Caile Ferate Romane

Căile Ferate Române is the official designation of the state railway carrier of Romania. Technically it is divided in several companies, notably CFR Calatori (the passenger carrier), CFR Marfa (freight carrier), CFR Infrastructura (infrastructure and maintenence) and SFT (Railroad Tourism Society). About 10% of the railways owned by CFR (known as non-interoperational) has been leased to private operators (such as Zarnesti-Brasov or Ploiesti - Maneciu). It is the fourth largest railway network in Europe (in terms of volume of passengers and freight), with good connections internationally and to nearly every part of Romania. It was criticized in the early 1990s for poor service, but it has recently improved vastly and now provides services that are comparable to those of Western Europe. CFR has sector branches in the following Romanian cities: Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Craiova, Iaşi and Braşov. Although passenger railway services are not a state monopoly in Romania, CFR is the only passenger carrier operating on a national level. 12 other companies have local passenger services (none exceeding 40 km). 28 private companies (such as GFR-Grup Feroviar Roman, Petromidia, Servtrans, Unifertrans, Softtrans) operate freight transport services with their own rolling stoc on leased lines from CFR. Its international UIC code is 53-CFR.

Contents

1 Speeds 2 Train Types 2.1 Personal 2.2 Accelerat 2.3 Rapid 2.4 InterCity 2.5 EuroCity and EuroNight 3 CFR Development 4 Mobile Services 5 External link

Speeds

The speed limit for trains in Romania is 160 km/h, although the only sectors trains run at that speeds are Bucharest-Campina and Bucharest-Constanta and the only trains allowed to go that fast are InterCity and Rapid. All other trains have a general speed limit of 120 km/h. Average operating speeds (including all stops in stations) were in 2004 : 34.3 km/h for Personal, 67 km/h for Accelerat, 85 km/h for Rapid and 87 km/h for InterCity (source: CFR). Freight trains have no specific limitations, although hazardous materials, explosive, nuclear, flammable, chemical or otherwise dangerous trains have a special regime. The longest route in the 2005 table (Suceava - Timisoara) takes 15 hours with an Accelerat Train. The longest route for an Intercity train (Oradea - Constanta) takes 12 hours to complete.

Train Types

CFR operates seven types of passenger train, both on Romania's territory, with rolling stock and locomotives, or internationally, with rolling stock. Also, CFR operates international trains on Romanian territory with its own locomotives.

CFR train types are:

• Personal (P) and Cursa (C) - the trains have assigned numbers from 2000 to 9999
• Accelerat (A)- the trains have assigned numbers from 1000 to 1999
• Rapid (R) - numbered from 200 to 499, from 600 to 999 and from 10000 to 14999
• InterCity (IC) - numbered from 500 to 599
• EuroCity (EC) - numbered as IC trains from 500 to 599
• EuroNight (EN) - numbered as IC trains from 500 to 599
• Night trains, which can be of any status
• Tourist trains and Special trains (trips organized by SFT with vintage rolling stock, on scenic routes etc.) from S1 to S9
• Freight trains - special numbering

Personal

Personal (also former Cursa trains) are the cheapest trains run by CFR. They usually operate on local routes, calling at every station and halt. No supplement is payable for travel on these trains, and seats are not usually reservable. Personal trains have a reputation for being extremely slow, and, if not crowded, usually display a very rustic feel. The rolling stock used to form Personal trains is often old and spartan, consisting mostly of uncompartimented single and double-deckered cars for 2nd class and uncompartimented single-deckered cars for first class. Most Personal cars are painted in blue and have been built in the 1970's and 1980's. Other cars are former 1940's and 1950's cars, refitted with bus seats and used for very short routes in Romanian Bukovina, locally built DMU trainsets and so on. Recently, however, many cars that were used formerly on Accelerat have been downgraded to Personal without a corresponding downgrading of quality. One can classify the Personal in two classes, depending on their purpose: Some are shuttle or suburban trains, linking towns with neighboring villages, these being the worst, the slowest, and the most uncomfortable (such as Bucharest - Oltenita or Timisoara - Berzovia or Suceava-Cacica. They stop at all stops. Others are used to provide for links between two neighbouring cities on the map (but no more than 150-200 km such as Bucharest - Brasov or Bucuresti - Pitesti. Although they stop in nearly every station, they use better rolling stock. Sometimes trains falling in this latter cathegory are used as no-frill trains by tourists and students. As of 2002-2003 all Cursa trains have been upgraded to Personal.

Accelerat

Accelerat trains are long-distance trains that stop only in towns or cities. They are not particularly comfortable, even though they are a little more expensive than Personal trains. Depending on the train, seats may require reservation. Of all the train types, Accelerat tend to travel the longest distances - there are routes that cross the country: for example, from Oradea to Galaţi (more than 830 km) or from Timişoara to Iaşi, stopping at many stations en route. For this reason, Accelerat trains are very popular: even though they are seldom used for express travel between two large cities, they are extremely useful for cross-regional travel between smaller cities. The rolling stock is formed mostly of single-deckered cars, painted in blue, either plain or with a white horizontal stripe. All cars are compartmented, with 8 seats per compartment in second class and 6 in first class. Couchets may be available while sleepers are rarely available on longer routes. A new, and very modern double decker car is to be introduced in June on some medium distance, highly used Accelerat routes, such as the one from Bucharest to the mountain sky resorts of Sinaia and Predeal to provide for more capacity, and higher comfort (as it has air conditioning and a more decent seating arrangement). Desiro trainsets are used on some medium distance Accelerat routes in Transylvania and Banat.

Rapid

Rapid trains are the ones most commonly used by Romanians use to travel quickly and comfortably between main cities. Rapid trains do not travel very long distances - usually operating only on main lines and between key Romanian cities. They stop at most towns and all cities on the way. Especially recently, Rapid trains have become comfortable, with the introduction of more modern cars. The majority of Rapid trains have been refurbished to provide an attractive and comfortable travel experience. Rapid trains are of the same standard as other long-distance European trains. As of December 10 2004, new Siemens Desiro multiple units have been introduced on medium distance routes on Rapid trains. The rolling stock is single-deckered, usually painted red, with a white horizontal stripe. All cars are compartmented, first class may be air-conditioned, with 6 seats per compartment both in second class and first class. Sleepers and dining-cars are available on most long routes.

InterCity

InterCity is Romania's premier train status. It is the most expensive (about $5 for each 100 km, making the longest route in Romania about $30 by InterCity, while the same route using a Rapid is $28, an Accelerat $19 (CFR-July 2004)), but also by far the quickest and most comfortable. There are two main types of CFR InterCity: Standard and Desiro. Desiro InterCity trains are run by modern diesel multiple units between the principal Romanian cities and stop only in sizeable cities (see CFR Development section for more information). They run mostly on middle-distance routes such as Sibiu-Brasov or Cluj-Arad. Standard InterCity trains are made up of very comfortable and modern stock and run on routes similar to those of Rapid trains, usually long-distance with a large number of passangers (for example, between Bucharest and Transylvania, Bucharest and Timisoara, Bucharest and Constanta or Bucharest and Suceava). Before early 2003, there was also a train type known as InterCityExpress (ICE), but these have been discontinued and transformed into IC, while maintaining the former ICE comfort. All IC trains are air-conditioned, and most provide complimentary newspapers and meals in first class. Due to only a very slight difference in prices between Rapid and InterCity, the latter have become the favorite mean of transport for many Romanians, especially during the holidays, so they too may become crowded. The trains are usually very comfortable, all cars being built after 1995, rivaling most western carriers premier services. In 2003, after the sleeper service for the Bucharest-Vienna IC train was taken over by the Austrian Railway Company (ÖBB) many complaints arose due to a decrease in comfort (source: Friends of CFR). Most domestic IC trains have a red and grey livery and use the new C160 rolling stock, built in collaboration with Corail. International Inter-City trains, as well as all the Inter-Cities running from Bucharest to Constantza use the red Astra Vagoane Arad AVA-200 cars, as they have a higher maximum speed at 200 km/h, and are slightly more comfortable. Desiro trains are blue and white (they are known as "Sageata Albastra" - the blue arrow). Most cars are compartmented, 2nd class compartments have 6 places with airplane style, plush bucket armchairs. 1st class compartments have 4 places with plush bucket seats. Sleepers are either painted in the new blue-yellow-white livery or in the red livery, depending on the car used.

EuroCity and EuroNight

EuroCity and EuroNight are usually not run by CFR alone, since they are all international trains. Not all international trains that come to or via Romania are EC or EN - most are usually run as Rapid trains on the territory of Romania. However, the night train from Belgrade to Bucharest is run as a EuroNight train, and there is both a EuroCity and a EuroNight train from Budapest to Bucharest via Arad. EuroCity trains are almost always comfortable and modern, even though not perhaps as comfortable as InterCity, but more similar to Rapid trains. EuroNight trains are very safe night trains of a Western European standard.

The CFR operates several different types of sleeping cars in EuroNight and other night trains. In international trains, the sleeping cars built by Deutsche Waggonbau AG around 1990 are preferred as these have a good standard and showers. They are currently undergoing a refurbishment. In addition, several older types of sleeping cars (WLAB33, T2S) were recently bought second hand from Germany; these are being modernized and mostly used inside Romania and to the neighbour countries. They replace the old OSShD-B/Y sleeping cars previously used in these services.

CFR Development

In 2003, CFR put into operation more modern trainsets (DMU's) from Siemens of Germany, with aim to connect all main cities in a modern IC network. The trainsets, known as (Siemens Desiro), were built in Germany, with some also being assembled in Arad, Romania. They are used on intercity trains (IC) on short and medium distances. The Romanian Intercity network operates the following routes.

• Bucharest - Iaşi
• Bucharest - Bacău - Suceava
• Bucharest - Ploieşti - Braşov
• Bucharest - Brăila - Galaţi
• Bucharest - Piteşti - Craiova
• Bucharest - Constanţa - Mangalia
• Bucharest - Tulcea
• Timişoara - Arad - Oradea - Cluj-Napoca
• Cluj-Napoca - Alba Iulia - Sibiu
• Cluj-Napoca - Baia Mare - Satu Mare
• Sibiu - Râmnicu Vâlcea - Craiova
• Braşov - Sibiu
• Timişoara - Deva - Sibiu
• Reşiţa - Caransebeş - Timişoara

Overall, Bucharest, Alba Iulia, Arad, Baia Mare, Bistriţa, Brăila, Braşov, Caransebeş, Cluj-Napoca, Craiova, Constanţa, Dej, Deva, Galaţi, Iaşi, Mangalia, Oradea, Piteşti, Ploieşti, Râmnicu Vâlcea, Reşiţa, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Timişoara and Tulcea are serviced, as well as a few other smaller cities.

During the winter season of 2004-2005, Desiro trainsets are also used as shuttle services between Bucharest and a number of Romanian skiing resorts, such as Predeal, Sinaia and Buşteni.

Desiro trainsets are now also used on some Rapid and Accelerat status trains. Severe criticism arose from the usage of these trainsets on long routes, as they are designed for short distances, and have rather uncomfortable seating and poor toilet service. CFR has bought 80 new cars of WLABmee (sleeper), Couchettes, A (1st class) and B (second class), as well as some double decker cars and trainsets from Astra Arad and Remarul Pascani. They are to be used on InterCity, Rapid and Accelerat trains, starting this summer. The sleepers and couchettes are air-conditioned, have LCD screens in each compartment and modern showers. 1st and 2nd class cars are air-conditioned. They have been first showed in late March and April 2005 at a series of official presentations in Gara de Nord in Bucharest.

Other developments include the modernization of class 40 and 41 electric locomotives and of class 60,61 and 62 diesel locomotives, as well as the acquisition of 10 Siemens Taurus electric locomotives.

Mobile Services

In 2003, Connex GSM Romania, the country's largest mobile phone operator, struck a deal with CFR to provide quick mobile services to the CFR timetable and booking system. Currently, a 24-hour hotline operates where customers of Connex can call a certain three-digit number (652) and get real-time information on train routes, timetables, station platform depatures, delays, prices and ticketing information and booking of trains from Bucharest North station. Orange Romania has signed a similar agreement in early 2004. All train routes are covered by mobile operators.

External link

• Official site of the Căile Ferate Române (http://www.cfr.ro/)ro:Căile Ferate Române

sv:CFR