Railways and Tramways in Romania - information for enthusiasts

These pages offer a host of information for railway enthusiasts and railway travellers. Rail tickets and also tailor-made tours and arrangements for groups or individuals, including special trains can be organised through our recommended travel agents.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: these pages are presently in the process of being updated. Some of the locomotives from the industrial and narrow gauge railways that appear on these pages are now under cover at Criscior where trains are operated on special occasions to Brad. The Vaser Valley forest railway is still operating both works and tourist trains while there are preservation projects for Covasna-Comandau, Moldovita and Sibiu-Agnita. Special trains were operated on parts of the Turda - Abrud system in 2010, but the full status of the once extensive system radiating from Targu Mures is unknown, though some of the stock is also at Brad. There are also preservation projects in their infancy on this system at Teaca on the Lechinta branch (2014) and at Sovata. The Sibiu Museum is still open and under the ownership of the Brisckenthal so it would appear to have a future. The static display of locomotives that form an outdoor museum at Resita are also still in situ and have recently received a lick of paint. There is also an excellent static display of locomotives at Dej-Traiaj station including two giants: the 151 locomotive and the experimental pre-war diesel that was built for the Predeal line. The status of Subcetate depot is unknown but one or more of the rack engines are now in Slovakia, Most of the industrial narrow gauge systems have no been closed though there are still trains working at Govora, and the tracks are reported to be still in place at Hunedoara. The Busteni paperworks line was closed but the two ancient electric locomotives have been rescued. Main line steam is now non-existent and it is not known whether any of the preserved locomotives still have valid bolier certificates. All of this information will be updated in due course.

SAVE THE VASER VALLEY FOREST RAILWAY, VISEU DE SUS

Severe flooding along the border with Ukraine on 25-26 July 2008 caused considerable damage in Maramures. Funds were allocated to rebuilding houses washed away in Maramures and Suceava Counties. One of the worst hit areas was the Vaser Valley where large sections of trackbed and bridges were lost to floodwaters. A campaign was established to raise funds to reopen the line which is not only unique as the last remaining true steam-hauled forestry railway, but is an essential lifeline to the people and communities of this remote mountain valley.

The railway was operating a full summer tourist schedule during 2011 as far as Faina, and by 2013 was provong extremely successful and popular. Please check with us for further details. Meanwhile, the Wassertalbahn Preserbation Group are active at Viseu de Sus and have been instrumenatl in bring a standard gauge steam locomotive for exhibition in addition to the continued restoration of narrow gauge locaomotives and rolling stock. Please note that this is still very much a working railway operating trains along both the main Vaser valley branch towardsa Coman, and on the Ihoasa branch.

Please see: www.cffviseu.ro/