Romanian Trains at Risk: CFR Călători Warns of Halt Without Urgent Budget Support

Bucharest, Romania – CFR Călători, Romania's state railway company, has issued a severe warning regarding its operational capacity, stating that trains risk being grounded without immediate governmental budget support. The company's management has conveyed this critical financial situation to the Ministry of Transport in a formal document. The document, which details alarming information, indicates that CFR Călători is facing significant financial difficulties, including the inability to cover essential operational costs such as utilities and fuel. "There are problems at the level of the CFR Călători company regarding the payment of utilities," stated Mihai Barbu, President of the Authority for Railway Reform, in an interview. He further explained that the current budget does not permit additional allocations, which are crucial for maintaining services. CFR Călători reportedly requires 365 million lei monthly to cover its expenses. Of this amount, 80 million lei are allocated solely for employee salaries. Fuel costs amount to 30 million lei, and electricity expenses are an additional 40 million lei. The company's financial woes raise concerns about the continuity of public rail transport services across the country.