The Filiași – Bumbești – Livezeni railway connects the Transylvanian Plateau with the Romanian Plain through the coal basin from the Jiu Valley and is famous in history for the Bumbești – Livezeni section, completed a few years after the Second World War. Besides the paramount importance in rail transport, the railway that crosses the Jiu gorge also offers spectacular landscapes. Spanning 117 km in length, the railway line was built by the CFR administration between 1886-1948 in five stages.
During the first 2 stages, the Filiași – Cărbunești (46 km) and Cărbunești – Târgu Jiu (24 km) railway sections were inaugurated in 1888, the works being carried out at a sustained pace because they were declared works of public utility. For 27 years, Târgu Jiu was the end of the railway line on this route.
During the third stage, between 1915-1916, the Târgu Jiu – Bumbești section (16 km) was built at an impressive pace, following the outbreak of the First World War. The continuation of the works for the construction of the Bumbeşti –Livezeni railway was stopped by Romania’s entry into the First World War. During the 4th and 5th stages, the works were carried out on the Bumbești – Livezeni section (31 km), which started on March the 1st, 1924. Between 1931-1937, the works on this section have been maintained in a state of preservation, and on November the 4th 1941, the Bumbești – Meri section (8 km) section for the transport of materials and workers to sections was inaugurated and on the 31st of October 1948, the festive opening of the Meri – Livezeni section (23 km) took place.
Five construction companies, Romanian army soldiers and 27,988 young volunteers worked on the construction sites of this section of only 31 km (the young people were registered within the Gheorghe Gheorghiu Dej National Labor Site opened on April the 1st 1948) and represents a monument of Romanian technology, being the most complex and difficult railway route built in Romania.
The 21 bridges, 59 bridges, 25 viaducts, 36 tunnels and other works of art make the Bumbești – Livezeni railway the most spectacular railway route in the country. It also remained in history for the intense way in which it appeared in communist propaganda through the “voluntary youth brigades” and by the expression “the valley resounds”. Filming was made here for the movie “The Valley resounds” directed by Paul Călinescu, because here was the last bastion of the brigadiers, the last area where it was dug and excavated, Ilioaie Bridge – White Stones – Fabian Viaduct being the most difficult area. Between 1972-1974, the Filiași –Târgu Jiu – Bumbeşti – Livezeni railway was electrified.
This section is part of the railway line no.202 Filiași – Târgu Jiu – Petroșani – Simeria, with a length of 201 km. The railway line no. 202 connects the 900 and 200 highways and crosses beautiful landscapes, especially in the Subcetate area and in the area of the Bănița – Merișor pass, at 720 meters altitude, in the Șureanu mountains. If you want to get to Retezat, Subcetate railway station, located a few km from Haţeg, is the best option.
Also from here, you can go by train from Simeria to Craiova and Bucharest.
Did you know that?
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- The Sadului Valley is the first railway station of the Jiu Gorge, the place where it starts
- At the end of the Leurzeaua Bridge is the Leurzeaua Tunnel – is the only tunnel in the country in the shape of the letter S
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The future of transport is the railway – Chose the railway! click here
Romania – Founding Member of the International Union of Railways! click here
Railway transport – the Most Ecologic Type of Passenger Transport in Europe click here
Steam locomotives museum in Reșița click here
The “Ceferiada” Event click here
Steam locomotives museum in Dej click here
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Intelligent transport click here
The TRAIN = The railway transport is cleaner click here
140 years from the first railway built entirely by Romanian engineers click here
The railway connection of the Capital with the East and the West, in the beginning click here
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The history of the royal train – CFR Călători click here
The Danube Cliff and the Filești Tunnel in the European Year of Railways click here
The Caracău Viaduct – the largest concrete arched viaduct in Romania click here
The Royal Station of Bucharest Băneasa click here
