Comments on: Modern Trains in Romania

By: hose Carera

hose Carera — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 22:56:25 +0000

I have NO IDEA what kind of nice trains are you guys talking about, what I did travel on, was filty NO toilette paper, urin and crap all around. The benches where NOT STABIL either, full with gipsies or romanians I couldn’t tell, they are all very dark. I did almost broke one litle kids arm when I caught it in my pocket. Demn those parents who let their kids do this. I NEVER go back to tour that country :O(

By: Ivaylo Ivanov

Ivaylo Ivanov — Tue, 01 May 2007 03:26:12 +0000

Super. Use those new trains to carry around lettuce. :) Anyway, do you have a lot of those? I guess not, the InterRail site shows old, crappy trains, crappier than the old ones we HAD in Bulgaria. :) http://www.interrailnet.com//2_railway_romania.html

That’s the site for Romania.

http://www.interrailnet.com//2_railway_bulgaria.html

Site for Bulgaria.

I’m happy we got new and quality trains from Siemens. The old ones, at least the locomotives, were from Romania. They were loud and dirty. Hehe.

By: Romer!can - Dispatches from an American in Transylvania

Romer!can - Dispatches from an American in Transylvania — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 19:59:15 +0000

[...] While riding the train to Bucureşti, a very nice Italian couple asked if I knew what was the story behind the people with lambs around town. Having not seen such a thing, I couldn’t really answer. They told me what they had seen three or four different times in the centru and up on Poiana. [...]

By: mon ami

mon ami — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 18:55:57 +0000

well now for the experience, perhaps it’s best to “train it” instead of renting a car for the authentic romanian visit ;-D

By: Romer!can

Romer!can — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 11:45:45 +0000

CO – Defensively, I’d hope you were right because I don’t recall discounts being offered for buying round trip train tickets. But, you know, now I’ll simply have to clear up the entire issue for myself. I suspect CFR is going to get a phone call…

Alina – Whoa ho ho! Wifi on-board the RO trains!? Ya got me there; I had absolutely no idea whatsoever. I’ll put that on my list of things to ask CFR about because I’m curious how they could possibly provide such coverage.

Sure, they could possibly use an EDGE connection, but that would be slow if shared via WiFi to passengers. On the other hand, I’ve recently dabbled with the other GPRS data services in Romania and found they are already slow enough for just one person which would make sharing all but impossible. Let us see, shall we?

Frank – Welcome back! Nice to see you again. The photo in this post is also from second class (for the unfamiliar, that means the “cheap seats” …which ain’t half bad as you can see).

I agree it’s interesting to take the populara ride now and then, to get that authentic flavor of baseline travel. Whether you do it out of budgetary need or free choice, the experience is interesting (that experience also makes me scramble for the IC). I agree you can have some interesting conversation with all sorts of people, should you choose.

On the other hand, I was able to meet a fabulous Italian couple on the IC train. First time in Romania, they were on their way to Sinaia for a day trip. We chatted about Transylvania “must see” sites (and they agreed Bran was underwhelming).

One of them was a tour guide in Italy. After I removed my foot from my mouth from comments about “common tourism,” I was very fortunate that they gave me an invaluable treasure trove of amazingly detailed, Romerican-specific insights, tips, and ideas on precisely where I could find some excellent adventure materials throughout several spots of southern Italy, which I intend to scour as soon as feasible.

No annoying drunk buffoons, however. Yes, those were left behind on the P trains. I suppose you might find one on coach, but -particularly since the recent lockdowns- it’d be unfair to compare US common airline seats to the gritty, earthiness of the least expensive Romanian trains. Because the train wins hands down! =oD

By: frank sellin

frank sellin — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 21:02:08 +0000

Oops, I should rephrase that second to last paragraph…hanging out with people who can’t afford *first class* on ICs and Rapids…etc.

By: frank sellin

frank sellin — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 20:58:15 +0000

Hey, I ran into a kickass German-made intercity train from Deva to Bucharest in 2004. Looked much like your pics. It was beautiful and very comfy even in second class. Only I think it was at least 2:15 for Brasov to Bucharest, maybe more. So much depends on the station/platform managers… ;)

Frankly, I miss getting three cardboard stubs per ride (never did figure out what the third one was for beyond train number and vagon/loc…). They were cute. ‘Twas even funnier to watch the conductors struggle to punch them. :-D

Anyway, I refused to ride anything slower than an accelerat, except for the Personale as the only things to run between Caransebes and the in-laws in Otelu Rosu. Ugh.

But…there is a value to riding second class, even on older, more uncomfortable trains — hanging out with students and other interesting, ordinary people who can’t afford the IC’s and Rapids but still have a lot to say and share, IMO. Granted, you get more buffoons / drunks / annoying people, too, but hey — I can find those in most U.S. airplanes in coach…

Happy New Year! Hope Brasov is treating you well (including functioning canalizare)! :-)

By: Alina Popescu

Alina Popescu — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 18:00:05 +0000

But you forgot something very important! The business class seats. Y’know, with a wireless internet connection and all. Those that you pay a lot :D for a service that others (pizza hut, mcd in the future) offer for free…I guess it is harder to provide on a moving train :D

By: C. Ovidiu

C. Ovidiu — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 16:09:24 +0000

I think you have to buy the tickets from a travel agency in order to get the discount. There’s one in the Braşov railway station (to the left of the stairway).

By: Romer!can

Romer!can — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 15:01:41 +0000

Aha! We have our first claim about discounts, finally. I’d been wondering who might correct me on that point, although I clung firmly to my belief there was no such discount.

Now, I’ll have to chance it – pretend to be last of the famous international cheapskates – and see if I walk away with a discount. If only I can keep the gold dubloons from spilling all over the ground when I reach for the thick wads of 100 RON bills overflowing my many pockets…