Bucharest’s train to Henri Coandă airport doubles number of passengers in 2022

Approximately 700,000 people made use of the train that goes between Bucharest’s main train station, Gara de Nord, and the Henri Coandă International Airport in 2022, double the number in 2021.

A total of 72 round trips are made daily on the railway line from Gara de Nord to Henri Coandă International Airport, with a frequency of 40 minutes. The fare for a ticket is RON 5 (EUR 1), and the journey takes approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

Last year, 700,000 passengers traveled on this route, compared to the first year of operation when the trains transported 300,000 passengers.

However, although the traffic reached 700,000 passengers per year, this figure represents only 5.6% of the total number of passengers passing through Otopeni Airport, according to an analysis by Ziarul Financiar.

"We have attracted only those who live in Bucharest and go to the airport on this route. However, only 40% of the passengers who arrive at Otopeni Airport are from Bucharest, while 60% come from other parts of the country. We want people from other cities, such as Piteşti, to come by train to Bucharest instead of by car and then simply transfer to the train to Otopeni at Gara de Nord. This is where the growth potential lies for this route," Irinel Ionel Scrioşteanu, secretary of state at the Ministry of Transport, told Ziarul Financiar.

Just last year, 12.5 million passengers landed or took off at the largest airport in the country, Henri Coandă.

The Bucharest Otopeni - Gara de Nord railway line cost roughly EUR 120 million and was inaugurated on December 13, 2020.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos | George Călin)