, around a common project which is Schengen“, said Sorin Grindeanu, Minister of Transport.

The President of the Romanian Senate, Nicolae Ciuca, emphasized the importance of investing European funds.

“I rejoice with the citizens of Timisoara for this achievement, a symbolic achievement. In life and in history there are moments that end a stage and open a new one for the future.
What we see here has been accomplished with European funds, these are the advantages and we must talk about this to people when we tell them about belonging to the EU. (…)
I believe that we must continue to tell all Romanians that when it comes to the interest and service of the citizens, political differences must be left aside. This terminal, as well as the terminal that will be opened in Iasi, like the one in Sibiu, we are also waiting for the one in Craiova, along with the road infrastructure projects and the other elements of the railway infrastructure that we are waiting for, and we must to fit into this line of transport modernization… I was saying that we left all this in the care of a coalition assumed to be able to fulfill what Romanians expect from political leaders, from those who, when it comes to the electoral campaign , they come with promises that have not been fulfilled. We can see that in the last 4 years the assumed objectives have been achieved and are being achieved“, said Nicolae Ciuca, president of the Romanian Senate.

Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu spoke about Romania’s entry into Schengen Land, but also about the project to lift US visas for Romanians.

“It is obvious, it is clear to everyone that, finally, after more than 30 years, the investments have started to keep pace with the development needs of the community. We see here an investment at the highest standards. And the same thing happens in other parts of the country. There are hundreds of millions of euros that will be invested in the port of Constanta and in the other ports. These investments show me that Romania is ready for full accession to Schengen. (…)

After 14 years of injustice, few hoped that the Schengen doors would be opened. We managed to have air and maritime Schengen, We are on an irreversible path. (…) I assure you that we plan to open Schengen, including land, by the end of the year.

Stability is also needed around the country’s projects, such as Schengen, as next year is the project to lift US visas, as in 2026 we have the OECD accession project.

As 20 years ago no one believed, today we are not only full members of the strongest alliance in history, but we are a basic ally. Just like what happened with NATO and the accession to the EU, I want to do with Schengen and the OECD, we need a common project to which everyone can contribute. The logistic effort must be doubled by a diplomatic effort around this common objective“, said Marcel Ciolacu, the Prime Minister of Romania.

President of the Chamber of Deputies Alfred Simonis: We don’t just come with sketches, with projects, but we also start to inaugurate the investments

Alfred Simonis, the president of the Chamber of Deputies, showed that the projects of the governing coalition are turning into reality one by one and reviewed the other major investments in Timis that are either nearing completion or have been unlocked.

“I am happy to participate today in the inauguration of the first exclusively Schengen terminal in Romania, just 2 days before the entry into the Schengen area. I am glad that this investment was finished in a year and a little, almost 200 million lei. This proves that we don’t just come with sketches, with projects, and that we are starting to inaugurate these investments.

I like to believe that in the next period the prime minister will participate in the inauguration of the South Belt, maybe later he will participate in the works of the West Belt, then at the Oncological Institute and, finally, considering that all the approvals have been obtained, could issue in 10 days the Government Decision regarding the technical-economic indicators of the Dan Paltinisanu stadium. Maybe this year we will start demolishing the stadium.

Timisoara has the right to obtain these investments, not just to contribute to the state budget. We had the opening of the leaders of the governing coalition and we managed to bring large investments in Timis, which are being implemented and in the next period the moment of inauguration will come“, said Alfred Simonis, the president of the Chamber of Deputies.

The first flight to a Schengen destination from Timisoara Airport departing from the new Terminal will take place on Sunday, March 31, to Munich (Germany), from 6.15 am.