Post by tim.....Whilst my car was in dock (earlier this year) I went from Brasov to
Sighisoara for a day trip.
There are limited trains on this route (which might explain why it was full)
There appear to be limited trains (by British standards) on most routes
in Romania!
<snip>
Post by tim.....So I went out on the bus.
Which from my perspective would defeat the point of going somewhere :-)
Post by tim.....But as a traveller, when I went to the window to buy the ticket, I was
informed that the next train was full. I enquired if this meant that I
could stand and she said yes. So she sold me a ticket, 34:80. This was
an "express" train and took 2 hours 18. I could have waited for a later
local train but this took nearly 4 hours. I can see from the ticket
that it was 128Km.
The trains are very very slow, although we did at least overtake a
horse-drawn vehicle somewhere.
Post by tim.....Oh and I got lucky with a seat as I randomly got on
by the "disabled" space and immediately bagged the "jump" seat which is
unreserved (unless a wheelchair needs it), but there were many standing
pax in the carriage.
It seemed to vary. While a 2-car Desiro from Arad to Timisoara was full
and standing, we had a real train almost to ourselves for Sibiu - Arad.
There appears to be a new motorway being built parallel to the Sibiu
line, and I suspect this might be very bad news for the railway.
Post by tim.....So, almost twice the price, for no time saving and no guarantee of a seat.
But there is a loco to spot :)
A few thoughts on Romania:
* The Bucharest airport [parkway] train would appear to currently exist,
and was even being announced in English at the airport. There are
posters at Nord station, and what looked like air passengers waiting
there. But we got a (prebooked) cab, which took just 20-30 min and was
hassle-free, albeit costing EUR17 for two people. I think it was worth it.
* Overall, I was pretty impressed with CFR. I was expecting dereliction
and decay, but it wasn't like that at all. There are frayed edges, but
[Northern Europe's?] money is clearly being spent. It was much better
than when I passed through in 2008, or Bulgaria when I went there back
in 2007 and 2008.
* Ticketing was no problem; despite warnings in guide books we were able
to buy tickets just minutes before departure.
* Some stations/ticket windows don't take credit cards.
* "Everyone" speaks enough English to sell and check tickets, provide
information etc.
* Prices are low (for a Western European tourist).
* Long-distance tickets come with seat allocations, but the seats are
not always labelled clearly, and if a little old lady is in the wrong
seat and has stacked her bags all over the place, confusion breaks out
(just like Brussels - Cologne).
* What _do_ old women in Eastern Europe carry in those bags which I can
barely lift onto luggage racks/platforms for them?
* The trains were pretty high standard, certainly compared to my past
experience of Poland, Bulgaria or Serbia. Modern(?) loco-hauled coaches,
in good condition. They seem to like the odd and hard to describe
pseudo-compartment layout in coaches.
* It's not really worth paying extra for first class.
* They use Desiros on some rather long runs. Boo. Only had to do one,
fortunately, and that was "only" 1 h 20 min.
* Trains are very very slow - looked like 40 km/h average on some routes.
* Time keeping was generally pretty good, except on the Constanta line
where there were engineering works.
* It looks like the Constanta line is being thoroughly rebuilt.
* Is that really "Blue Danube" starting their station announcements?
* Few on-train announcements - but despite this, people didn't seem to
leave all their personal belongings behind, fail to open the doors, try
to take an ordinary bicycle with them etc.
* Station names are hard to spot.
* We didn't get to use Regiotrans, as their train which we wanted to
catch appeared to no longer exist. We saw a pretty scummy ex-SNCF unit,
but some of their stock looked respectable.
* There was no hassle at the stations, in contrast to a brief visit in
2008 when Bucharest Nord was infested with beggars, touts and general
undesirables. In fact, there was little hassle anywhere. Even the taxi
drivers at Nord readily accepted we didn't actually want a cab and then
left us alone.
* Advertised on-train catering didn't always exist
* People smoke in train toilets and vestibules. I'd forgotten just how
nasty smoking in public places is, and finding your coat stinks the next
day.
* There is lots of freight, with various operators.
* Sibiu railway museum is a load of dumped steam locos at a depot. See
it now before they all rust away.
* There are a few plinthed steam locos on the network, but not many.
* Timisoara - Severin is very scenic.
* The flat lands in the south are not scenic. Mile after mile of endless
absolutely b. all.
* Ursus Black is rather nice. Other beers are generic euro-lagers. We
tried asking at a specialist beer pub if there are any good Romanian
beers, but the waitress seem to think this was strange concept - surely
if you want a good beer you would get a German, Belgian or British one?
* Almost no toilets in Romania have (working) door locks. Even in hotels.
--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK