I cannot think of anything much sadder than the moment when I realize that a trip is closer to the end, than it is to the beginning. That realization came to me as I began to plot a path from Oradea to Timisoara. Now that I am into the final phase of developing my itinerary for the lost cities beyond Hungary’s borders, the journey is dying with every step forward. I do not want this itinerary to end, but like life, I know that the end is inevitable. That sounds depressing and it is, but getting closer to the end also offers opportunities. There comes a point when you have very little left to lose on a trip or in life. This can be liberating and life changing. In that regard, Timisoara has a lot to teach me because it is the lost city that found its way. In the process, Timisoara helped Romania find a path forward to a brighter future.
Taking it slow – Train at a station in Romania (Credit: Laur M)
Brighter Future – A Change In Fortunes
In December 1989, Timisoara was seething with tension. The same could said for the rest of Romania. The dictatorial regime of Nicolae Ceausescu had pushed the people to a point of no return by sucking the country dry of its resources to pay the country’s debt down to zero. The people paid for Ceausescu’s mad scheme. They stood in long queues for food, store shelves were barren of consumer goods, and heat was turned off for much of the winter. Romania was turning into a powder keg of suppressed resentment. The only needed was a spark to set off an explosion. This came in the form of public protest when the Ceausescu government tried to move Bishop Laszlo Tokes, a dissident pastor of the Hungarian Reformed Church in Timisoara. to a remote parish due to his criticisms of the regime. The city’s Hungarian minority began to protest, and Romanians soon joined them. The Securitate, Romania’s dreaded secret police, could not get control of the situation. The army was sent in to put the protests down. Shots were fired, some of the protestors were killed.
The unrest in Timisoara quickly spread to Bucharest. Within a week, Ceausescu had been ousted from power and put on trial with his wife. Both were executed by firing squad on Christmas Day. The situation in Romania did not immediately get better. Cronies from the regime still held onto power, but eventually they were ousted. The movement towards democracy and capitalism was the beginning of a better life for millions of Romanian citizens. Romania would become a member of NATO and the European Union. While the country still has plenty of problems (most notably corruption and depopulation), it has made incredible economic strides. The upturn in fortune has been particularly notable in Timisoara, where the Romanian Revolution began. The city has a booming economy with very low unemployment. Located along the western edge of Romania, logistics is one of Timisoara’s strong suits. The city is well-connected to surrounding regions. This makes getting to Timisoara from Oradea by train relatively easy.
Ready for Revolution – Demonstration in Timisoara 1989 (Credit: Fortepan/Tamas Urban)
Timetables – Regressive Tendencies
After the border crossings, transfers, and late-night train ride which were part of my travel plan from Uzhhorod to Oradea, the option of a direct train from Oradea to Timisoara comes as a relief. Unfortunately, public transport in Romania is never as easy as it seems. This tends to be most problematic when it comes to Căile Ferate Române, (CFR) Romania’s National Railway provider. It has been my experience that on-time arrival for trains in Romania is uncommon. The trains in Romania seem to run on their own time. I have spoken with several Romanians who confirmed that they have also experienced this time warp. One businesswoman who ran a hotel in Brasov said the trains were embarrassing and reflected badly on Romania. A student stuck on the same train as me in Medias, said that the interminable delay we were experiencing was typical. A clock with no hands could be an appropriate symbol for CFR. One railway journey I was on between Sibiu and Sighisoara took twice as long as scheduled. Then I had to do the journey in reverse later the same day. That experience prepared me to never be surprised at the slowness of travel on Romania’s railways. If you want to get somewhere fast in Romania, my recommendation is to rent a car.
If you love riding trains like I do, bring plenty of patience and plan for a snail’s pace journey. That is even the case on direct routes. The infrastructure is so degraded that one study found the trains run slower today (45 kilometers per hour on average), than they did over a century ago (50 – 60 kilometers per hour). According to the Romanian State Audit Office, an estimated 9,800 kilometers (out of 13,500 kilometers) have reached the end of their service life. This is why I was not surprised to discover that the railway journey from Oradea to Timisoara takes at least three and a half hours. That does not seem so bad when compared with a bus journey, which takes 15 minutes less, but would be twice as exhausting. Journeying by car clocks in at only two and a half hours. All things considered, the railway journey from Oradea to Timisoara is rather efficient. That is because they are western Romania’s two biggest cities. The railway line between them also goes through the third largest city, Arad. A good railway connection is an economic imperative for the region.
Late start- Looking out a train window in Romania
Trip Planning – Better Late Than Never
As far as finding the most efficient way of getting to Timisoara by train, slow and steady wins this race between tortoise and snail for me. I am looking forward to the trip to Timisoara since I will not have to make any transfers. A direct ticket leaving Oradea at 8:40 a.m. with an arrival time of 12:15 p.m. should get me there by lunch. Of course, I expect the train to be a little bit late so I will pack extra provisions. You never know how long riding the rails in Romania might take. Just plan to not arrive on time. Better later than never. A phrase that revolutionary Timisoara knows well.
Click here for: Ghost Station – Timisoara’s Vanished Railway Depot (The Lost Cities #9)
Europe Between East And West 