Bucharest’s main railway station, București Nord (Bucharest North), is splat in two sections:

- București Nord Gara A (referred to as București Nord Gr. A on CFR timetables and on their website), where all fast trains arrive and depart, as well as all international trains to / from Bucharest; the station was initially built in 1872, expanded afterwards and it nowadays has 14 platforms. Most trains from Bucharest to all over Romania start here.

- București Nord Gara B also known as București Nord Gara Basarab (marked by CFR as București Nord Gr. B), where some local trains to / from Southern Romania arrive / depart.

București Nord Gara A lies on 2 Gara de Nord Square (tel.: (021)2230880, extension 1341, 1342), having its own metro station (entrance from the very station or just outside the ticket office hall). The ticket offices lie right in the station when getting out of the metro (“Casele de bilete”), while the sleeping berths or international tickets can be purchased in the other hall, just a little further from the previous ones (look for Pamir Bar on the street side of the station). There are ticket selling machines in the main ticket office hall; they are quite user-friendly and work with credit cards only (PIN required); even when there are long queues to the classical ticket offices, you are likely to find nobody there.

If queues are too long or you need more advice, you can refer to Wasteels or to a CFR agency in the city, of which I shall list two:

Agenția CFR Nr. 1, 10 Brezoianu (walk down the Elisabeta from the crossing with Victory Avenue, then turn left before the Mc Donald’s and walk on the left side until finding it), tel.: (021)3132643 for domestic information, (021)3145528 for international routes, (021)3139021 for sleeping wagons. Upon entering, get an order ticket and wait for your number to be called and displayed. "Bilete toate direcțiile" stands for all domestic tickets, while "trafic international" stands for international tickets. "Informații" stands for waiting in vain, so even for information it is better to get a regular order ticket. Better have a look at CFR or Infofer for your train (only for domestic routes), be careful with those that “nu circulă” (En. it does not run), write it down and show the paper to the clerk, as not all of them speak English. You can see the price and timetable online. For international trains check out Deutsche Bahn’s website.

Agenția CFR Nr. 2, 139 Calea Griviței (just a little further down the Calea Griviței from the București Nord Gr. A station, passed Hotel Ibis, on the right side), tel.: (021)2128947. The two agencies have a relatively helpful website here.

For a better service, especially if you need some advice on international travel, refer to Wasteels (located in București Nord Railway Station), both for domestic and international train tickets or passes. Nowadays one can also book tickets online, but not less than 24 hours before the time of travel. For online bookings, click here, register and then proceed. Beware every session expires after 5 minutes of no action, so better get all station names before; you can also go up to a point, find all information and start all over again. Good luck. If it all fails, refer to the ticket selling machines at București Nord Station (mentioned above).

Types of trains. There are a few types of passenger trains currently running in Romania: regio (marked R), regio express (RE), interregio and interregio night (marked IR, respectively IRN), intercity and intercity night (marked IC, respectively ICN); on some routes there are also international trains marked EC (eurocity) or ECN (euronight), but they share the speed, price and service of an IC train. Officially, according to the E.U. classification, there should also be regio suburban (RS) and regio urban (RU), but they do not exist in Romania.

R trains are slow and stop in every station even if running on long distance; they are an option to get to some places which are not served by IR and IC trains or where those trains do not stop. IR / IRN, EC / ECN, IC / ICN trains stop in major stations and sometimes in railway knot stations even if these ones are not near important towns; theoretically, the IR / IRN stops in more stations and is slower than the IC / ICN / EC / ECN, but quite often the difference is very small (if there is ever a difference), while the price is considerably lower; do check. All of the faster trains (you’ve got it, all but R) share a similar degree of comfort, as all wagons that make them were refurbished at about the same time. It is just a matter of preference, as IC / ICN / EC / ECN trains are usually made of open space wagons, while IR / IRN are usually made of compartment or mixed wagons (with the ends having 3 compartments each, while the central area is open space). However, there are IR / IRN trains using exactly the same type of wagons like the IC / ICN, the open space ones. Added to the unnoticeable speed difference, this makes the IR a better choice - where you have an option between the two types. If traveling on an IR train and this is an option (there are seats available there), travel on the bicycle wagon, compartments are larger there; just ask for a ticket in the ‘vagon de biciclete’. To give you an idea of costs, a 100 km., 2nd class / 1st class ride costs approximately the following: EUR 3.00 / EUR 5.00 (R), EUR 4.20 / 6.30 (RE), EUR 6.50 / EUR 10.00 (IR / IRN), EUR 10.00 / EUR 13.50 (IC / ICN / EC / ECN); fares refer to seated wagons and include the seat reservation for all but R trains.

Classes and wagons. Traditionally, 2nd class IR and IC wagons had 8 seat compartments, while 1st class wagons on the same trains had 6 seats. With the CFR rolling stock refurbished and renewed, a few different types of wagons were introduced. So, most IR trains have 1st and 2nd class wagons both with 6 seat compartments, the difference between 1st and 2nd class being only lightly larger compartments in the former; in some situations, there are wagons with compartments at the ends and an open area in the middle, there are IR trains with open space wagons as well, even though those were initially meant for the IC alone. On some less crowded routes (e.g. Bucharest to Câmpulung Muscel or Bucharest to Craiova via Pitești or Bucharest to Pietroșița via Târgoviște) IR trains consist of Siemens Desiro diesel units which are open space, with very crowded seats. At the same time, IC / ICN / EC / ECN trains usually consist of open space wagons alone (with more leg room). RE trains are usually made of wagons splitting from an IR at a junction and running along a branch line to a destination nearby, so they consist of the respective IR wagons. R trains are either made of double decker, open wagons or of the former IR, aging wagons made of 6 seat compartments. The ticket selling clerks usually do not know what type of wagons your train will have, so a window or aisle seat would be a lucky bet in most cases, with seats being placed in a different manner, according to the wagon scheme. First class travel in seats wagons is not an efficient option, as the fare is much higher than second class travel and the space / service quality is similar; better, if this is an option, get a sleeping wagon. To have an idea of costs, a one way, full price ticket from Bucharest to Vatra Dornei (S Bukovina) on a IR train costs EUR 22.00 (2nd class seated), EUR 34.50 (1st class seated), EUR 28.50 (6 bedded berth place), EUR 32.50 (4 bedded berth place), EUR 46.50 (3 bedded, same gender berth place), EUR 51.00 (2 bedded, same gender berth place) or EUR 68.50 (berth for single use).

Sleeping. There is a difference of calling between sleeping wagons: while a ‘vagon de dormit’ refers to one that has maximum 3 beds per berth, a ‘vagon cușetă’ will have 4 or 6 beds per berth. To be more precise, Romanian Railways run 3 bed / compartment sleeping wagons (2nd class) convertible in 2 bed / compartment (considered 1st class) or single use compartment (also considered as 1st class); all compartments have a sink and cabinet, while some wagons also have a shower cabin. Most night trains also have a “vagon cușetă” (En. couchette wagon) which has 6 bedded berths (2nd class), while some also have 4 bedded compartments (considered as 1st class). While berths in the ‘vagon de dormit’ are single sex (unless a family books a whole compartment), couchette wagons are mixed. Tickets for sleeping and couchette wagons must be purchased before the train started on its way from the end of the line, otherwise you need get a regular ticket for a seats wagon and then head to the sleeper attendant and ask for availabilities, paying for the supplement (and asking for a receipt) directly to him. This happens because, once the train starts, if people ask him for available places and he has them, he can sell them and the booking clerk no longer has an up-to-date situation of availabilities. In a ‘vagon de dormit’, beds are already done with sheets, a blanket and pillow, while in a ‘vagon cușetă’, you need go to the wagon attendant, hand him the ticket and he will give you single use (i.e. plastic) sheets. In both situations, the attendant will take your ticket upon boarding and return it in the morning. This saves you the hassle of waking up when the train conductor comes to check tickets, in the middle of the night. For sleeping / couchette wagon fares, see an example for a long haul train in the end of the paragraph above.

Special cars for bikes, persons with disabilities and dining

1. -Some IR trains have a bike / ski gear wagon, with an open area for storing your equipment and very spacious compartments (for the CFR); taking your bike or skis on board of these wagons is free; just mention to the clerk when buying the ticket that you want a ticket in the “vagon de biciclete” (En. bike wagon) so that you get a seat reservation for that car. Taking your bicycle on other trains which do not have such a wagon is charged by the conductor (ask for a receipt, Ro. “chitanță”) and even so the book says that you can only take your bicycle on double decker R trains and Siemens Desiro IR trains (as they have open areas and more luggage space). As you need refer to a station clerk to learn which train has which type of cars and sometimes you have no option anyway, if you end up taking a regular, ‘no bikes allowed’ train, just head to the first or last door of the end cars and explain your situation to the conductor. Do not get worried if he / she starts a quarrel at first. Smile and be patient. Otherwise, as not all conductors are familiar (or even aware) with the official rule regarding bicycle transport on trains, better print the official CFR rules regarding this issue and have them with you. Bribes can be sometimes expected or targeted here, so insist that you pay the fare according to the book and get a receipt.
   

2. -Some IR trains have a car with a special door for the disabled; inside, there is a large open area and especially designed compartments, as well as toilets, for people with disabilities. In order to be able to use the sliding door for easy access, contact the train conductor, as the door is otherwise locked. The same wagons have a 2 bike rack, so cyclists can use them for their bikes as well. If the conductor argues that train has no bicycle wagon (it has happened), simply point to the rack and refuse any traditionally useless discussion.
   

3. -Some IR and IC / ICN / EC / ECN trains have a bar or restaurant wagon, while in other cases a clerk goes up and down the train offering snacks and drinks; especially when crossing the mountains, there might be locals boarding the train and selling berries.
   

Seat reservations, cancelations, traveling without ticket. For all but R trains, a seat reservation is compulsory; for RE trains it is optional, while for R trains it is not possible. The seat reservation comes automatically with the ticket unless you book a sleeping wagon or the train is fully booked - case where the clerk usually asks before issuing your ticket: “fără loc?” (En. “no seat reservation?”) and you are very likely to be standing during the ride. Cancelations (before the train departs) are possible (you need your ticket stamped by the clerk first) and a 10% commission is levied, while all supplements (such as sleeping wagon supplement or seat reservation) are 100% lost. If you missed the train and want to get the following one, you need get that stamp (Ro. “viză de întrerupere”, En. “journey break”) from the station superintendent, then go to a ticket office and pay for another seat reservation. If you had a ticket for an inferior train (e.g. IR train) and you want to get on a superior one now (e.g. IC), you will need pay a charge, as the price of the two is different. Even though some Romanians travel without tickets, bribing the conductor instead, this is - of course - illegal and very risky an affair, as there are superiors checking on the conductor sometimes and you risk a heavy fine if caught. Some small stations in the countryside do not have ticket selling offices; in that case, board the train and go immediately to the conductor (the whistle guy), which will issue a ticket at the regular price. If there is a long line at the ticket office and your train is about to start, go straight to the conductor and explain the situation, board the train and he will issue a ticket including a fine; expect to pay 30 to 50% more than at the ticket counter, depending on the type of train used; ask for a receipt. You may also just head to the train and wait for him to come, the fine is the same.

Discounts. Mostly unknown even to frequent local customers of the CFR, the available discounts are sometimes considerable and are well worth looking into. Round trip tickets get a 10% discount on the “basic fare” (i.e. excluding the seat reservation, various supplements or the sleeping wagon charge). They are available for tickets booked online or at a ticket office. Internet booking discounts include more than that though. 2011 saw a 10-25% discount from the final price for tickets booked online and paid with a MC / Maestro card; January 2012 saw a 5% discount for online booking disregarding of the type of card used. Early bird tickets get a 5-13% discount if booked at least 5 days prior to the journey time; the earlier, the higher the discount. Mini-group tickets also receive a special fare and a mini-group can consist of at least 2 persons traveling together. The up-to-date list of discounts is available in English on the CFR website.

Airport transfer. For getting to and from Bucharest’s two airports, have a look at my Getting to Bucharest by Air post. For getting into town by subway (the recommended way), refer to the Subway post in the same section. For a map of the overland transport network, click here (and then select the type of vehicle you want under Routes Guide), while for my two bani on overland transport in Bucharest, refer to the Buses, Trolleybuses and Trams post, also in this section.

Important note: the CFR major infrastructure rehabilitation works on the Câmpina - Predeal section are almost over and December 11, 2011 saw the return to fast speed (Romania-wise) travel between Bucharest and Brașov, the ride taking now around 2 hours and 30 minutes. Taking a C&I van is no longer an option to consider, actually it has never been one except for when train delays were a major issue. Take into account my notes on the C&I; I do not recommend this company due to its employees’ driving manners, the very crowded seating and the fact that one does not save time if compared to the train; quite to the contrary nowadays.

Private operators. While the major railway operator in Romania remains the CFR (with the information above referring to its service), there also exist several private operators in the country, especially on short commuting routes. The major exception is RegioTrans, which has R and IR trains. Of these, IR trains also call in at București Nord on two routes: Brașov - București Nord - Craiova, respectively Brașov - București Nord - Constanța. Their rolling stock consists of automotive commuter trains bought second hand from France’s SNCF; for the Brașov - Ploiești Vest section they are pulled by an additional engine, due to the steep and continuous slope there. Wagons are of the open space type with a not very generous leg room. Note that tickets cannot be bought at CFR offices, but online here, at RegioTrans ticket offices (only in Brașov for the two routes above) and from the conductor, at the same price. If asking at a CFR ticket office, they will probably not even mention RegioTrans trains, therefore better look into their schedules on the RegioTrans website or on their dedicated timetable site. RegioTrans IR train prices are similar with the CFR ones; for instance, for a 100 km. route, it is as it follows: EUR 9.50 first class seated, respectively EUR 7.00 second class seated. For instance, București Nord - Sinaia will get you to EUR 13.00 in first class, respectively EUR 9.00 in second class, always one way. Bikes are allowed and charged a fee (for instance, București Nord - Predeal costs EUR 4.00 for the bike) on all RegioTrans trains and there are no restrictions. Just look for the bicycle access sign next to some wagon doors so that you do not bother other passengers.