According to the provisions of art. 83 of the Law on the Pre-University Education no. 198/2023:
PUPILS from certified/authorized pre-university education, including those enrolled in pre-university education units registered in the Special Register of pre-university education units, benefit from free domestic rail transport, on all categories of trains (Regio, InterRegio and Intercity), at 2nd class, throughout the calendar year, based on the pupil card/identification card for the current school year.
Providing transport facilities to pupils:
Pupils benefit from:
- free tickets, for all categories of trains, at 2nd class and free reservation fee for trains with a reservation system;
- monthly season-tickets with an unlimited number of free trips, at 2nd class, for all categories of trains.
When travelling by upper class trains or sleeping cars and berth cars, pupils will fully pay the tariff differences and the reservation fee as requested.
Issuance of travel documents (tickets and season-tickets):
a) Free tickets for pupils can be purchased from:
- Ticket offices from railway stations with their own staff and from CFR travel agencies;
- Train staff, when:
- The boarding station is not open for ticket sale;
- Boarding takes place outside the ticket office working schedule;
- The boarding station is not served by CFR Calatori staff;
- The passenger presents a ticket issued on board a train, valid for a train which has arrived in the boarding station for the new train in an interval of up to 15 minutes – under the condition of going to the train staff immediately after boarding the train;
- CFR Călători ticket vending machines (xSell Kiosk) from the stations;
- ONLINE, only after confirming/validating as PUPIL at the ticket offices, which is made only once for each school year, and the issuing of an ID.
b) For monthly passes with 100% discount, with an unlimited number of trips:
- Ticket offices which issue cardboard support tickets, from CFR Călători travel agencies and stations with their own staff;
- Kiosk-type CFR Calatori ticket vending machines from the stations, only after confirming/validating as PUPIL at the ticket offices,
- Apps downloadable on the phone, in the form of a QR code with dynamic elements, only after confirming/validating as PUPIL at the ticket offices
*Confirmation/validation as “pupil” can be requested at any station or CFR Călători travel agency equipped with an electronic issuing system, during their work hours, on the basis of the original note book / pupil ID, which includes pupil’s surname, first name and personal numerical code, stamped for the current school year, or on the basis of the proving certificate issued by the educational institution the pupils belongs to, in original. Confirmation / validation as “pupil” is performed only once per each school year. After confirming / validating as “pupil” and the creation of the online user profile, an ID is issued, on the basis of which the tickets/passes shall be purchased online from the website or from the phone downloadable app.
Necessary Documents for Issuing Tickets/Passes at the Ticket Offices or On Board the Trains:
In order to issue FREE travel documents (tickets and monthly season-tickets) for PUPILS, it is necessary to submit the following documents:
- PUPIL CARD/IDENTITICATION CARD in original, with pupil name, surname, social security number and endorsed by the educational establishment for the current school year;
- or CERTIFICATE confirming the pupil status, issued by the educational establishment of belonging, submitted in original. The certificate must correspond to the model provided in the GD no. 810/2023, as follows:
- or COLLECTIVE CERTIFICATE issued by the educational establishment of belonging, submitted in original. This certificate is used only for pupils traveling in a group. It must correspond to the model provided in the GD no.810/2023, as follows:
There will not be accepted other types/models of certificates for issuing pupil tickets/season-tickets.
Checking documents on board
When checking the legality of train trips, pupils must submit the following:
- free ticket/season-ticket, valid for that train, in original, except for those issued digitally (online)
- an original ID (ID card, passport, residence permit, driver’s license) or birth certificate in original or copy for pupils under 14 years old;
Pupils can submit the original pupil card/identification card instead of the identity document, only if it contains the pupil’s photo and social security number.
Note!
If pupils do not submit on board the previously mentioned documents, they will be considered as not having a ticket/season-ticket and will be treated according to the legislation in force (they will incur the payment of rates established on board – higher than the ticket counter rates, and otherwise they will have to get off the train at the first stop along the route and they will receive a contravention report for the distance already covered). Persons under the age of 14 traveling unaccompanied, in the aforementioned situation, will be handed over to the Police.
A. STUDENTS STUDYING IN ROMANIA (benefit from a 90 % discount)
- Travel facility
According to the legislation in force, during the 2025/2026 academic year, Romanian/foreign students, up to 30 years old, enrolled in full-time education programs in accredited higher education institutions in Romania, benefit from a 90% reduced fare for domestic rail transport on all 2nd class categories of trains (Regio, Interregio, Intercity), only on the distance/routes between the place of residence and the location of the higher education institution, at which the student is enrolled.The 90% discount applies including to students with one or both deceased parents, as well as to students from foster care centers or who were in foster care with extended, foster family or with a foster parent. For the 1st class or sleeping car/berth car journey, the fare differences will be paid in full.
- Issuance of tickets and travel passes
For the students’ journey, the following types of tickets are issued only for the distances established according to the provisions mentioned in paragraph 2.4:
- tickets with a 90% discount, valid on train/trains and date, for all 2nd class train categories (Regio, Interregio, Intercity), including a reservation ticket with 90% discount on class car for trains with reservation system;
- monthly passes with a 90% discount, with an unlimited number of trips on 2nd class Regio, Interregio and Intercity trains, on distances up to 300 km.
2.1. Sales channels for tickets with a 90 % discount for students:
- a) Tickets with a 90% discount for students can be purchased from:
- ticket offices of CFR Călători travel agencies and railway stations with their own staff
- on the train, from the train staff, only the tickets valid for the current train and, possibly, for the next connecting train, in the following situations:
-
- the railway boarding station is not open for sales activity;
- the railway boarding station is not served by its own staff;
- boarding takes place outside the ticket office working schedule;
- online, on the website www.cfrcalatori.ro and through the downloadable app on your smartphone;
- from CFR Calatori ticket vending machines.
- b) Travel passes with a 90% discount for students can be purchased from
- ticket offices of CFR Călători travel agencies and railway stations with their own staff
- online, on the website www.cfrcalatori.ro and through the downloadable app on your smartphone;
- from CFR Călători ticket vending machines
Tickets and travel passes can be purchased online and from ticket vending machines in railway stations, only after confirming the student status and obtaining a student ID from the ticket office.
2.2. Documents to be submitted when purchasing tickets/travel passes from ticket offices or on the train, including to confirm the student status:
- Student card for discounted/free transportation, valid for the current academic year, which, in addition to the student’s name, surname and Social Security Number, bears the place where the educational institution is located or it is stamped; For the journey made from the beginning of the academic year until November 30, FIRST YEAR STUDENTS may submit an original CERTIFICATE, issued for the respective academic year, by the educational institution of belonging, instead of the student ID card for discounted/free transportation;
- Identity document (identity document, electronic identity document, temporary identity document).
Students holding an electronic identity card can provide proof of residence by submitting a document/certificate issued digitally or in hard copy by specialized civil registry office, certifying the residence of people.
ATTENTION!
- If the location of the educational institution is not mentioned or stamped on the student card for discounted/free transportation, 90% discounted tickets for students will not be issued and the student ID cannot be obtained. In this case, the student will be recommended to contact the educational institution to fill in on the student card the place where it is located.
- The student ID card for discounted/free transportation is valid for journeys made in the respective academic year until November 30 of the following academic year, except for students in their final year of studies.
Certificate template for first-year students,
valid until November 30 of the beginning of the academic year
ADEVERINŢĂ
Prin prezenta, instituţia de învăţământ superior acreditată*) . . . . . . . . . . din localitatea**) . . . . . . . . . . atestă calitatea de student anul I la forma de învăţământ cu frecvenţă a doamnei/domnului . . . . . . . . . . (numele şi prenumele studentului), . . . . . . . . . . (CNP), în cursul anului universitar . . . . . . . . . ./ . . . . . . . . . .
*) Denumirea completă a instituţiei de învăţământ.
**) Localitatea în care se află instituţia de învăţământ superior acreditată/facultatea unde frecventează cursurile studentul respectiv.
Prezenta adeverinţă se eliberează pentru reducere 90%/100%***) la transportul cu metroul şi transportul feroviar.
***) Se va menţiona numai reducerea de care beneficiază studentul.
Decan,
. . . . . . . . . .
Semnătură şi ştampila instituţiei de învăţământ superior
The 90% discount (tickets/travel passes) can be granted until November 30, 2025, inclusive, based on the original student ID card for discounted transportation, issued for the 2024-2025 academic year. Exception: students for whom the 2024-2025 academic year is the final year of studies will no longer benefit from the related facilities starting with October 1, 2025.
Until obtaining a student ID card for discounted transportation, first-year students can benefit from a 90% discount for travelling until November 30, 2025, inclusive, and based on the original certificate issued by the educational institution for the 2025-2026 academic year.
As of 1st of December 2025, the 90% discount for students will be granted only based on the student ID card for discounted transportation, endorsed for the 2025-2026 academic year, including for first-year students.
2.3 Confirming the student status and obtaining the student ID from ticket offices:
Student status and student ID can be confirmed and obtained only from the railway ticket offices and travel agencies, based on the submission of the original documents mentioned in paragraph 2.2.
2.4 To obtain the student ID, travel distances/routes are established according to the provisions of the Government Decision no. 811/2023, as amended and supplemented, as follows:
- Travel distances/routes for which 90% discounted tickets are issued, are the following:
– the distance between the railway station/stations serving the student’s place of residence and the railway station/stations serving the place where the accredited higher education institution is located;
or
– the distance between the railway stations located within the railway route between the student’s place of residence and the place where the accredited higher education institution is located.
- For students who reside or are enrolled in accredited higher education institutions in cities served by multiple railway stations, tickets may be issued to or from any railway station serving that city;
- If the student lives in a city not served by a railway station, tickets will be issued for the journey between the railway station/stations to which the student has access from the place of residence and the station/stations that serve the city where the accredited higher education institution is located;
- For students from abroad enrolled in full-time education in accredited higher education institutions in Romania, tickets are issued between the stations located within the railway route between the border point where the student enters/exists the country and the place where the accredited higher education institution is located;
- If the student cannot travel on the distance/routes, as defined above, by the means of transport of a single railway operator, the journey can be fractional and taken by the means of transport of several railway and road transport operators, the discount being granted for the journey taken by each railway transport operator separately, on those distances.
- At the student’s request, tickets can be issued for the journey to or from an intermediate railway station located on the distance/routes serving the student’s place of residence and the railway station/stations serving the place where the accredited higher education institution is located
Subsequently, based on the student ID that has the data associated with the beneficiary of the facility, including on the distance/travel routes, tickets can be purchased with a 90% discount both online and from vending machines, only on the respective distances, including from ticket offices or on the train.
The student ID is valid for the current academic year until November 30 of the following academic year, except for students in their final years of studies.
In the event of a change of residence, the student is required to submit again the aforementioned documents to the ticket offices, in order to establish the distance/routes on which the student is entitled to travel with a 90% discount.
If the journey is cancelled, the beneficiaries of the transport facilities holding issued tickets must request their refund under the conditions provided for by the railway transport operator’s regulations, otherwise the journeys will be considered undertaken.
The same person is not allowed to purchase multiple discounted/free tickets for the journey made by the same train or for different travel connections at the same time.
- Checking documents on the train:
When checking the documents on the train, students will submit the ticket or travel pass and the student ID card for discounted/free transportation, valid for the current academic year.
Tickets/travel passes for students must be submitted on the train as follows:
- those purchased from ticket offices and vending machines must be submitted in hard copy, in original;
- those online must be submitted either digitally, as an electronic pdf document, or printed on paper with a QR code;
- online passes available through the downloadable app must be submitted only in electronic format on the device with which it is associated.
Attention!
If students do not submit onboard the previously mentioned documents or submit other documents issued by the higher education institutions of belonging, they will be considered as not having a ticket and will be treated according to the legislation in force (they will bear the payment of prices established onboard – higher than the ticket office prices, and otherwise they will have to get off the train at the first stop along the route and they will receive a contravention report for the distance already covered).
B. ROMANIAN CITIZEN STUDENTS STUDYING ABROAD (benefit from a 50% discount)
- Travel facility
According to the provisions of the legislation in force, as of 1st of October 2025, Romanian citizen students enrolled in abroad full-time higher education institutions, benefit by the age of 30, on the territory of Romania, from a 50% reduced fare for all 2nd class categories of trains, on any distance. For the 1st class or sleeping car/berth car journey, the fare differences will be paid in full.
Romanian students by the age of 30, enrolled in abroad full-time educational institutions, can purchase tickets with a 50% discount on all categories of 2nd class Regio, Interregio and Intercity trains, on any distance, including a reservation ticket with a 50% discount.
- Issuance of tickets
Students can purchase tickets with a 50% discount:
– from ticket offices;
– on the train, from the train staff, only the tickets valid for the current train and, possibly, for the next connecting train, in the following situations:
-
- the railway boarding station is not open for sales activity;
- the railway boarding station is not served by its own staff;
- boarding takes place outside the ticket office working schedule
Documents to be submitted by students entitled to a discount of 50% when purchasing tickets are the following:
- student ID card with a certified translation showing that the student is enrolled in a full-time foreign educational institution during the respective academic year
- the identity document (identity card, temporary identity card, electronic identity card, passport) showing the Romanian citizenship and the student’s age (not exceeding 30 years old).
- Checking documents on the train:
When checking documents on the train, students must submit the ticket and the following documents:
- student ID card with a certified translation showing that the student is enrolled in a full-time foreign educational institution during the respective academic year;
- the identity document (identity card, temporary identity card, electronic identity card, passport) showing the Romanian citizenship and the student’s age (not exceeding 30 years old).
Attention!
If students do not submit onboard the previously mentioned documents or submit other documents issued by the higher education institutions of belonging, they will be considered as not having a ticket and will be treated according to the legislation in force (they will bear the payment of prices established onboard – higher than the ticket office prices, and otherwise they will have to get off the train at the first stop along the route and they will receive a contravention report for the distance already covered).
