Romania has taken a major step towards a more coordinated passenger rail network. The Authority for Railway Reform (ARF) signed a contract with TTL Planning and Systra on July 10 to develop an integrated national timetable, according to railwaygazette.com.

The 10.5 million lei (€2.1 million) deal has a 24-month implementation period. It is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund under Romania’s 2021-27 Transport Programme.

The project aims to improve rail services by introducing regular-interval train services around the country’s major cities. The study will establish the technical basis for an integrated regular-interval timetable across the passenger network.

A key shift is the move towards a demand-based service pattern with systematically coordinated connections. This marks a departure from traditional planning methods.

The results will support the preparation of future public service obligation contracts. These agreements will cover the period from December 2027 to December 2042.

The timetable is expected to be built around seven urban centres: București, Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara, Iași, Constanța, Craiova and Brașov.

According to ARF, the consultancy task comprises six principal work packages. The consortium will undertake updated passenger mobility surveys and update Romania’s National Transport Model using 2023 socio-economic and transport data.

The consultants will develop railway operating models that analyse infrastructure capacity, operating costs and revenue forecasts. They will then prepare timetables that seek to integrate suburban, regional, inter-regional and long-distance passenger services.

The consortium will also provide transport planning software and associated licences. It will train ARF staff to independently maintain and develop the timetable planning process.

Romania’s national statistics institute reports that 70.8 million passengers travelled by rail in 2024. This represents a 4.7% decrease compared with 2023, but the average journey length increased by 1.4% to 84 km.

This resulted in approximately 5.94 billion passenger-km during the year. State-owned CFR Călători retains an 80 to 85% market share.

There are six independent passenger operators: Regio Călători, Transferoviar Călători, Interregional Călători, Softrans, Astra Trans Carpatic and Ferotrafic TFI.

The appointment of TTL Planning and Systra marks a significant investment in Romania’s rail future. The integrated timetable is expected to improve connectivity and make rail a more attractive option for passengers.