Romania - General Information
Country Name
Romania (România)
National Railway System
Compania Naţională de Căi Ferate (CFR). CFR Calatori is the passenger operator and CFR Marfa the freight operator.
Official Website
Language
Romanian, but there is a substantial Hungarian speaking minority in Transylvania.
Currency
RON (Romanian New Lei). The unit is Leu (plural Lei), 1 Leu = 100 Bani (singular Ban).
UIC code
numeric: 53; alpha: RO.
Timetable
Journey Planner
www.cfr.ro/default_engleza.htm and select "Timetable Services" on the left hand side of the screen.
Downloadable Timetable
None identified for CFR. The result of enquiries made on the journey planner can be printed. mersul-trenurilor-sectii-secundare.uv.ro gives up to date information on the private operators (see Other Railways for a list of the lines covered).
Printed Timetable
Mersul Trenurilor de Călători published annually. This includes introductory material in French and English, with an explanation of the abbreviations in French. It contains details of all CFR services and those provided by private operators. However, it is often months out of date for the private operators so it is better to use the Downloadable Timetable, above.
Engineering Information
If a train listed by the journey planner is affected by engineering work, a note will be shown in the "Restrictions" column at the right hand side of the screen.
Maps
There is no published map of the railways of Romania, except that in M.G. Ball's "European Railway Atlas". A web-based map of Romania can be found at www.bueker.net/trainspotting/maps_romania.php. An an official CFR map at www.cfr.ro/CFR_new/Rom/1%20-%20Harta%20Retelei%20CFR.pdf shows some lines which are already closed to passenger traffic.
Gauge
Standard. Russian gauge (1520 mm) track crosses into Romania from Ukraine to Halmeu, Dorneşti, Sighetu Marmasţiei and Galaţi, and from Moldova to Nicolina (Iaşi) and Falciu. The broad and standard gauge tracks are separated at stations but four rail track is provided between stations. The CFR narrow (760 mm) gauge lines are all closed.
Electrification
25 kV 50 Hz.
Rule of the road
Right.
Other Railways
Company/Table | Route |
S.C. Regional S.R.L. | |
316 | Oradea - Ciumeghiu - Holod - Vaşcău |
406a | Bistriţa Nord - Bistriţa Bârgăului |
417 | Satu Mare - Botiz - Bixad |
418 | Năsăud - Ilva Mică - Rodna Veche |
S.C. Transferoviar Grup S.A. | |
314 | Oradea - Baile Felix - Holod |
504 | Buzau - Berca - Nehoiaşu |
S.C. Regiotrans S.R.L. | |
200 | Alba Iulia - Sibiu - Podu Olt |
200/200A/300 | Braşov - Arad |
200/300/405 | Luduş - Alba Iulia |
200A/206 | Cugir - Alba Iulia |
203 | Braşov - Zărneşti |
208/300 | Blaj - Copşa Mică - Sibiu |
208/300/308 | Odorhei - Sighişoara - Copşa Mică - Sibiu |
210 | Alba Iulia - Zlatna |
215 | Arad - Nădlac |
216 | Arad - Aradu Nou - Periam - Sânnicolau Mare - Vălcani |
217 | Timişoara Nord - Sinandrei - Periam - Lovrin - Nerau |
218 | Timişoara Nord - Ronaţ - Lovrin - Sânnicolau M - Cenad |
300 | Braşov - Ploieşti Vest - Bucureşti Nord |
300 | Bucureşti Nord - Floresti Prahova |
307 | Blaj - Târnaveni - Praid |
313 | Nadab - Graniceri |
400 | Braşov - Miercurea� Ciuc - Siculeni - Gheorgheni |
403 | Braşov - Intorsura Buzăului |
404 | Sf. Gheorghe - Breţcu |
406 | Bistriţa Nord - Saratel - Magherus Sieu - Luduş |
500/510 | Fălticeni - Dolhasca - Pascani |
500/600/704 | Ploieşti Vest - Focsani - Tecuci - Bârlad - Vaslui - Iaşi |
512 | Dorohoi - Leorda - Botoşani |
517/606 | Targu Neamt - Paşcani - Iaşi |
600/605 | Roman - Buhăieşti - Iaşi |
607 | Iaşi - Podu Iloaiei - Harlau |
608 | Iaşi - Leţcani - Dângeni - Dorohoi |
900/909 | Caracal - Alexandria |
909a | Alexandria - Zimnicea |
910 | Caracal - Corabia |
916a | Buziaş - Gătaia - Jamu Mare |
921 | Jebel - Giera |
922 | Timişoara Nord - Voiteni - Gătaia - Berzovia - Reşiţa N |
923 | Berzovia - Oravita |
926 | Timişoara Nord - Cruceni |
928 | Jimbolia - Lovrin |
S.C. Ferotrans-T.F.I. S.R.L. | |
513 | Suceava - Darmanesti - Cacica - Gura Humorului Oras |
S.C. Servtransinvest S.A. | |
907 | Rosiori Nord - Costesti - Pitesti |
Tourist lines
- Vişeu de Sus (steam trains) www.wassertalbahn.ch
- Moldoviţa forest railway (steam trains)
- Brad – Criscior forest railway (steam trains)
The CFR narrow gauge lines (Târgu Mureş network and Sibiu - Cornatel - Agnita) are closed but ideas for reopening exist.
Once a year, a steam loco is taken to Abrud for two days to run a service on the 10 km section to Campeni. A similar sparse steam operation is offered in Comandau.
Metro
Trams
Bucharest, Arad, Botoşani, Brăila, Cluj Napoca, Craiova, Galati, Iaşi, Oradea, Ploieşti, Reşiţa, Sibiu, Timişoara.
Recent and Future Changes
Much of the network is electrified, and more electrification is in progress.
Some CFR lines on the list of those threatened with closure may be taken over by private operators; otherwise they will be closed.
The following services are no longer shown in the 2010-2011 timetable:
- 513 [Suceava] – Darmaneşti – Păltinoasa – [Gura Humorului Oraş]
- 514 Vama – Moldovita hcv ( closed in 2010 after flood damage)
- 919 Cross border section from Jimbolia - Kikinda (Serbia)
Owing to the difficult political situation with Moldova, the Bucharest - Chisinau sleeper train runs only on alternate days.
The border crossing at Kardam (BDŽ) / Negru Vodă (CFR) carried passenger trains between 15 June and 9 August 2009 after some years of closure.
Special notes
None.