"Mocăniţele", controlled by AFER

"Mocăniţele" (smalls tourist trains in the mountain area) come under the control of the Romanian Railway Authority (AFER), according to Law 5/2025 promulgated by President Klaus Iohannis, which will lead to problems in the verification process, according to an article published on Friday by clubferoviar.ro.

"If certain essential components need to be verified by AFER, such as rails, rolling stock of wagons (axles, bogies, etc.), others could be easily removed from the Authority's control. Moreover, how can you request technical documentation, tests on components intended for steam locomotives that have not been manufactured for decades?" specifies the cited source.

Law 5/2025 derives from Government Ordinance no. 30/2024, which provides for the authorization of operators in the railway sector, including for tourist or heritage railways. Although in 2024, locomotive operators were exempted from certain regulations by OG 16, the new law requires their authorization for the products and services used, which includes documentation and technical testing for difficult-to-access components, some intended for steam locomotives that have not been manufactured for decades.

According to the cited source, there is a precedent that justifies the need for supervision, especially since in 2019 and 2023, the derailments of locomotives in Maramureş and Bucovina caused minor injuries to tourists and brought attention to the condition of the railway in those areas, as well as the rolling stock used. However, between the need for adequate control and the imposition of excessive requirements, the difference is significant.

The cited article states that the Association for the Preservation of Narrow Gauge Railways sent several requests to the Ministry of Transport, in August, September and October 2024, requesting the exemption of narrow gauge lines from additional regulations. Responses were delayed or completely absent, and OG 30 was adopted in August, becoming law only in 2025.

Another problematic aspect is the increase in VAT for ticket sales, from 5% to 19%, which makes the activity of operators in this field even more expensive.

Regarding the new provisions, Simona Istrate, president of the Organization of Employers of Private Railway Companies in Romania, stated for the cited source that the Ministry of Transport is promoting regulations without public debate, and AFER is imposing "increasingly burdensome" measures in a context in which rail traffic is already in decline.