AFP says Romanian railways in catastrophic state, CFR ponders price increase to balance loss

Romania's railway network was labeled in a catastrophic state due to lack of interest by authorities in a recent article by newswire AFP. "Romania used to have one of the most extended rail networks in Europe, but after years of neglect many of its 11,000 kilometres of track are in a "catastrophic state," experts say.", the article reads. With the number of cars tripling in the last 20 years in Romania and with the degrading railways in the country, fewer and fewer passengers are choosing to ride the trains run by state-owned CFR. The company itself has been posting losses and has decided to increase the cost of a train ticket to somehow balance the loss. CFR Calatori posted a loss of EUR 16.9 million in the first quarter of the year, increasing the gap compared to the same period of last year. The decision to ride the train instead of taking a personal car or a bus is currently being deterred by the length of the ride. A train ride between Bucharest and Constanta should take two and a half hours, but it currently takes five. Transport Minister Radu Berceanu has recently said the train ride to Constanta should take two hours and a half again in 2001, when works on the tracks will finalize. Meanwhile, CFR tickets will become available outside the classical railway station boots. CFR tickets will be on for sale in 60 ZebraPay units across then country. ZebraPay units can already be found in metro stations Unirii 2, Dristor 2, Gara de Nord 1, Victoriei and Grozavesti, as well as in the Universitate underground passage, as well as in several retail centers in Bucharest, Constanta, Cluj, Ploiesti and Iasi.