Skip to content
National platform for public administration, companies and smart communities
[email protected] +40 31 425 42 63 Contact
RO | EN
ARSC/Resources/Case studies
15 CASE STUDIES · VERIFIED DATA

Smart City in Romania,
a small selection explained in detail

Fifteen Romanian communities that have put Smart City or Smart Village projects into practice. All the data has been checked against public sources: official city hall press releases, regional and national media, and institutional websites. We do not invent and we do not exaggerate. Where figures differ between sources, we have kept the most cautious version.

Mobility
Digitalisation
Energy
Environment
Smart Village
Integrated strategy
15Documented
case studies
14Counties
represented
7Fields
covered
100%Data verified
in public sources
01

Ciugud commune, Alba County

Smart Village · 2017 to date · about 3,200 inhabitants · 6 villages
SMART VILLAGE

Romania's first Smart Village

The first public administration in rural Romania to allow taxes and local charges to be paid online (the third in the country, after Oradea and Timișoara). Since 2022 the city hall has closed its cash desk: all payments are made electronically, through a mobile app, the citizens' platform, Ghișeul.ro (the national online payment portal) or electronic payment kiosks installed in each of the commune's 6 villages. Since September 2019 it has run Romania's first rural "Smart School", with about 130 pupils, virtual textbooks and online lessons. The "Ciuguban" project, a virtual currency, rewards pupils who recycle plastic.

CategoryAdministrative digitalisation, education, environment
FundingEU funds · about €35 million in total
Recognition1st place, innovative projects category (environment) · "Innovation and Quality in the Public Sector" conference, Government of Romania, December 2021
Official case studyNational Smart Village Programme (Government of Romania, since 2020)
SOURCES G4Media SpotMedia primariaciugud.ro
02

Alba Iulia Municipality

Smart City pilot 2018 · IoT, mobility, environment, tourism, education
INTEGRATED PILOT

Alba Iulia Smart City 2018: Romania's first integrated pilot project

Launched in December 2016 and put into practice in 2017-2018. Fourteen technology solutions installed in a single year. A LoRaWAN network with 6 gateways covering the whole city. 100 Flashnet devices for remote management of street lighting, 50 devices for the water network (leak alerts), 15 air quality sensors on STP Alba Iulia buses, and about 250 proximity beacons at 225 tourist sights (Alba Carolina Citadel). Wi-Fi hotspots, a Civic Alert solution for reports from citizens, and digital classrooms.

PartnersOrange România (lead), Civic Alert, Magnasci/uRadMonitor, Tech Lounge, FullscreenDigital, Gebs/Zoniz, Flashnet
Funding100% Orange România + partners (pilot project, no public money)
ImpactMore than 600 sensors connected to the city's digital infrastructure
StatusRomania's first Smart City pilot city
SOURCES Orange Business uRadMonitor Alba Iulia City Hall
03

Cluj-Napoca Municipality

EU Mission "100 Climate-Neutral Cities by 2030" · selected April 2022
CLIMATE NEUTRALITY

Cluj-Napoca Pilot City - NetZeroCities

Cluj-Napoca is one of the three Romanian cities selected (together with Bucharest and Suceava) for the EU mission for 100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030. It received the "EU Mission Label" on 12 October 2023, among the first 10 EU cities to obtain this recognition. Stated target: an 80% cut in GHG emissions by 2030. Pilot project: "Blueprint for Net-Zero Apartment-block Neighbourhoods".

PartnersRomanian Order of Architects - Transylvania branch, Cluj IT Cluster (Transilvania IT), Transilvania Energy Cluster, UBB, UTCN, ADI Zona Metropolitană Cluj (Cluj Metropolitan Area association)
Funding€1.5 million · contract of 19 June 2023 with EIT Climate-KIC HBV
Target80% cut in GHG emissions by 2030
RecognitionEU Mission Label · among the first 10 EU cities
SOURCES Cluj-Napoca City Hall NetZeroCities Agerpres
04

Brașov Municipality

Electric bus procurement through the PNRR · 2022-2023
MOBILITY

A 100% electric public transport fleet (RATBV)

Brașov City Hall secured funding through Romania's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) for 23 electric buses (contract signed in December 2022) and later for another 50 electric buses (February 2023), plus 18 fast charging stations and 50 slow ones. The RATBV fleet reaches more than 200 low-impact vehicles (electric buses, trolleybuses and hybrid vehicles).

OperatorRATBV (Brașov public transport)
FundingPNRR · €24.3 million excluding VAT for the batch of 50 buses; additional EU funding of more than €11 million for 23 buses
Charging stations18 fast + 50 slow
StatusOne of the largest municipal electric bus fleets in Romania
SOURCES Green Community Mobilitate.eu ZF Transilvania
05

Sector 6, Bucharest

SMART 6 - SMIS 155741 · Administrative digitalisation, green energy
DIGITALISATION

SMART 6: strategic planning for digital transformation and green energy

Strengthening administrative capacity by drawing up local strategies for digital transformation and green energy, digitising the archive retroactively and training staff. Parallel components: a mobile app for citizens, an inventory of parking spaces, interconnection with RAR (the Romanian Automotive Register) and BAAR (the motor insurance bureau), and GIS applications (underground networks, road signs, pedestrian crossings, the green spaces register, playgrounds).

BeneficiarySector 6 City Hall
PartnersRomanian Smart City Association (implementation partner); Nanoterra (process digitalisation)
FundingRON 3,653,288.40 in total · RON 3,580,222.63 EU co-financing
Project codeSMIS 155741
SOURCES Sector 6 City Hall ARSC - SMART 6 (in Romanian)
06

Oradea Municipality

Smart street lighting upgrade · city centre · 2026
ENERGY & SAFETY

Remotely managed smart street lighting: Oradea city centre

Full replacement of the lighting infrastructure in the city centre (Piața 1 Decembrie, Mihai Viteazul, Aleea Emanuil Gojdu, Spiru Haret) with a smart, remotely managed system: light output adjusted to the time of day, individual or group control of the fittings, real-time consumption monitoring, adaptive lighting with motion sensors at pedestrian crossings, and integrated video cameras.

ContractorSC ELBI Energy Projects SRL
ContractSigned March 2026 · 9-month duration
ValueRON 4,828,994.63 excluding VAT · about €1 million · local budget
TechnologiesRemote management, motion sensors, integrated video cameras
SOURCES Oradea.ro eBihoreanul
07

Oradea Municipality

Urban district heating upgrade · 2009-2028 programme
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Urban district heating refurbishment + geothermal energy

Digitalisation of the district heating networks by installing 1,802 smart meters for 901 customer connections and by putting a hydraulic balancing system into practice. Parallel investment in geothermal energy (Nufărul I neighbourhood, heat pumps). Oradea is the national leader in using geothermal energy for urban district heating.

OperatorTermoficare Oradea SA · CET Oradea · Oradea City Hall
FundingMix of POIM / POR (EU operational programmes) / local budget · multi-annual programme
ImpactEstimated heat losses cut by 11,809.7 Gcal/year (4.06% of the energy sold at 19 heating substations)
TechnologiesSmart meters, hydraulic balancing system, geothermal heat pumps
SOURCES Oradeatermoficare.ro Oradea24
08

Sector 4, Bucharest

Online residential parking platform + the "Primăria Sectorului 4" app
MOBILITY & DIGITALISATION

The digital residential parking platform

An online platform that removes the need to file paper applications for residential parking spaces. The mobile app offers booking in a few minutes, a map of available spaces updated in real time, and payment by card or SMS directly from the app. Parking cards carry digital codes. The app also includes online payment of local taxes, reporting of problems and an online registry.

BeneficiarSector 4 Urban Mobility Directorate
FundingSector 4 local budget
FeaturesSpace booking, real-time map, card/SMS payment, problem reports, online registry
SOURCES PS4.ro Sector 4 Urban Mobility
09

Cluj-Napoca Municipality

Municipal app ecosystem · My Cluj, Cluj Parking, ClujID
DIGITALISATION

An ecosystem of citizen-to-administration apps

"My Cluj" lets citizens send reports directly to the city hall (Android and iOS). "Cluj Parking" shows free parking spaces in real time. "ClujID" reduces the risk of identity theft when opening accounts, through AI-assisted facial recognition. More than 73 digital procedures are available.

PartnersCluj IT Cluster (ecosystem)
FundingLocal budget + IT partnerships
FeaturesProblem reports, real-time parking, AI digital identity, 73+ online procedures
SOURCES Cluj-Napoca City Hall - ClujID Știrile ProTV
10

Timișoara Municipality

Smart City and Digital Transformation Strategy 2022-2027
INTEGRATED STRATEGY

An integrated urban strategy co-created with the local ecosystem

Strategy approved unanimously by Timișoara Local Council on 30 June 2022. Co-created from August 2021 with the local ecosystem (IT companies, academia, NGOs) and international experts. Seven pillars: transparent decision-making, quality public services, innovation and the business environment, attracting a workforce, environment, culture, mobility. Key projects: a single portal for citizens, companies and the administration, a City App, an events portal, participatory budgeting, Timișoara Digital Twin. Progress can be followed publicly on the Decidem platform.

ApprovalTimișoara Local Council · 30 June 2022 · unanimous vote
Co-creationLocal IT companies, academia, NGOs, international experts
Pillars7: transparency, public services, innovation, workforce, environment, culture, mobility
TransparencyImplementation followed publicly on Decidem
SOURCES smartcity.primariatm.ro Decidem · public monitoring
11

Sibiu Municipality

The e-administration portal · the first platform of its kind in Romania · 2011
DIGITALISATION

e-administrație.sibiu.ro + Sibiu City App

Launched in 2011, the first platform of its kind run by a local authority in Romania. Citizens can file applications and petitions electronically, pay almost 100 local taxes and receive documents in electronic form. Sibiu City App provides information and communication with the administration. The entire bus fleet is fitted with GPS and integrated into a digital fleet management and e-ticketing system, with real-time arrival information at stops. In 2024, three new projects were submitted for funding (AI chatbot, smart parking, automatic translation).

Launch2011 (relaunched 2022)
Servicesabout 100 local taxes payable online, petitions system, electronic documents
TransportWhole fleet with GPS, e-ticketing, real-time information
StatusA pioneer of urban administrative digitalisation in Romania
SOURCES Ora de Sibiu Turnul Sfatului
12

Galați Municipality

Galați City App (since 2018) + EV charging network
DIGITALISATION & MOBILITY

Galați City App + electric vehicle charging infrastructure

The Galați City App has been running since 2018, with two modules: Public Communication and Information (two-way dialogue between the administration and citizens) and a Digital Tourist Guide. More than 12,000 users and 6,672 reports sent to the city hall have been publicly reported. For electric mobility, 46 stations with 86 charging points have been installed in different areas; more than 180 additional stations are under contract.

App partnersEventya (Open City)
EV charging stations46 stations · 86 points installed · +180 under contract · partner Swarco România
App users12,000+ users · 6,672 incidents reported
FundingLocal budget + partnerships · AFM (Environment Fund Administration)/PNRR for EV stations
SOURCES Eventya blog SCIA projects
13

Suceava Municipality

eportal.primariasv.ro + Suceava UrbanGIS · EU "100 Cities" mission
DIGITALISATION & URBAN PLANNING

E-administration portal + Suceava UrbanGIS

A portal with a personal account for electronic services run by Suceava City Hall: street register, address certificate, special transport permit, approval for siting buildings, permits for utility excavation works, planning certificate, and taxi licences. "Suceava UrbanGIS" is a project dedicated to urban planning services. 81 civil servants received certificates of attendance for the training on operating the new systems. Suceava is one of the three Romanian cities selected for the EU "100 Climate-Neutral Cities" mission.

UrbanGISRON 4 million · services dedicated to urban planning
Training81 civil servants certified in operating the systems
EU missionSelected for "100 Climate-Neutral Cities by 2030" (together with Cluj-Napoca and Bucharest)
FundingPNRR + POR + buget local
SOURCES Obiectiv de Suceava Agerpres - 100 Cities
14

Iași Municipality

Digital Transformation Strategy · winner of the European Commission Digital Cities Challenge 2017
INTEGRATED STRATEGY

Digital Transformation Strategy + app ecosystem

In 2017 Iași won the Digital Cities Challenge run by the European Commission. Since 2019 it has had a Digital Transformation Strategy drawn up with European Commission experts. The Tranzy app for public transport, "Iași Maps" with cadastral boundaries, the "Iași Open Data" project (under EU Directive 1024/2019) and Wi-Fi extended to disadvantaged areas. A "paperless municipality" concept: administration without paper.

RecognitionWinner, Digital Cities Challenge · European Commission · 2017
StrategyDrawn up since 2019 with European Commission experts
AppsTranzy (transport), Iași Maps, Iași Open Data
ComplianceEU Directive 1024/2019 (Open Data)
SOURCES iasismartcity.ro Smart City Magazine
15

Buzău Municipality

Innovative urban mobility + circular economy · a regional model
MOBILITY & ENVIRONMENT

Central public transport lanes + circular economy

Buzău was the first in Romania to introduce central lanes reserved exclusively for public transport. It has put smart parking management solutions and air quality sensors into practice. Buzău is becoming a model for other administrations (including in the Republic of Moldova) in urban mobility, digitalisation and urban regeneration, with a focus on the circular economy.

National firstCentral lanes reserved for public transport
TechnologiesSmart parking, air quality sensors, urban regeneration
ModelReplicated in the Republic of Moldova
FundingMix of POR + PNRR + local budget
SOURCES Ziarul Național Moldova m100.ro Buzău

Methodology note

All the figures included come from official press releases, regional and national media or institutional websites, and have been checked against at least one public source. Where the data differed between sources (for example, the number of sensors or the value of contracts), we kept the most cautious version, as given in the official press releases. Studies 1-10 have the densest public coverage; 11-15 are solid, but with fewer specific figures that can be verified.

To explore all the Smart City and Smart Village projects in Romania, all 1,720 documented so far, visit map.arsc.ro, the ARSC database kept up to date from official sources (PNRR, MySMIS, SEAP, INS, ANCOM, MIPE, MDLPA). The map is in Romanian.

Do you have a project worth documenting?

For city halls, county councils, inter-municipal development associations (ADIs) and companies: if your project meets the transparency criteria (public sources, an official press release, measurable reporting), we can include it in this collection. Send us the details.

Propose a case study →All projects on the Smart City Map of Romania →

The Smart City Romania network run by ARSC

Everything you want to know about the fastest-growing industry in Romania. The sites below are in Romanian.

Explore

Take part

Read

arsc.ro · [email protected]