Emy
Traveller
7 comments
Posted 15 years ago
I recommend you that in Romania to travel only in IC. This is by far the fastest train in Romania, with the fewest stops. Usually it has attached a bar or restaurant wagon. Try to stay away from Personal (marked P) trains, which are the slowest train in Europe :) ), they are commuters train, stop in every station, even in the middle of now where, and are very dirty. Also trains called Accelerat (marked Ac, or A) should be avoided, they are just a little better that the Personal, the stations are fewer and the trains are a little bit more comfortable, if you have the luck to get one of the few new trains you'll have AC but still, very uncomfortable. . There are also the Rapid trains (marked R), usually they have the same number of stations as an IC, but most of them don't have Air Conditioning.
The price difference between Rapid and IC isn't so huge, I'll say it's maximum 10%.
Also, in case of delays, the IC has priority.
If you think about traveling between May and September, or December to February, I recommend IC. In the summer you'll be cooked, and in the winter you'll freeze or you'll be cooked again by the extreme heater from the wagon. Also in extreme temperature, the lines tend to bend from heat, or the switches tend to get frozen. At that moment the trains will start to run slower, or will get stuck for hours. The IC will have priority in this case, having the smallest delay.
This Christmas I almost lost my plane do to a frozen switch, and a low priority.
If you would like to take a couchette or sleeping cart, then you can choose any type of train available, because those type of wagons are very new (2006-2007-2008) and all have AC and a restaurant. For 700km I've payed 10 euros extra for a a place in a 4 compartment couchette.
[b]NB:[/b] the difference between 4 beds couchettes and 6 beds couchettes are only the number of people inside:)), the 4 beds couchettes, are actually 6 beds couchettes, with 2 beds left unoccupied.
anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments
Hello
I will be passing through Romania in September and would like to know the reservation costs with an Interrail Pass.
Are there any compulsory reservation costs for trains other than IC?
I would like to travel as cheaply as possible and thus not to pay any reservation costs when possible (even if it means taking a crappy Personal train!)
Regards,
Alex.
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hi Alex...
All day train supplements for Romania are listed here: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-train-reservation/romania/ro[/u]
And it is in deed only the IC you have to pay extra.
Peter :)
anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments
All right thanks for the info, I'll be able to travel for free (maybe not in great conditions, but free!!) :P
Alexander123
Traveller
8 comments
Yes, it is true, intercity trains are the fastest in Romania, but it cost an extra fee. I will recommend you not to use Personal trains for many reasons (those kind of trains are always crowded and u cant be sure you will obtain a sit or no; are very, very slow, like 45km per hour; way to many stops; possibility of getting robbed, etc). I suggest you use an Accelerat or, best of all, a Rapid train. Way faster, cleaner, and less crowded and you wont pay any extra fee, you can travel by those only with your interRail pass.
Personal trains are usually used by workers and comuters (and gypsies) for short distances. I live in Romania, so if you wanna know any other informations about this country, just ask, I'll be glad to answer.
markus_jan
Traveller
2 comments
Hello
I have a question concerning reservation and validation with the interrail ticket: Can i make a reservation on the day i want to travel?
And the other question: Do i need to validate the interrail ticket, valid for three days trallelling in Romania, before boarding the tzrain? My travel guide says i have to.
Thanks a lot for helping me,
best regards
Markus
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hi Markus.
As much as I know you can buy a reservation and supplement at the day of departure of your train.
You do not have to validate your ONE Country InterRail Pass Romania - 3 days within 1 month. Simply fill the day of travel (the date) manually in your ticket - that's it.
Peter :)
markus_jan
Traveller
2 comments
Hi Peter
Thanks a lot for your advice! With best regards
Markus :)
joao30676
Traveller
1 comments
Hi Emy,
I´ll go to Romania ( Bucharest and Piatra Neamt ) in the 3rd of November with 3 friends of mine.
Can you give me a help please? :os
We'll arrived at Bucharest ate 01:00 in the 3rd of November and we´ll pick the train ( IC ).
Can you tell us where we can buy those tickets / how much does it cost/ time schedules / round trip a ticket from
Bucharest to Piatra Neamt ?
Sorry for the inconvenience.
I hope to hear from you soon.
Greetings,
João
nltrainer
Traveller
1404 comments
1.oo at night? then you have trouble-sta in airport till 6.00 or so-when busses start running again.
In fact your Q is daft easy and the very same as in Port: go to station/estacao and buy a ticket from a window. in ROM tickets are all for just 1 train, noted on it and have always a seat reserved -sometiems only ''in coupe nr 5 or so''. DO plan before and have some print-or written view of trains. Do not expect anyone to speekee the eengleesj-but French is quite possible. And expect them to be rude and bark at you.
If this sounds to alarming (it is not-its just the way things go there) then go to the WASTEELS office in the same big station and pay a few lei more for the same-they know foreigners and speak english)
There are no returns-you pay single for every trip and the price depends on what train you take, on what day , can maybe search for on the cfr site (it might even be possible to book online for IC-trains-but do not do it, if flght is very late or reschdeulded-not uncommon in the bleakest winter-then you loose all the money) and are-per km- a lot lower as in West Europe(maybe roughly same as in an Intercidade on CP for same distance).
Why Piatra Neamt-have been, nothing to see? I hope for you not some scam set up-this and Bacau nearby are famous for the ATM-swindlers (SIM city). Sorry honest Romanians-but this part is also reality-sadly, alas, for your country.
krasmussen
Traveller
25 comments
According to [ux]https://rail.shop/bahn[/ux] you do have to book a seat for R-trains - but informations here om railcc says you don't.
Anyone know what the true is...?
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hi,
this is a mistake at the software (HAFAS) of [ux]https://rail.shop/bahn[/ux] ...R trains in Romania (Regional) do not require a reservation.
Use the schedule planner of CFR :arr: [u]http://cfrcalatori.ro/[/u]
Flo 8)
anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments
Hey everyone!
I'd like to use some Romanian trains (like Timisoara Nord-Bucuresti Nord night train, Bucuresti Nord -Baia Mare night train or Bucuresti Nord-Budapest Keleti train), but I'm not sure when exactly I'll be there (because it's part of larger journey) so I can't book tickets in advance and all the trains I want to use have obligatory seat reservation.
So my questions are:
Do you think it would be possible to buy a ticket at the departure day or just before the departure - will there be still some free seats? (I plan to use the trains in peek period - July or August, I don't use InterRail ticket this time, I'll have to buy standard tickets)
And the other one: Do you have an idea what is more or less the standard cost of Bucuresti Nord-Budapest Keleti one-way train ticket when buying at the day of departure (normal seat accomodation)?
Thanks in advance for your help :)
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hi!
I guess that seats should still be available at short notice/locally - the night trains to the Black Sea to Constanta/Mangalia probably will be more full I guess.
Bucharest - Budapest should be 43€: [u]http://cfrcalatori.ro/270[/u]
Flo 8)