Trams of Romania & Bulgaria
June 9th until 24th, 2012

It was in 2003 that we last ran a great Romanian tour featuring all tramway systems of the country. Many things have changed since then, and we feel it is time to go there again. Also on our itinerary are the only tramway of neighbouring Bulgaria - with a varied fleet including second-hand cars from Germany running on two different gauges -, and a number of trolleybus systems in both countries.

There used to exist 15 tramway systems in Romania in the early 1990s, around half of them constructed in the very last years of Ceausescu's dictatorship. Fortunately the political changes in Romania happened at the same time when many German tramways acquired low-floor cars, and tried to get rid of their old, but well-kept rolling stock. This is why more than 1,000 used trams from two dozens of German cities, but also from Austria, Switzerland, and from the Netherlands went to Romania for small money or even for free, and helped the Romanian tramways to survive in a difficult financial situation.

During the last few years, after Romania had become a member of the European Union, the development of the country's trams has been controversial: four systems (of which Sibiu still operates charter trips) have unfortunately been closed, but the other eleven took efforts to refurbish their lines, and some have already got the first low-floor cars of their own. Nevertheless the country can still be regarded as "Europe's greatest tramway museum", and it has still kept its old-fashioned charm featuring picturesque villages with lots of horse-drawn carriages in the streets.

Tour Itinerary:

Saturday, June 9th, 2012.
Departure from the German airport of your choice to Munich around noon. Onward flight by Lufthansa to Timisoara where the group arrives in the late afternoon. Hotel accommodation in Timisoara.

Sunday, June 10th, 2012.
Romania's second city, Timisoara, features an extensive tramway system mainly operated by Hansa- and Wegmann-built articulated sets ex-Bremen. There is also a modern trolleybus network. In the late afternoon we take a charter coach to the neighbouring city of Arad (50 km), and spend the night in a hotel there.

Monday, June 11th, 2012.
If we call the country "Europe's greatest tramway mu-
seum", this applies to the metre-gauge tramway of Arad in particular. Used trams from more than a dozen German cities have found a new home here. However, there is no doubt about the future of this extensive system: during the last few years some progress has been made refurbishing the track, and the local Astra plant has recently built its prototype "Imperio" low-floor tram in co-operation with Siemens. The network includes a picturesque interurban line to Ghioroc village to be toured on a historic bogie car of Hungarian origin. Hotel accommodation in Arad.

Tuesday, June 12th, 2012.
In the morning we go by coach to Oradea (115 km) to visit a tramway where the low-floor era has already begun. Besides Tatras type T4D from Dresden and Magdeburg, and type KT4D from Berlin we see the only Ulf low-floor trams outside Vienna - bought from Siemens in 2008. Hotel accommodation in Oradea.

Wednesday, June 13th, 2012.
In the morning we take our coach for another 150 km on to Cluj-Napoca (Klausenburg). There we reach Transylvania, a part of Romania still populated by Germans (even if their number has decreased since borders are open), and with towns officially carrying both Romanian and German names. Cluj or Klausenburg features a small tramway, opened in 1987, and operated by Tatras from Berlin and Magdeburg. There are also trolleybuses. Through beautiful mountain scenery we continue our journey to Sibiu (160 km) in the afternoon. Hotel accommodation in Sibiu.

Thursday, June 14th, 2012.
The last remaining tram line of Sibiu (Hermannstadt) was a metre-gauge interurban from the edge of town to the picturesque village of Rasinari, 11 km away. The fleet consisted of old Swiss bogie trams and trailers, received as a gift from the city of Geneva in the 1990s, and meanwhile more than 60 years old. Two motor cars and one trailer are still operational, and although public service came to an end after a derailment in early 2010, special trips such as theatre performances on the tram, or marriage charters still take place. So we hope still to run a photo charter on this scenic line in June. After that we give you some free time either for a stroll through the mediaeval Old Town, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, or for a visit to the open-air steam loco museum at the railway depot. The latter features a great number of valuable historic locomotives unfortunately in a terrible shape. In the afternoon we go on by coach to Brasov (Kronstadt) (150 km), another old Transylvanian city. Its only tramway line, opened in 1987, has been closed in 2006, but there is still a trolleybus system featuring an interesting variety of second-hand vehicles from several Swiss, and French cities, and from Innsbruck. Do not miss a stroll through Old Town with its beautiful mediaeval market place, and the famous "Black Church". Hotel accommodation in Brasov.

Friday, June 15th, 2012.
East of Brasov we leave the mountains, and cross a big plain hopefully allowing us to cover the long distance to Botosani (340 km) in a good time - as far as Romanian road conditions permit. The small-town tramway of Botosani is the country's youngest: construction started in Socialist times, but opening was after the revolution in 1991. So far the two routes, nowadays operated by Tatras ex Dresden und Magdeburg, seem to do well. As there is not much else to be seen in town, we take our coach on to Iasi (125 km) in the late afternoon, and spend the night there.

Saturday, June 16th, 2012.
Located in Romania's Far East near the Moldavian border, Iasi is the county's third largest city, and a centre of Romanian culture. A metre-gauge tramway was opened here in 1900, and today there is an extensive network operated by a fleet as varied as in Arad: trams have come from several German cities, and from Bern. Hotel accommodation in Iasi.

Sunday, June 17th, 2012.
In the morning we continue our journey by coach to Galati (240 km) on River Danube. Afternoon visit to the city's standard-gauge tramway using bogie cars from Frankfurt/Main, articulated trams from Rotterdam, and Tatras from various German towns. The tramway mainly serves the huge steelworks at times of shift-changes. There is also a small trolleybus network. Hotel accommodation in Galati.

Monday, June 18th, 2012.
In the morning we visit the city of Braila, located just about 30 km away, with another standard-gauge tramway. Second-hand cars from Vienna, Rotterdam, and Berlin are working here, and with a little bit of luck it is possible to get trams from three different countries together on one picture. In the afternoon we take our coach on to Bucharest (220 km), and spend the night in a hotel there.

Tuesday, June 19th, 2012.
The Romanian capital city of Bucuresti (Bucharest) has a population of nearly 2 millions, and an extensive network of tramway, metro, and trolleybus routes. In all other cities our time should allow to cover the tramway systems completely (except those lines temporarily closed for reconstruction), and to visit all depots. In Bucharest 1 1/2 days are just enough to get a good idea, tour some interesting routes, and visit some depots. Bucharest tramway makes a good impression as much money has been spend during the last few years to rehabilitate tracks, and rolling stock. It is the only one in Romania having hardly received used vehicles from abroad. Most of the trams have been built, and meanwhile also been modernized in their own workshops. The first "Bucur" low-floor prototype has also been constructed there. Hotel accommodation in Bucharest.

Wednesday, June 20th, 2012.
Full day excursion by coach to Craiova (230 km) to visit another small tramway opened in 1987 in a not so attractive industrial town. A variety of trams from Berlin, Dresden, and Rotterdam is running here. Hotel accommodation in Bucharest.

Thursday, June 21st, 2012.
Today a full-day excursion by coach takes us to Ploiesti (65 km). There we visit another standard-gauge tramway opened during Ceausescu's time. Two routes are nowadays served by Tatras type KT4D from Potsdam. The small trolleybus system has the most modern fleet in the country as a series of articulated low-floor trolleybuses, built by Neoplan for Lausanne, but not accepted, have found a new home here. Hotel accommodation in Bucharest.

Friday, June 22nd, 2012.
In the morning we continue our programme in Bucharest. Around noon we leave, and cross River Danube on the only bridge connecting Romania and Bulgaria. Today's destination is the Bulgarian border town of Ruse (80 km). While many new tramways have been constructed in Romania in the late years of Socialism in order to save petrol, Bulgaria opened trolleybus systems instead. We cannot visit all of the country's 14 trolleybus towns during this tour, but Ruse is an exception as it is right on our route, and as its trolleybus system, opened in 1988, features the most varied fleet in the country. Second-hand trolleybuses from Milano, and from many Swiss cities are running here, among them the last Neoplan low-floor vehicles from Basle. Railway enthusiasts can alternatively visit Bulgaria's official railway museum, located in the country's first railway station, and housing a number of steam locomotives - like in Sibiu unfortunately in a very poor shape. Hotel accommodation in Ruse.

Saturday, June 23rd, 2012.
Having traversed the small country by coach, we reach the capital city of Sofia (300 km) around noon. As in Bucharest our time does not allow to cover the extensive urban transport system of trams, metro, and trolleybuses completely, but we tour a good part of the tramway network, and have at least a few photo stops for metro and trolleybuses. Our first afternoon in Sofia is dedicated to the standard-gauge tram, opened in 1989. The original rolling stock were Tatra trams, but in 1995 the complete high-floor fleet from Bonn (Duwag bogie cars, articulated, and double articulated trams) was bought second-hand, followed by 15 modernized Tatra 2-car-trains from Leipzig in 2010. We take a charter tour on a Bonn tram, and visit the only standard-gauge tram depot. Hotel accommodation in Sofia.

Sunday, June 24th, 2012.
Since 1898 trams run in Sofia on the unusual track gauge of 1,009 mm. The network is mainly operated by trams of local production, some of them recently modernized with low-floor centre-sections. There are also some Tatras bought from Halle. In the morning we tour part of the narrow-gauge system on a two-axle heritage set built by MAN in the 1930s, and visit two depots. Afternoon transfer to the airport where our Austrian Airlines flight departs for Vienna at 18:40 hrs. In Vienna you change for the German destination of your choice to arrive there in the late evening.

The Tour Price includes:

* Scheduled Lufthansa/Austrian Airlines flights from Germany to Timisoara, and back from Sofia to Germany *).
* Chartered tour coach from Timisoara to Sofia.
* 15 nights accommodation with half board (daily breakfast and dinner) at good, centrally located hotels, twin rooms with private facilities.
* Tramway visits as per itinerary, including charter tours, and depot visits.
* English speaking tour guide.

*) you may fly (without price difference) from and to Berlin, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt/Main, Stuttgart or Munich. Please state your choice on your tour booking form.

Tour Price:

€ 1,980 per person. Single room supplement € 390. As on all our tours, individual participants wishing to save their money are welcome to book a shared twin. We are sure to find an English-speaking roommate for you.
 
A connecting 2nd class return ticket from any DB station (including all border stations) to the city of your flight departure, and back costs € 110.00 per person additionally. It is valid on all trains including ICE. If you wish to book it, please state your chosen station of departure, and arrival on your tour booking form! Please care about your seat reservations yourself, if required.
Obligatory Tour Cancellation Insurance.

Regulations of Immigration.

Romania and Bulgaria are members of the European Union. EU citizens just need a valid Identity Card or Passport for this tour.

Tour guide: Thomas E. Fischer.

Booking Deadline Date: March 5th, 2012.

Minimum number of participants required to let this tour go: 30.

Would you like to book this tour? Click here for our online booking form!