One of the most important cultural and technical values of the country, the Narrow Gauge Railway Train "Mocanita" from Viseu de Sus is the last steam train used for timber production in the world. Built as a more practical technical solution for transporting wood, the railway is still in use, for the initial purpose, but also for tourism.
Positioning
The departure point is the Viseu de Sus railway station.
Access
Departure: 9:00 a.m. from Viseu de Sus railway station
Schedule: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Arrival: About 14:30 p.m. in Viseu de Sus
Route: Vişeu de Sus – Paltin (21.6 km)
Price
Schedule: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Arrival: About 14:30 p.m. in Viseu de Sus
Route: Vişeu de Sus – Paltin (21.6 km)
Price
- Adults: 46 ron per person;
- Students: 39 ron per person;
- Children 6-16 years: 33 ron/person
Reservations: Groups with over 15 people or with the Mocanita Package: 0744 686 716 or over e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Other services: Bar (railway station – Café – Elephant Museum), hosting in the Carpatia Express hotel-train(offer here);
Contact:
www.cffviseu.com
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tel.: +40 262.353.381 (between the hours of 10 - 19)
Fax: +40 262.353.384
Mobile: +40 744.686.716 (between the hours of 10 - 19)
Other services: Bar (railway station – Café – Elephant Museum), hosting in the Carpatia Express hotel-train(offer here);
Contact:
www.cffviseu.com
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tel.: +40 262.353.381 (between the hours of 10 - 19)
Fax: +40 262.353.384
Mobile: +40 744.686.716 (between the hours of 10 - 19)
Map
History
The track was laid at the gauge of 760 mm (the standard for narrow gauge lines within the Austro-Hungarian Empire). The line runs alongside the Vaser River with numerous curves, bridges and several tunnels, into a wild and romantic valley, high in the Carpathian Mountains. The railway opens up a vast area of isolated forest and mountain, without roads or villages but with plenty bears and wolves instead.
The industrial use of timber in the Vaser Valley began at the beginning of the 18th century, during the Austro-Hungarian Empire. German-speaking settlers explored the forest, harvested the timber, and transported it in log rafts down the river to the saw mills of Viseu de Sus.
In 1932 the forestry railway was built - an enormous technical advance compared with the rafting.
Forestry railways were widespread across Europe, especially in the Carpathian Mountains. The operating principle was very simple: they followed the rivers, often necessitating tight curves - hence the use of the narrow gauge! The tracks were constructed so as to enable small locomotives to pull empty logging wagons up into the mountains and to let heavily loaded trains roll down under gravity to the saw mills in Viseu de Sus.
While forest roads replaced the railways in most European countries after 1945, the forestry railways in Romania survived much longer - in 1970 the State-run forestry administration still operated more than 3000 kilometers of railway. Even as late as 1986 new forestry steam locomotives were being built in Romania, and in 1989 more than 15 forestry railways were still in existence, totaling approximately 1000 km of line.
The industrial use of timber in the Vaser Valley began at the beginning of the 18th century, during the Austro-Hungarian Empire. German-speaking settlers explored the forest, harvested the timber, and transported it in log rafts down the river to the saw mills of Viseu de Sus.
Forestry railways were widespread across Europe, especially in the Carpathian Mountains. The operating principle was very simple: they followed the rivers, often necessitating tight curves - hence the use of the narrow gauge! The tracks were constructed so as to enable small locomotives to pull empty logging wagons up into the mountains and to let heavily loaded trains roll down under gravity to the saw mills in Viseu de Sus.
While forest roads replaced the railways in most European countries after 1945, the forestry railways in Romania survived much longer - in 1970 the State-run forestry administration still operated more than 3000 kilometers of railway. Even as late as 1986 new forestry steam locomotives were being built in Romania, and in 1989 more than 15 forestry railways were still in existence, totaling approximately 1000 km of line.
Ever since 2003 the railway system has been managed by the private Romanian corporation: "R.G. Holz Ltd", which is also the owner of the depot area and most of the locomotives and wagons. However the railway infrastructure, along with most of the forest in the valley, are still State-owned.
Since 2000 the forestry railway has been receiving support from abroad, specifically from the Swiss association "Hilfe für die Wassertalbahn" ("Help for the Vaser Valley Railway"). With assistance from Switzerland, some disused locomotives were restored and put back into service, new passenger coaches were purchased, and the depot and the historic station building at Viseu were refurbished. Around the station yard in Viseu de Sus, infrastructure is being established that takes account of the increasing demands of tourism in the Vaser Valley.
From 2005, regular passenger trains hauled by steam locos have been in operation for visitors and since 2007 the Vaser Valley has been under European protection as part of the Maramureș Mountains Nature Park.
Tourist reception structures
Housing structures
| Nume unitate | Type of structure | Category | Number of rooms | Number of places | Town | Adress | Phone no |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SIMINA | guesthouse | 3 stars | 6 | 10 | Vişeu de Jos | nr. 2111B | 0745.988.002 |
| AGNES | guesthouse | 2 stars | 8 | 19 | Vişeu de Sus | Str. Spiru Haret, nr. 10 | - |
| ANCUŢA | guesthouse | 2 stars | 2 | 3 | Vişeu de Sus | Str. Banat, nr. 11 | 0262.352.528 |
| ARMONII | guesthouse | 2 flowers | 3 | 7 | Vişeu de Sus | Str. Botoaia, nr. 17/A | 0262.352.138, 0746.183.918 |
| BÂRSAN | rural guesthouse | 2 stars | 4 | 10 | Vişeu de Sus | Str. Al. I. Cuza, nr. 69B | 0262.355.653 |
| BRAD | hotel | 1 star | 11 | 18 | Vişeu de Sus | Str. 22 Decembrie, nr. 50 | 0262.352.999 |
| CASA ALBA | guesthouse | 3 stars | 4 | 9 | Vişeu de Sus | Str. Iuliu Maniu, nr. 10A | 0745.297.457 |
| DĂNUŢA | rural guesthouse | 2 stars | 4 | 9 | Vişeu de Sus | Str. Al. I. Cuza, nr. 27A | 0262.352.121 |
| GABRIELA | hotel | 3 stars | 28 | 50 | Vişeu de Sus | Str. Rândunelelor, nr. 1 | 0262.354.380 |
| IOASAF | guesthouse | 3 stars | 3 | 9 | Vişeu de Sus | Str. Banat, nr. 4 | - |
| LA CASSA | guesthouse | 3 stars | 11 | 21 | Vişeu de Sus | Str. Gheorghe Doja, NR. 6 | 0262.355.682 |
| MAGNOLIA | guesthouse | 3 stars | 4 | 12 | Vişeu de Sus | Str. Arșița, nr. 90 | - |
| PAULIUC GHEORGHE | guesthouse | 3 stars | 4 | 10 | Vişeu de Sus | Str. Iuliu Maniu, nr. 10A | 0262.355.395 |
| SANDA | guesthouse | 2 stars | 5 | 10 | Vişeu de Sus | Str. Moldova, nr. 1 | 0262.352.032 |
Food structures
| Name of structure | Type of structure | Category | Number of places | Town | Adress | Phone no |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRAD | classic restaurant | 2 stars | 24 | Vişeu de Sus | Str. 22 Decembrie, nr. 50 | 0262.353.857 |
| GABRIELA | day bar | 2 stars | 50 | Vişeu de Sus | Str. Rândunelelor, nr. 1 | 0262.354.380 |
| GABRIELA | classic restaurant | 2 stars | 161 | Vişeu de Sus | Str. Rândunelelor, nr. 1 | 0262.354.380 |
| LA CASSA | day bar | 3 stars | 12 | Vişeu de Sus | Str. Gheorghe Doja, nr. 6 | - |
| LA CASSA | classic restaurant | 3 stars | 55 | Vişeu de Sus | Str. Gheorghe Doja, nr. 6 | 0262.355.682 |
The Vaser Valley Route
The trail follows the route:
- Vișeu de Sus Railway Station
- Tickets
- Information
- Pies and coffee-bar
- Novăț Station
- Wooden terrace/picnic place
- Restrooms
- Delta Novăț
- Railway ramification
- Water supply for the train
- Restrooms
- Drinks
- Cozia Station
- Seedbed with a timber establishment
- Historical train station
- Galleries from the Second World War
- Old military hospital
- Ammunition deposit
- Paltin destination
- Picnic place
- Food and drink service
- Historical train station
- Return to Vișeu de Sus
- Souvenirs
- Elephant Museum-House
- Candlelight dinner in the restaurant-wagon
- Hosting in the Carpatia Express Hotel-train
