Romania’s railway operator CFR 11th in punctuality ranking in Europe

Romania’s railway operator CFR is the 11th most punctual in a ranking of similar companies across Europe put together by NGO Transport & Environment and quoted by local Agerpres.

The Italian operator Trenitalia is the best railway company in Europe, with a score of 7.7 out of 10, while Eurostar, the high-speed train operator connecting London and Paris via the Channel Tunnel, ranks last.

Trenitalia is followed by the Swiss operator SBB and the Czech company RegioJet. The Austrian operator ÖBB ranks fourth, followed by the French group SNCF. Next in line are CD, Renfe, Italo, VR, SJ, and CFR Călători with an overall score of 6.1.

In comparison, Deutsche Bahn, the largest railway operator in Europe, ranks only 16th, followed by the Hungarian operator MAV, while the Polish operator PKP ranks 13th.

Transport & Environment evaluated eight criteria to create the ranking of railway companies based on their medium- and long-distance routes, with price being the most important factor. Reliability, available discounts, compensation policies in case of delays, the traveler experience, whether or not night trains are offered, and availability of bicycle spaces were also considered.

"Trenitalia stands out for its traveler experience, SBB is the most punctual operator in Europe, and RegioJet offers the most affordable tickets," said T&E, cited by Agerpres.

The NGO emphasized that all railway companies should improve their punctuality.

"Only 11 out of the 27 operators have a punctuality rate of over 80%," pointed out Victor Thévenet. According to this indicator, CFR Călători ranks 11th, while Deutsche Bahn, the largest railway operator in Europe, ranks 25th.

Transport & Environment also called on governments to invest in railway networks to improve the reliability of services and reduce infrastructure usage fees, which would help lower ticket prices. These fees are very high in France, unlike Italy, where the state has invested heavily in maintaining infrastructure and ensuring moderate prices.

(Photo source: Jerome CID | Dreamstime.com)