Currently, no train runs in less than 3 hours 15 minutes, but in a few years, once the upgrade is complete, journey times for some trains will be reduced by almost two hours. The shorter version, 209 km long, also has trains that take more than four hours. 30 years ago there were also trains that traveled in 2 hours and 10 minutes.

The national railway company CFR SA reports that currently 44 Quick Wins repair and superstructure renewal contracts are being executed on the railway network that passes through the counties of Ilfov, Dambovitsa, Arjes, Olt and Dolj, on a total length of 348 km of railway to increase maximum traffic speed up to 120 km/h, on two sections that provide connections between Bucharest and Craiova, via Videle and Pitesti, respectively.

The maximum speed of the two sections of the railway will increase to 120 km/h, and the travel time after the completion of the works will be 2 h 19 min from 3 h 31 min (IR 78/IR 72), for a direct train of the class, on the route Bucharest – Videle – Craiova and on the route Bucharest – Pitesti – Craiova the travel time will be reduced to 3 hours and three minutes, from 4 hours and 56 minutes for the direct RE train ( RE 9257).

There are two ways to get from Bucharest to Craiova by train:

• highway 100, via Videle – Caracal, 209 km, the fastest train takes 3 hours 18 minutes, but there are also IR trains that take more than four hours. Trains that stop at all stations take five hours. This is the most frequently used.

• highway 101, through Pitesti – Piatra Olt, 250 km, the road takes about five hours.

The contracts signed by the regional offices of CF Bucharest and Craiova between December 2022 and December 2023 have a total value of 1.2 billion lei excluding VAT, financed by PNRR grants. The duration of the contract for Quick Wins type works is 24 months, and for restoration works – 18 months (one lot) and 36 months (2 lots), respectively, from the moment the order is issued to start.

Thus, from December 2024 until February 2025, the builders must complete all Quick Wins works to remove restrictions on the total length of 130 km of railway and work to restore the first 21 km, and in December 2026 to complete two railway renewal contracts for a maximum speed of 120 km/h with a total length of 196 km CF.

Quick Wins works (41 contracts) are being carried out on the 130 km CF section between Bucharest – Videle – Craiova and Pielesti – Pitești, and renewal works (3 contracts) are targeting the 217 km CF on the Chitila – Golești – Pitești section.

What are Quick Wins and Renewal Jobs and where do they work

Quick Wins are point repair works for the complete restoration of the upper track structure – rails, sleepers, track devices, crushed stone – which are carried out between certain kilometer positions on the railway interval, and restoration works are repair works by replacing the entire track. elements of the superstructure in a row on the entire interval of the railway station, on direct lines and at stations, and both categories of work are performed from new railway materials purchased by builders.

Quick Wins type works are carried out on a length of 130.605 km CF, both on line 100 Bucharest – Videle – Craiova, on the interval Bucharest Nord – Chiaina – Gredinari – Vadu Lat – Zavestreni – Olteni – Rosiori Nord – Radoști – Atirnaci – Roșiori – Măldăieni – Mihăesti – Radomirești – Fărcașele – Drăgănești Olt, as well as on line 101 Pitesti – Craiova, on the section Pitesti – Bradu de Sus – Părvu – Costesti – Falfani – Stolnici – Haršești – Corbu and between Balș – Spinesți – Robanești – Pielesti.

As for the railway rehabilitation works, they are carried out only on line 101 Bucharest – Pitesti, with a total length of 217 km, on the sections Citila – Čokanest (line II) and Čokanest – Titu (lines I and II), from km. 10+600 to km 49+780 (current and direct lines from Săbăreni, Ciocănești and Ghergani stations), Titu – Călinești – Golesti (lines I and II), from km 49+980 to km 95+000 (current and direct lines from Fusea, Matăsaru, Găesti, Leordeni and Călinești stations), respectively between Călinești – Golești – Pitești, from km 95+000 to km 107+575, including lines 1a, 1b, 5 and 6 from Golești CF station.

What are the advantages of QUICK WINS and RENEWAL vacancies:

→ short deadlines, a significant part of the contract term is allocated to the developer for the purchase of new track materials – rails, sleepers, crushed stone, etc.

→ increase the speed of movement to 120 km/h, canceling the current speed limits

→ direct and immediate impact on travel time

→ increasing the degree of safety and comfort.