The Romanian Night Train Operated by a Train Manufacturer
video description
Date: 2024-01-09
Related videos
Comments and reviews: 35
-dudmic
Most of the problems you pointed are lack of maintenance, doorknob not fixed, window shade not replaced, and so on, even on the outmost premium trains if there's a lack of maintenance it will broke down eventually after too much wear and tear, i don't say the rolling stock is premium but are pretty nice, they are running these trains for almost 6 years now, wouldn't hurt to give them a proper maintenance.
-SuperalbsTravels had a better experience, and i myself used the 4 bedding twice and didn't had so many problems, oh well to top it off the strike is the cherry
ps: they use to have their own locomotives, but i haven't seen them in the last year or more, probably it's more advantageous to rent a locomotive since the maintenance is probably included
reply
Most of the problems you pointed are lack of maintenance, doorknob not fixed, window shade not replaced, and so on, even on the outmost premium trains if there's a lack of maintenance it will broke down eventually after too much wear and tear, i don't say the rolling stock is premium but are pretty nice, they are running these trains for almost 6 years now, wouldn't hurt to give them a proper maintenance.
-SuperalbsTravels had a better experience, and i myself used the 4 bedding twice and didn't had so many problems, oh well to top it off the strike is the cherry
ps: they use to have their own locomotives, but i haven't seen them in the last year or more, probably it's more advantageous to rent a locomotive since the maintenance is probably included
reply
-gerhardanton8759
since and by 2007 nearly allthe former good Companies with good handcraft qualities have been stolen by European Players and have been destroyed.
as German I know RO by 1980, when RO was under the Govern of N. Ceausescu a really good Country.
I was until 2004 in good business contracts with the RO Companies.
now it is only Corruption and Business Criminality.
for example: the new Bridge of the Donau Dunabe in Braila ist closed down, because the Bitumen failed after 4 weeks and they must renovate!
das ist RO.
but they have had money for buying 36 x F-16 and now others 32 x F-35. together nearly 8 Milliarde Euro.
gata the future for the people and schools and infrastructure.
.
reply
since and by 2007 nearly allthe former good Companies with good handcraft qualities have been stolen by European Players and have been destroyed.
as German I know RO by 1980, when RO was under the Govern of N. Ceausescu a really good Country.
I was until 2004 in good business contracts with the RO Companies.
now it is only Corruption and Business Criminality.
for example: the new Bridge of the Donau Dunabe in Braila ist closed down, because the Bitumen failed after 4 weeks and they must renovate!
das ist RO.
but they have had money for buying 36 x F-16 and now others 32 x F-35. together nearly 8 Milliarde Euro.
gata the future for the people and schools and infrastructure.
.
reply
train
you are very correct about Romania, very similar to France haha not just in language but culture, when we strike, we STRIKE. Love this train, honestly think its a good baseline for -FINE- or even -GOOD- depending on how clean and functional, I have had good luck with them on most occasions. I love CFR the most overall, but Astra is preferred for certain trips such as this, 100%, if I don't want to break the bank or pay nearly as much as I would have for gas for the car. Either way, as someone that lived in the USA for a while, I will always be thankful for the sheer density of train lines in romania. Even my old 94 year old grandma has a station near her home haha, and her closest neighbor is 3 farms away lol.
reply
you are very correct about Romania, very similar to France haha not just in language but culture, when we strike, we STRIKE. Love this train, honestly think its a good baseline for -FINE- or even -GOOD- depending on how clean and functional, I have had good luck with them on most occasions. I love CFR the most overall, but Astra is preferred for certain trips such as this, 100%, if I don't want to break the bank or pay nearly as much as I would have for gas for the car. Either way, as someone that lived in the USA for a while, I will always be thankful for the sheer density of train lines in romania. Even my old 94 year old grandma has a station near her home haha, and her closest neighbor is 3 farms away lol.
reply
-dharshanaw5926
I am from Sri Lanka. Although our railway system (Ceylon Government Railway) is state owned and still under-developed, However we have railway coaches manufactured by Astra Rail Industries, Romania. They are still in use, some after refurbishing. -
Year-No of Coaches-Length- Current Status-
1976- 13- 55ft. - 1st Batch of Romanian coaches-
1979-1980- 188- 55ft. & 45ft. - 2nd Batch of Romanian coaches-
1981- 90- 55ft. - 3rd Batch of Romanian coaches-
1989- 130- 55ft. & 45ft. -4th Batch of Romanian coaches. Later refurbished --
1990s- 312- 55ft. & 45ft. -5th Batch of Romanian coaches. Later refurbished
reply
I am from Sri Lanka. Although our railway system (Ceylon Government Railway) is state owned and still under-developed, However we have railway coaches manufactured by Astra Rail Industries, Romania. They are still in use, some after refurbishing. -
Year-No of Coaches-Length- Current Status-
1976- 13- 55ft. - 1st Batch of Romanian coaches-
1979-1980- 188- 55ft. & 45ft. - 2nd Batch of Romanian coaches-
1981- 90- 55ft. - 3rd Batch of Romanian coaches-
1989- 130- 55ft. & 45ft. -4th Batch of Romanian coaches. Later refurbished --
1990s- 312- 55ft. & 45ft. -5th Batch of Romanian coaches. Later refurbished
reply
-jfmezei
The red doors were a warning sign in my opinion. But the decor inside the room, ceiling nights and wall seemed to be quitre modern and classy. Not Orient Express luxurious, but classy. Am curiuous if it was just your room that was broken ir if it was common problem. Bad design? bad maintenance?
On the strike, cool opportunity t hang around outdoors in good weather. But have to wonder i train driver could have accelerated to arrive early in Bucharest prior to start of strike. Did train staff make announcements only in Romanian or also other languages?
reply
The red doors were a warning sign in my opinion. But the decor inside the room, ceiling nights and wall seemed to be quitre modern and classy. Not Orient Express luxurious, but classy. Am curiuous if it was just your room that was broken ir if it was common problem. Bad design? bad maintenance?
On the strike, cool opportunity t hang around outdoors in good weather. But have to wonder i train driver could have accelerated to arrive early in Bucharest prior to start of strike. Did train staff make announcements only in Romanian or also other languages?
reply
-ArchmageIlmryn
Those beds remind me that I wish that train operators would just put sleeper-style beds into otherwise couchette-tier accommodations. They can't be that much more expensive to build than couchette bunks, especially if you don't care about how good they are as daytime seats (which on most sleeper trains you really don't) - most of the time I want the more comfortable bed of a sleeper, but don't really care about all the bells and whistles (like shower, included breakfast, more space, etc.
reply
Those beds remind me that I wish that train operators would just put sleeper-style beds into otherwise couchette-tier accommodations. They can't be that much more expensive to build than couchette bunks, especially if you don't care about how good they are as daytime seats (which on most sleeper trains you really don't) - most of the time I want the more comfortable bed of a sleeper, but don't really care about all the bells and whistles (like shower, included breakfast, more space, etc.
reply
-majy1735
An interesting report, in line with my experience of Romania. That country is in a complete state of disrepair (especially their railways, as their gvt has formally decided to go car-centric. Romanians are a terribly messy nation: nothing works, nothing is properly maintained, they're thoroughly unreliable people. And, as you point out, this is the most exclusive train service you can get in Romania, since their national operator CFR is far worse. Romania is really a shabby country.
reply
An interesting report, in line with my experience of Romania. That country is in a complete state of disrepair (especially their railways, as their gvt has formally decided to go car-centric. Romanians are a terribly messy nation: nothing works, nothing is properly maintained, they're thoroughly unreliable people. And, as you point out, this is the most exclusive train service you can get in Romania, since their national operator CFR is far worse. Romania is really a shabby country.
reply
-pfsantos007
Nice video. It's not easy to design and implement (manufacture) things to last in environments where they are subjected to abuse. People can be rough with things. All you can do is have a system where you check everything regularly. Too bad about the shower and the blinds. Looks like they did alright other than that, for the most part. $100 Euro for your accommodation seems reasonable, compared to here in Canada.
reply
Nice video. It's not easy to design and implement (manufacture) things to last in environments where they are subjected to abuse. People can be rough with things. All you can do is have a system where you check everything regularly. Too bad about the shower and the blinds. Looks like they did alright other than that, for the most part. $100 Euro for your accommodation seems reasonable, compared to here in Canada.
reply
-SeverityOne
So, to summarise: Astra build their own passenger cars _and_ run them as well. Therefore, also because it's a short train, they could easily build a couple of outstanding passenger cars to show off what they're capable of. And then, they come up with this? Too many people, from the bottom to the top of the organisation, don't care enough. That sort of attitude isn't going to cut it in the European Union.
reply
So, to summarise: Astra build their own passenger cars _and_ run them as well. Therefore, also because it's a short train, they could easily build a couple of outstanding passenger cars to show off what they're capable of. And then, they come up with this? Too many people, from the bottom to the top of the organisation, don't care enough. That sort of attitude isn't going to cut it in the European Union.
reply
-Cristosul
Man, the finishings of the cars are like the story of every thing built in Romania. It sterts great and has a lot of potential but somehow it gets lost on the way and the result will be shiny on the outside but fragile and cheep on a closer look. And this service is the highest quality train service in Romania.
reply
Man, the finishings of the cars are like the story of every thing built in Romania. It sterts great and has a lot of potential but somehow it gets lost on the way and the result will be shiny on the outside but fragile and cheep on a closer look. And this service is the highest quality train service in Romania.
reply
-sebys81
The company is from Arad, west of Romania but they had to create a new company located in Bucharest to be allowed to put a train on rail. Every company in Romania is forced to open a head office in Bucharest. Ford an Renault, even they have plants in Craiova and Pitesti, had to create their offices in Bucharest.
reply
The company is from Arad, west of Romania but they had to create a new company located in Bucharest to be allowed to put a train on rail. Every company in Romania is forced to open a head office in Bucharest. Ford an Renault, even they have plants in Craiova and Pitesti, had to create their offices in Bucharest.
reply
-bmolitor615
I can't say whether the finishes are actually cheap - the specific thing we are seeing is a lack of maintenance, a lack of response to things being broken. Which is weird given that the company BUILDS the things and thus is familiar with. uuuh. tools, and materials, and suppliers, and so on.
reply
I can't say whether the finishes are actually cheap - the specific thing we are seeing is a lack of maintenance, a lack of response to things being broken. Which is weird given that the company BUILDS the things and thus is familiar with. uuuh. tools, and materials, and suppliers, and so on.
reply
-Hatoe
-France and Romania have a lot of things in common-, even the strike! ---
It might be a cheaper way to take a train from Vienna or Budapest to Arad and transfer Astra night train to Bucuresti instead of the direct night train operated by CFR.
reply
-France and Romania have a lot of things in common-, even the strike! ---
It might be a cheaper way to take a train from Vienna or Budapest to Arad and transfer Astra night train to Bucuresti instead of the direct night train operated by CFR.
reply
-TheFoxyb
I think for just one night it would be ok but if they just fixed a few things it would be great. The wood panels look nice but not necessarily comfortable for a bedroom. Very impressed with entrance area to train though, so easy to board!
reply
I think for just one night it would be ok but if they just fixed a few things it would be great. The wood panels look nice but not necessarily comfortable for a bedroom. Very impressed with entrance area to train though, so easy to board!
reply
-dimekk89
Well, for far-east Europe railway still good quality. They at least try to provide luxury conditions. Maybe cars equipment shoulnd to be fixed with tape, but. Except blue light in sleeping room, IMO its bad conception for sleeping well.
reply
Well, for far-east Europe railway still good quality. They at least try to provide luxury conditions. Maybe cars equipment shoulnd to be fixed with tape, but. Except blue light in sleeping room, IMO its bad conception for sleeping well.
reply
-kevanhubbard9673
1970's carriage outside but 2023 inside! Romania was a big train building country and many of the British Rail Class 56 freight locomotives were built there and driven across Europe to England the drivers sleeping in the cabs!
reply
1970's carriage outside but 2023 inside! Romania was a big train building country and many of the British Rail Class 56 freight locomotives were built there and driven across Europe to England the drivers sleeping in the cabs!
reply
-Phenix1234HD
I had such deja-vu with this video untill i remebered that Superlabs Travel also posted a video on the same train a few days agon. His ride went a lot beeter than yours but such is the gamble when taking a train in Romania.
reply
I had such deja-vu with this video untill i remebered that Superlabs Travel also posted a video on the same train a few days agon. His ride went a lot beeter than yours but such is the gamble when taking a train in Romania.
reply
-DanTheCaptain
The train looks nice overall but comes off as cheap. Very much trying to be fancy but poorly executed for a cheaper price tag. And honestly the colours and shiny fake wooden finish is just very gaudy and in poor taste.
reply
The train looks nice overall but comes off as cheap. Very much trying to be fancy but poorly executed for a cheaper price tag. And honestly the colours and shiny fake wooden finish is just very gaudy and in poor taste.
reply
train
Looked like everything except except the bed linen was shiny. Would have commented 'tacky' but with all the other issues (taped up door handle, shower, A/C) it's beside the point. However. Enjoyed the vid anyway!
reply
Looked like everything except except the bed linen was shiny. Would have commented 'tacky' but with all the other issues (taped up door handle, shower, A/C) it's beside the point. However. Enjoyed the vid anyway!
reply
-Chrizz06041980
Thanks for making this interesting video. Such a short distance away from Bukarest I'd have checked if there's a bus stop nearby with a connection and would have left the train for catching it.
reply
Thanks for making this interesting video. Such a short distance away from Bukarest I'd have checked if there's a bus stop nearby with a connection and would have left the train for catching it.
reply
-igorsiuda8108
They even recently introduced low-floor trams, the Astra Imperio, which are the first ever Romanian fully low-floor trams. These're currently in operation in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca and Oradea.
reply
They even recently introduced low-floor trams, the Astra Imperio, which are the first ever Romanian fully low-floor trams. These're currently in operation in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca and Oradea.
reply
-NerdX151
It says a lot about the Eurofima design when you can still make beautiful modern-looking coaches from it. I believe SBB was the only other operator that built sleeping cars with these prints.
reply
It says a lot about the Eurofima design when you can still make beautiful modern-looking coaches from it. I believe SBB was the only other operator that built sleeping cars with these prints.
reply
-jasonheminger4844
Did you bring any of this up to anyone from the company, either in real time or in a follow up email or call after? They have no pressure to fix the issues otherwise.
reply
Did you bring any of this up to anyone from the company, either in real time or in a follow up email or call after? They have no pressure to fix the issues otherwise.
reply
-johnmehaffey9953
Some might like the shiny walls but I prefer the old fashioned wood products, wouldn-t recommend this manufacturer to fit out any trains elsewhere, nice post again
reply
Some might like the shiny walls but I prefer the old fashioned wood products, wouldn-t recommend this manufacturer to fit out any trains elsewhere, nice post again
reply
train
Ahhhh, Thibault x Superalbs almost a collab
5: 32 Thibauuuuuuuuuu.
12: 06 If this strike happen while in the train in the Great Britain, this is an unregrettable pish.
reply
Ahhhh, Thibault x Superalbs almost a collab
5: 32 Thibauuuuuuuuuu.
12: 06 If this strike happen while in the train in the Great Britain, this is an unregrettable pish.
reply
-xr6lad
I think the cabin looks great. And so does the wood panelling. Much better than most other Western European night cabins you-ve been in. But it does need maintenance.
reply
I think the cabin looks great. And so does the wood panelling. Much better than most other Western European night cabins you-ve been in. But it does need maintenance.
reply
-scottyerkes1867
Spiffy color the train. I thought the wood finishes added luxury to the train buf unfortunately it merely put a cover on shabby.
Thanks Thibault. ----
reply
Spiffy color the train. I thought the wood finishes added luxury to the train buf unfortunately it merely put a cover on shabby.
Thanks Thibault. ----
reply
-cestmoi1262
Got yourself a real speed demon there, didn't you. The strike: at least you got to see something of the countryside even if it was only in one spot.
reply
Got yourself a real speed demon there, didn't you. The strike: at least you got to see something of the countryside even if it was only in one spot.
reply
-ronalddevine9587
It looks great on the surface. But, as we say in English, DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY THE COVER. The wood paneling looks very dated, old fashioned.
reply
It looks great on the surface. But, as we say in English, DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY THE COVER. The wood paneling looks very dated, old fashioned.
reply
-Martin-on2pp
Hmmmmmmm. Basicilly the same video as Superalb. The same train, allmost the same video, one day after another. So, did you travel together?
reply
Hmmmmmmm. Basicilly the same video as Superalb. The same train, allmost the same video, one day after another. So, did you travel together?
reply
-rezaalan3991
Great trip. Not long ago watching Astra Trans Carpatic, this time watching again with different experience. Ah yes that strike moment.
reply
Great trip. Not long ago watching Astra Trans Carpatic, this time watching again with different experience. Ah yes that strike moment.
reply
-timnewman1172
Wow, the condition of the R. O. W. was deplorable, who allows that much vegetation to grow up in it?
Anyway, Thsnks Thibault!
reply
Wow, the condition of the R. O. W. was deplorable, who allows that much vegetation to grow up in it?
Anyway, Thsnks Thibault!
reply
-BengtHansves
Like chinese stuff! They seem good att glance but once you investigate them more they will crap and the finish is 70%
reply
Like chinese stuff! They seem good att glance but once you investigate them more they will crap and the finish is 70%
reply
-RoniRosenthal1306
It was very nice, but next time do that trip across Transylvania it's much more scenic I promise you that much.
reply
It was very nice, but next time do that trip across Transylvania it's much more scenic I promise you that much.
reply
-nickhiscock8948
If this is only 5km from end of the route. Then getting a taxi or uber the rest of the way would have been fine.
reply
If this is only 5km from end of the route. Then getting a taxi or uber the rest of the way would have been fine.
reply
Add a review, comment
Other channel videos
40:30
45:8
