CFR Călători announces important changes in the circulation of domestic and international trains, with new direct routes, with the entry into force of the new Mers al Trenurilor.
Starting from December 14, the new Train Schedule comes into force, valid until December 2026, announced CFR Călători on its official page.
The company estimates that, on average, more than 1,150 trains will run daily, of which 52 will serve international traffic, 20 will be Intercity, 112 Interregio and 952 Regio. In the summer season, 26 seasonal trains are also planned.
Direct international routes
An important novelty for international travelers is the introduction of the direct route Budapest – Bucharest. The IR 72 and IR 73 trains will no longer stop at Craiova, but will arrive directly at the North Station, offering a fast connection between the two capitals, according to the cited source.
Also at the international level, trains IR 346 and IR 347 will return to Vienna Westbahnhof station via Budapest Kelenföld, and the Baia Mare – Vienna connection will be maintained via trains Someș 687/686.
Thus, passengers will have more options to reach Hungary and Austria without changing trains en route.
The summer season will also bring new trains on the Bucharest – Giurgiu – Ruse route, with four special sets for the trip to Bulgaria.
The collaboration with Ukraine is maintained, maintaining the direct train Kiev – Ungheni – Bucharest, within the Prietenia train 401/402.
With Romania’s accession to the Schengen area, waiting times at the border will be reduced, as document verification will no longer be necessary, thus saving time for international travelers.
Also, CFR Călători continues to introduce modernized wagons and locomotives through PNRR, equipped with Wi-Fi, video information systems, surveillance cameras, sockets, air conditioning and ecological toilets. Some sides will even include a bar-bistro wagon.
Some of the Interregio trains will be reclassified as Intercity, especially on the Bucharest – Suceava, Bucharest – Iași and Bucharest – Brașov routes, in order to increase the level of comfort and shorten journey times.
Another essential element of the modernization is the introduction of Alstom Coradia Stream electric frames, trains capable of reaching speeds of up to 160 km/h. They will run on 26 daily routes, especially on the Bucharest – Constanța, Craiova, Arad, Deva, Brașov and Timișoara routes. CFR estimates that by February 1, 2026, 11 of the 12 purchased frames will be operational.
In parallel, the PESA trains, which are currently being tested, will be introduced on the Bucharest – Buzău – Adjud route, thus completing the portfolio of modern train sets.
Rates and discount offers
As for the cost of the tickets, it will increase with the inflation rate.
“With the new timetable of the trains, they are indexed with the inflation rate. This is the law, there will be no more expensive tickets, except indexed with the inflation rate in mid-December”, announced in November the general director of CFR Călători, Traian Preoteasa.
CFR Călători has announced that it will maintain the currently offered discounts even after the cancellation of Trains comes into force, i.e. after December 14.
Thus, the TrenPlus card offers a 25% discount for an unlimited number of tickets for a year, return tickets are 10% cheaper, and early purchase can bring an additional discount of up to 10%, depending on the period of purchase.
Passes for commuters and other categories of passengers remain valid, with full details available once the new schedule comes into effect.
