Vaser Valley Forestry Railway

The Mocănița on the Vaser is the last forestry railway in Europe still using steam in regular commercial service alongside its tourist trains. The line was laid in the 1930s on 760 millimetre gauge to bring timber down from a valley with no road, and it climbs for tens of kilometres beside the Vaser river through forest, crossing bridges and passing rock cuttings where the valley narrows. Tourist trains run to Paltin, taking a couple of hours each way with a stop for lunch and a locomotive turn, while working trains still go further up to the logging points. The locomotives are wood-fired, which is worth knowing because the smell and the shower of sparks are part of the experience. The valley itself is genuinely remote, with forest workers' halts, a few huts and no public road, and bears and wolves live in it.

What you actually see

• Wood-fired steam locomotives - hauling the trains up the valley.
• The roadless valley - forest, river and rock cuttings with no road alongside.
• Paltin halt - the turning point with a picnic and locomotive manoeuvre.
• Working timber trains - the commercial side of the operation, still running.

When to go

May to October for the full timetable; services thin outside that and stop in deep winter. Book ahead in July and August, when trains sell out days in advance. Autumn colour in the valley is superb. Early departures are the least crowded.

Honest expectations

The round trip takes most of the day and the carriages are basic, wooden and can be cold or smoky depending on where you sit. Sparks from wood firing burn holes in clothing, so do not wear anything precious. Timetables shift and delays are normal. The station area in Vișeu de Sus is scruffy and parking is informal.

Nearby

Borșa and Prislop Pass lie east; the Merry Cemetery at Săpânța is west.