Rail transport in Romania

In today's world, Rail transport in Romania is a topic that has become increasingly relevant and has become a point of interest for a wide variety of people. Whether we are talking about its impact on society, its relevance in history, its importance today or any other related aspect, Rail transport in Romania is a topic that never stops generating debate and discussion. From its origins to its influence on the present, Rail transport in Romania has been an object of study and interest for academics, professionals, and the general public. In this article, we will explore the various aspects related to Rail transport in Romania and try to shed light on this topic that is so relevant today.

Rail network of Romania
AnsaldoBreda IC2 trainset of Astra Trans Carpatic[1]
Operation
National railwayCăile Ferate Române (until 1998)
Statistics
Passenger km5,978 km (3,715 mi) (in 2023)[2]
System length
Total10,777 km (6,697 mi)[3]
Electrified4,029 km (2,504 mi)[3]
Track gauge
Main1,435 mm / 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in standard gauge
1,520 mm / 4 ft 11+27⁄32 in Russian gauge134 km (83 mi),[3] partly in dual gauge
Electrification
Main25 kV AC
Features
No. tunnelsnearly 200[4]
No. bridgesca. 6800[4]
No. stationsover 1000[4]
Map
Map of Romania's railway network
CFR Class 96 diesel multiple unit

Rail transport in Romania goes back to the Austrian Empire, when in 1857 the line between Timișoara and Szeged (now Hungary) opened. The first railway line on territory of the Kingdom of Romania opened in 1869. It linked Bucharest and Giurgiu. Electrification of the Romanian railway network was expedited during the 1950s and 1960s while the country was under a communist regime.

In 2007, based on data from 2005, the CIA World Factbook listed Romania 23rd of the largest railway networks in the world.[5] As of 2009, the length of the Romanian railway network was 10,788 km (6,703 mi).[6] The total length of all tracks was 22,250 km (13,830 mi), which made it the fourth largest in Europe,[7] of which 8,585 km (5,334 mi) (38.5%) were electrified.[citation needed] As of 2014, the total route length was 10,777 km (6,697 mi), of which 4,029 km (2,504 mi) (37.4%) were electrified.[3] However, Romania's railway system is inadequately-connected and one of the least durable railway systems globally.[4][8][9][10]

Between 1880 and 1998, the national carrier was Căile Ferate Române (CFR). It was divided into several successor companies, including among others CFR Marfă (freight operations). Current passenger train operators include Grup Feroviar Român (GFR), Regio Călători (formerly Regiotrans) and Transferoviar Grup (TFG).

Push-pull operations on the electrified standard gauge lines are often carried out using locomotives of the Electroputere LE5100 family (or CFR Class 47). DMUs include the X 4500 and X 72500 (both ex SNCF) and CFR Class 96. Previously operating EMUs included the CFR Class TEA.

Romania is a member of the International Union of Railways (UIC). The UIC Country Code for Romania is 53.

History

Main article: Căile Ferate Române § History

Partial privatisation

Although passenger railway services are not a state monopoly in Romania, CFR remains the only passenger carrier operating at a national level. However, after the reorganization of CFR in 2011, around 15% of Romanian railway tracks have been leased to private companies. These are known as "non-interoperable tracks" (linii neinteroperabile). The main operators are: S.C. Regional S.R.L., S.C. Transferoviar Grup S.A., S.C. Regio Călători S.R.L., and S.C. Servtransinvest S.A., which now operate a significant number (especially Regio Călători) of routes. Early transfers to these companies included Zărnești–Brașov, Brașov–Întorsura Buzăului, Sfântu Gheorghe–Brețcu, Sighișoara–Odorheiu Secuiesc, Șibot–Cugir, Blaj–Praid, Galați–Bârlad, Buzău–Nehoiașu, Iași–Dorohoi, Timișoara Nord–Nerău, Satu Mare–Bixad, Arad–Nădlac, Bistrița Bârgăului–Bistrița Nord–Luduș, Arad–Brad, Roșiori Nord–Piatra Olt and many others lines. On these lines, CFR is not allowed to operate its trains—companies which have leased the tracks have a virtual monopoly on their usage. Aside from CFR Călători, twelve other companies provide local passenger services, on non-interoperable tracks, even though none of these services exceed 40 km (25 mi) in line length. Twenty-eight private companies, including Petromidia and Servtrans, operate freight transport services on main lines with their own rolling stock, leasing usage rights from CFR.

Future changes

September 2014 saw the publication of the government report Master Plan General de Transport al României.

On the face of it the lengthy report envisages reduction of passenger services on 25% to 40% of the lines. The 'small print' reveals however that closures will not happen overnight or even over the next few years (there is no closure schedule in the report); and closures will only occur if private operators or local authority/perhaps EU financial support cannot be obtained. In addition the report has costed major improvements to the long-distance network considerably to reduce journey times. These projects include recommencing work on the abandoned construction (90% completed in the 1990s) of the 39 km (24 mi) link line from Râmnicu Vâlcea to Vâlcele which will reduce the journey from Bucharest to Sibiu by some 78 km and journey times by at least 90 minutes.

Operators

Map of suburban railways, rapid transit and light rail transit systems, tram, trolleybus in Southeast Europe in 2011

The network used to be operated by Căile Ferate Române, the state railway company, but since 1998, a number of private companies have begun operations in passenger and/or freight transport.

CFR's rail freight division became CFR Marfă.

Train categories

Main article: Train categories in Europe § Romania

Urban rail

Urban rail transport in Romania consists of two metro systems and town tramway systems.

Metro systems

Main articles: Bucharest Metro and Cluj-Napoca Metro

Tramway systems

Main article: List of town tramway systems in Romania

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rail transport in Romania.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Rail travel in Romania.

References

  1. ^ "Astra Trans Carpatic expands its rolling stock fleet with 15 multiple-units". RailwayPro. 31 October 2017. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Rail transport of passengers". eurostat. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "Lungimea căilor de transport, la 31 XII 2014". ziaruldeiasi.ro. 27 April 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d Secretariat of the European Parliament, Directorates-General, Romania's general transport master plan and rail system, retrieved on 17 December 2018. Archived at the Wayback machine "It comprises more than 1,000 stations, almost 200 tunnels and around 6,800 bridges. It is also in an advanced state of disrepair due to a chronic lack of maintenance: most of the track-related assets are on their last legs...According to the draft General Transport Master Plan about 65% of the track, 80% of the turnouts, 85% of the overhead catenary, 66% of the embankments and 40% of the bridges would require renewal. According to the Ministry of Transport 70% of rolling stock is outdated."
  5. ^ The World Factbook, Country Comparison: Railways
  6. ^ "CIA - the World Factbook -- Field Listing :: Railways". www.cia.gov. Archived from the original on 12 June 2009. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  7. ^ "Reteaua feroviara" (in Romanian). cfr.ro. Archived from the original on 8 June 2009. Retrieved 6 September 2009.
  8. ^ Duta, Luminița. Computer-Based Decision Support for Railroad Transportation Systems: an Investment Case Study, Research Gate, retrieved on 17 December 2018. Archived at the wayback machine. "After 1989, Romania inherited one of the largest, very dense, and frequently-utilized railway networks in Europe, which has, at the same time, a relatively outdated and partially worn-out infrastructure. This situation, combined with the economic decline that Romania faced in the 1990s due to its transition to a market economy, resulted in CFR entering in a period of noticeable relative decline. In the early 2000s, CFR started on a comprehensive modernisation program with a view to improving its quality of services and image."
  9. ^ Barbu, Paul. Romania ranks last in the EU in terms of railway quality, Romania Business Review, retrieved on 9 June 2019. Archived at the wayback machine. "Romania ranks in the last place among the European Union member state in terms of railway infrastructure quality, according to Octavian Udriște, honorary president of Club Feroviar. ‘We are all trying to convince the authorities to support the railroad, because we are in the last place in Europe. Everybody says it, and the scoreboard published by DG MOVE (European Commission’s Directorate General for Transport) ranks 28th on all the analyzed transport systems –rail, road, naval, air, and public transport– with 30 criteria, and points: we are on the last place. With rail infrastructure we have won two seats, we are 26th, because Malta and Cyprus have no railways,’ Udriște said. ‘I do have to remind you that in 30 years we did not electrify a kilometre of railway, that the pace of modernisation is slow, that at this rhythm only for Corridor IV it still takes about 15 years, and for the entire TEN-T Comprehensive network, the Rhine-Danube network, almost 5,500 kilometres, takes nearly 200 years,’ he estimated."
  10. ^ Newsroom. Featured - "Railway reform": Destroy half of the national railroad network and fire 10,000 people, Romania Business Review, retrieved on 9 June 2019. Archived at the wayback machine. "Romania’s Government issued a memorandum regarding 'methods of increasing efficiency in the country’s railway system'. The document represents a necessity for the Transport Master Plan which has already been approved by the Executive. The memo includes drastic measures such as eliminating several routes spanning 4,000 km and reducing the national rail-network to just 6,200 km. Among the routes that could be closed down there is București-Oltenița, Galați-Bârlad and Iași-Botoșani, leaving tens of communes and villages isolated.."