Unions warn that a lack of funding could reduce or halt train services

Riana Gegiu

21 October 2026, 12:37

Current Affairs

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Romania’s rail transport system risks being reduced or even halted due to a lack of funds for maintenance, repairs, energy and other operating expenses, the National Railway Movement Commercial Wagons Federation warns. Unions are calling on the Ministry of Transport to intervene urgently to prevent disruptions.

The federation is requesting a budget revision to ensure the resources needed for the rail system to operate. According to union representatives, delayed funding could affect both passenger and freight transport, as well as economic activities dependent on the railway network.

Meanwhile, approximately 1,550 CFR Marfă employees have allegedly not received their salaries for four months. Employee representatives are asking Transport Minister Ștefan Ovidiu Popa to expedite the release of funds and the payment of outstanding entitlements.

Unions are requesting an urgent meeting between the ministry, CFR Marfă management and employees. The discussions should establish a timetable for paying salaries and compensation. The federation describes the situation as a social emergency directly affecting employees and their families.

Context: The financial deadlock in the railway system began to deepen as the approval of the budgets was delayed

Before the warning about the risk of disrupting transport, the unions at CFR Călători drew attention to the fact that the operator was operating without an approved revenue and expenditure budget for 2026, 257 days after the beginning of the year, stating that the delay could lead to trains being halted if funding was not released quickly.

Separately, the Ministry of Transport suspended funding for Metrorex, while the Railway Transport Directorate rejected a request to open budget credits, citing Government Ordinance no. 26/2013, which provides for the suspension of allocations until the company’s budget is approved. The situation was explicitly linked to exceeding the legal deadline of 150 days from the entry into force of the state budget law, published on 27 March 2026.