Anina Railway

The line from Oravița to Anina opened in 1863 to carry coal out of the Banat mountains and is the oldest mountain railway in Romania, built by Austrian engineers using the techniques developed on the Semmering a decade earlier. In thirty-three kilometres it climbs some 340 metres through fourteen tunnels and over ten viaducts, curving continuously along the valley sides, and the engineering, with its cut stone portals and arched bridges, is the reason enthusiasts make the trip. Oravița at the lower end has its own claim to fame in the oldest theatre building in Romania, opened in 1817 and modelled on the old Burgtheater in Vienna. Anina at the top is a former mining town, much reduced since the pits closed. The passenger service has been suspended and reinstated repeatedly over the years, so anyone planning to ride it must check current operations.

What you actually see

• Tunnels and viaducts - fourteen tunnels and ten stone viaducts on the climb.
• Austrian engineering - cut stone portals and retaining walls from the 1860s.
• Oravița theatre - the oldest theatre building in the country, at the lower terminus.
• Anina - the mining town at the top of the line.

When to go

April to October for the best views from the windows; autumn colour along the line is excellent. Services are sparse and have been suspended for long periods, so confirm before travelling. Special charter and enthusiast trains sometimes run when the regular service does not.

Honest expectations

The service is unreliable and has been cancelled for years at a time, which is the single biggest issue with planning a trip. Rolling stock is basic. Anina itself is a depressed town with little to do while waiting for a return service. Check timetables the same week you travel.

Nearby

The Nera gorges lie east; the Danube gorge is south.