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 However, it is often months out of date for the private operators so it is better to use the Downloadable Timetable, above.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 were withdrawn at the start of the 2009/2010 timetable:
- 913 Golenţi - Poiana Mare
- T6 Fălciu - Prut
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.
