Rail freight in Romania is going through a crisis. Data from national rail operator CFR shows a 30 per cent private business decline in terms of tonne-kilometres. At its core, the primary underlying issue seems to be a political one.
In January 2024, private rail operators in Romania achieved a total of approximately 1,83 billion tonne-kilometres. In January 2025, that number had decreased by over 30 per cent to 1,28 billion tonne-kilometres – a stark difference.
Simona Istrate, head of the Romanian private rail association OPSFPR, says that there are two reasons for the collapse. “The transport of grain from Ukraine has been greatly reduced, and second, rail traffic is restricted on most freight routes due to modernisation works, which are progressing very slowly”, she explains. As a result, the port of Odesa and Poland win in grain transportation.
Trains are slow and unpredictable, making rail an uncompetitive business in Romania. A private market source tells RailFreight.com that another underlying reason is a simple lack of demand due to lower domestic production. Romania’s industrial output index contracted by 1,6 per cent year-on-year in 2024. In 2023, it also contracted by 3 per cent.
A vicious circle
“A real strategy for an intermodal transfer to rail is urgently needed to save this sector”, Istrate tells Romanian publication Club Feroviar. “This must include adequate financing, fair charges for all modes of transport and policies that force the transition to sustainable solutions. Unfortunately, there is no political will and there are no competent people to develop this strategy.”
A change in course is a necessity, says Istrate. “Romania remains trapped in a vicious circle of incompetence and indifference. Without a drastic change, rail transport will become an irrelevant ruin, instead of being the backbone of modern and sustainable mobility.”