Rail Travel in Romania

Below is a detailed map of the railways of Romania. You can zoom in by using the +/- buttons or by using the wheel on your mouse whilst hovering over the map.

This map has been extracted from the Railway Map of Europe with kind permission of the publishers.
You can purchase copies of the full map, as well as rail timetables, from The European Railway Timetable website

ROMANIA

Romania has a railway system with good quality regional routes and regular international traffic to Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria: but limited services to Moldova and Ukraine. It runs on standard gauge and is 80% electrified: a visit to Transylvania is a must (see link below)! It has a moderately dense rail network which covers most parts of this large country. Some of the network is rather run down and travel can often be quite slow. Some main lines are now being steadily modernised and improved with the help of European Union Regional Development funds. Services are fairly frequent on the main lines, but do not run at regular clock-face intervals. Tickets can be bought online, at staffed stations and selected travel agents. Most trains are run by the state railway called “CFR Calatori”. Reservations are compulsory for all long-distance trains called “Interregio” and “Regio-Expres” which are numbered on the timetables. All other CFR trains are local stopping trains without a number on the timetable. The Oravita to Anina line near the Serbian border is one of the most scenic lines in the country and the oldest in South-Eastern Europe. The Balkan Flexipass can be purchased in both 2nd and 1st class for travel in Bulgaria, Greece, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania (only on CFR Calatori services), Serbia, Turkey and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

BICYCLES: Bicycles can be taken on all local trains and some long-distance trains for a small fee. Space must be reserved on the long-distance trains.

MOBILITY ASSISTANCE: This can be booked online or at staffed stations from 72 to 24 hours in advance of the departure time of the train. This service only seems to be available for Interregio and Regio-Express services.

INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIONS: There are 2 Euro city type day trains from Bucharest to Budapest and also 3 night trains one of which continues onto Vienna. Some of these go via Brasov and others via Timisoara & Craiova and are all consolidated into a regular 2 hourly service from Arad to Budapest. There are local train services to Hungary 6 times daily from Oradea to Puspokladany, 2 times daily from Salonta to Bekescsaba and 3 times daily from Satu Mare to Debrecen.

There is a once daily service from Bucharest to Sofia via the Danube bridge crossing at Ruse, and another service from Craiova to Sofia with a change at Vidin.

A night train runs from Bucharest to Chisinau in Moldova, but services to Ukraine are currently suspended.

NP November 2021