Rail transport in Romania

The first railway in the Kingdom of Romania opened in 1869 and linked Bucharest and Giurgiu. The first railway on electric current in the current Romanian territory opened in 1854, between Oravița and Baziaș in Banat, right next to the border with Serbia; however, that region was under the administration of the Austrian Empire at the time, and became part of Romania after World War I.

Since then, the Romanian railway network has been significantly expanded, and is now the fourth largest in Europe by total track length, comprising 22298 km. Of these, some 8585 km are electrified. The route length is 10788 km. Romania's railway system is inadequately-connected and one of the least durable railway systems globally.

the railway network of Romania consists of 10777 km, of which 4029 km (37.4%) are electrified. The total track length is 22247 km, of which 8585 km (38.5%) are electrified. The CIA World Factbook lists Romania with the 23rd largest railway network in the world. The network is significantly interconnected with other European railway networks, providing pan-European passenger and freight services.

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

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 in Romanian). 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, 12 other companies provide local passenger services, on non-interoperable tracks, even though none of these services exceed 40 km in line length. 28 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 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
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.
 * Regiotrans
 * Grup Feroviar Român
 * Servtrans
 * Softrans
 * Transferoviar Grup
 * Unifertrans
 * Astra Trans Carpatic

CFR's rail freight division became CFR Marfă.



Rail links with adjacent countries

 * Same gauge 1435mm:
 * Hungary – Multiple crossings (from North to South - Carei, Valea lui Mihai, Episcopia Bihor, Salonta, Curtici. Multiple daily passenger frequencies to Budapest and beyond (only to Győr, Mosonmagyaróvár, Hegyeshalom, and Vienna for the moment) from Bucharest and from many cities within Transylvania. Both networks electrified at 25 kV, 50 Hz AC (only electrified crossing at Curtici/Lokoshaza).
 * Serbia – crossings at Jimbolia and Stamora Moravița. As of March 2020, no passenger rail transport from Bucharest to Belgrade via Timișoara and Vršac. No electrified crossings.
 * Bulgaria – crossings at Calafat, Giurgiu and Negru Vodă. Daily passenger service to Sofia and beyond (Athens and Istanbul) from Bucharest. No voltage issues (currently no electrified crossings, Calafat-Vidin crossing electrification is planned, same voltage, 25 kV, 50 Hz AC.
 * Ukraine – Dual gauge crossing at Halmeu. Crossing not electrified. Currently freight only. Dual gauge line enables standard gauge connections with Hungary and Slovakia through Chop.
 * Break-of-gauge:
 * Ukraine – Break-of-gauge /. Crossings at Vicșani, Valea Vișeului and Câmpulung la Tisa (including bogie conversion systems). Dual gauge (4 rail) track exists between Tereseva (Ukraine)/Câmpulung la Tisa – Sighetu Marmației – Valea Vișeului, going back into Ukraine. Ukrainian trains (both freight and passenger services) occasionally use this route without stopping within Romania. International passenger services exists between Bucharest and Kyiv (and onwards to Moscow) via Vicșani (operated by CFR, with UZ and RZD cars) and between Sighetu Marmației and Teresva (operated by UZ). Crossings are not electrified.
 * Moldova – Break-of-gauge /. Crossings and bogie changers exist at Ungheni (Moldova) and Galați-Reni. Crossings not electrified, as the Moldovan Railways network has Diesel traction only. Daily passenger service to Chișinău from Bucharest. Multiple daily services from Iași.