The Viseu de Sus forestry railway, located in the far north of Romania close to the border with the Ukraine, is an outstanding example of technical cultural heritage. The line is known as the "Vaser Valley Railway" - "vaser" comes from the local German word for water, in the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Travelling over a network of some 60 kilometers of narrow-gauge track, you will still find wood-burning steam locomotives running alongside several diesels and railcars. CFF Viseu de Sus ("CFF" is the Romanian abbreviation for Caile Ferate Forestiere, meaning "Forestry Railway") is the last remaining forestry railway in Europe. (Source)
The views across Romania are amazing, and if you connect this with a steam train trip everything seems to be part of a wonderful fairy tale. When we started planning the trip in the north of Romania, taking the steam train was a must.
What you need to know before you go is available on the local website. The information is in English so no worry. The only thing I would like to highlight administratively is that you can actually sleep in the train. Not in the actual train that will brnig your around but a train that was arranged especially for such experiences. You also have a restaurant carriage where dinner and breakfast is served.
the trip starts like any train trip, you need to buy your tickets
and from there the adventure starts...I'll let some of the pictures talk for me.
You'll have a 30 min break up at 1100m in Paltin, there is no phone network over there but this is perfect for a break from technology. In the ticket you'll also have lunch included which you can get from here,
On the left you have the menu with the prices for what you would like on top of the ticket and on the right you can see the mixed grill and the donuts with coffee as dessert included.
how many times do you have the opportunity to see Romanian dances? Well here you have young Romanians sharing some of the local treasures, traditional dances :)
and now back to Viseu, it's been a wonderful trip but not before sharing some more pictures.
you'll love this experience...so don't miss it if you reach the area and if you don't, make a detour :)