Romanians turned away from traveling by train in 2025, report says

According to data centralized by Romania’s National Institute of Statistics (INS), the number of passengers who traveled by train in 2025 was 64.371 million, down by 9.1% compared to 2024.

In rail freight transport, the volume recorded a decrease of 5.7% compared to 2024, with growth recorded only in transit transport, by 54.7%. A total of 40.55 million tons of goods were transported, of which 79.3% in national transport, as reported by Agerpres.

Significant shares in the total transported goods were recorded for coke and refined petroleum products (26.0%), coal and lignite, crude oil and natural gas (17.7%). The average turnaround time of freight wagons (days) increased by 12.8% in freight transport, while the average commercial speed of freight trains increased by 3%.

However, the average daily distance of locomotives used for freight transport (km/day) decreased by 18.6%, while the one for freight wagons decreased by 10.7%. The number of loaded wagons entering from abroad decreased by 7.8%, and loaded wagons on the CFR network decreased by 5.3%.

Importantly, the average speed of passenger trains decreased by 1.5% in 2025.

The ailing state-owned railway company CFR Călători narrowly avoided bankruptcy in 2025, despite undercompensation from the state and a reduction of forecast revenues.

The compensation allocated to CFR Călători for public rail passenger transport for 2025 was only RON 1.73 billion, about 80% of the sum allocated in 2024, insufficient to cover the company’s operating costs. The company’s current monthly payment obligations are almost RON 365 million, and its own monthly revenues from ticket sales average RON 50 million.

(Photo source: Jerome CID|Dreamstime.com)