Bucharest to Brașov by train

Every train from București Nord to Brașov is direct, and the fastest InterCity covers the 166 km in about 2 hours 15 minutes.

Four companies, one line

CFR Călători, the state operator, runs most departures. Astra Trans Carpatic and Transferoviar Călători each add a few InterRegio trains a day, and Softrans runs two RegioExpres trains. Together they give you a train roughly every hour, from about 05:40 to 21:20, and none of them needs a change. You rarely wait long.

Which train to take

Take the InterCity (IC) if speed matters. It stops only at Ploiești Vest. InterRegio (IR) trains take about 2 hours 30 minutes, and most also call at Câmpina, Sinaia, Bușteni, Azuga and Predeal, so pick one of these to break the trip in the Prahova valley resorts.

Regio Expres trains, including the two Softrans trains, take about 2 hours 35 to 2 hours 50 minutes. Plain Regio (R) trains stop at almost every halt and need anything from 3 hours 20 minutes to just over 4 hours. They only make sense for the lowest fare.

Stations and the airport

Trains leave from București Nord, also called Gara de Nord, Bucharest's main station, and arrive at Brașov station.

Flying into Henri Coandă? Take the CFR Călători airport train to București Nord and change there. The whole trip takes from about 3 hours, longer on a slow connection. Trains on this line can run half an hour late, so do not plan a tight onward connection in Brașov.

Tickets and fares

Each company sells its own tickets online, and CFR Călători and Astra Trans Carpatic also sell at the station, so buy for the train you will actually take. CFR Călători prices by train type and distance. On its tariff valid from 14 December 2025, a second-class InterRegio ticket costs RON 68.50 and first class RON 101.50. On the InterCity, second class costs RON 78.50 and first class RON 117.00.

IC and IR trains carry a compulsory seat reservation of RON 6.50, added to the fare and issued with your ticket. Regio tickets cost RON 37.00 in second class, and most Regio trains on this line also carry a compulsory RON 4.50 reservation.

The private companies are relaxed about late buying. Astra Trans Carpatic sells tickets on board at the standard price while places last, and Softrans also takes payment on the train.

Interrail passes

An Interrail pass covers CFR Călători trains. Reservations still apply on IC and IR trains, and on most Regio trains on this line. Interrail's online self-service books InterRegio reservations for €1.20 plus a €2 administration fee per person per train, and you can also reserve at a station in Romania. Do not count on the pass for the private operators' trains. Plan on a normal ticket for those.

Timetable from 13 December 2026

The yearly timetable changes on 13 December 2026, and the current Softrans trains are scheduled only until 12 December. Times, and possibly fares, can change from 13 December, so look up your train again if you travel after it.