# Which mocanita do you ride?

Three narrow-gauge lines with official programs and fares: Viseu, Sovata and Moldovita. Below: the verdict by what you want, the fare comparison and the measured drives.

## The quick verdict

- The full steam day: Viseu de Sus — About 6 h return through the Vaser valley, departing 09:00 or 10:00. May–October daily; in winter Thu–Sun (Jan–Apr) and Fri–Sun (Nov–Dec). Standard adult 136 lei.

- An easy weekend from the center: Sovata — Sovata–Campu Cetatii 14 km, about 2 h return. Fri–Sun 10:00 and 13:30; Mon–Thu closed. Adult 80 lei, child 50, senior 70.

- Steam in Bucovina: Moldovita–Argel — Steam loco, 25 km, 3 h return. Adult 60 lei, child 35. Cash only; days with no seats are missing from the calendar.

- Minimum budget + monastery: Moldovita–Vatra Moldovitei — Diesel, 10 km, 1 h 40 return: adult 30 lei, child 20. The break allows a visit to Moldovita Monastery. Cash only, booking required.

- Winter and off-season: Viseu de Sus — The only one with a month-by-month program published for 2026: in winter it runs Thu–Sun (Jan–Apr) and Fri–Sun (Nov–Dec). The other two show runs in the calendar only.

- With lunch included: Viseu, the Special package — 198 lei adult (189 student/pensioner, 149 pupil): ticket + grill + coffee + soft drink + pastry. Easter, Christmas and New Year run a different program and fares.

## Access, measured by road

- București → Vișeu de Sus: 525.6 km, 547 min

- București → Sovata: 334.6 km, 322 min

- București → Moldovița: 497.0 km, 397 min

- Cluj-Napoca → Vișeu de Sus: 165.8 km, 193 min

- Cluj-Napoca → Sovata: 161.2 km, 150 min

- Cluj-Napoca → Moldovița: 256.0 km, 340 min

- Brașov → Vișeu de Sus: 340.8 km, 387 min

- Brașov → Sovata: 149.8 km, 163 min

- Brașov → Moldovița: 384.2 km, 421 min

- Iași → Vișeu de Sus: 310.1 km, 402 min

- Iași → Sovata: 276.0 km, 319 min

- Iași → Moldovița: 189.6 km, 223 min

## The lines, one by one

### Official fares, compared

- Viseu Standard: adult 136 · student/pensioner 126 · pupil 95; about 6 h

- Viseu Special (with meal): adult 198 · student/pensioner 189 · pupil 149; about 6 h

- Sovata: adult 80 · child 50 · senior 70; about 2 h

- Moldovita–Argel, steam: adult 60 · child 35; 3 h

- Moldovita–Vatra, diesel: adult 30 · child 20; 1 h 40

### Vișeu de Sus

- About 6 h return through the Vaser valley; departing 09:00 or 10:00 in the morning.

- 2026: May–October daily; Jan–Apr Thu–Sun; Nov–Dec Fri–Sun (timetable page).

- Standard: adult 136, student/pensioner 126, pupil 95 lei; Special with meal: 198/189/149. Holidays: different program and fares.

Buy online in advance from the shop; platform access with a ticket only.

### Sovata

- Sovata–Campu Cetatii 14 km, 760 mm gauge; about 2 h return.

- Fri–Sun 10:00 and 13:30; Mon–Thu closed. Times vary by season — check the calendar.

- Adult 80, child (4–14) 50, seniors 70 lei. Be at the station 30 minutes before departure.

Book from the calendar on the site; group rates by phone.

### Moldovița

- Argel: steam, 25 km, 3 h return, 60/35 lei. Vatra: diesel, 10 km, 1 h 40, 30/20 lei.

- Booking required; no show 15 minutes before and it is cancelled. Under-3 free, no seat.

- No static timetable: days missing from the calendar have no seats all day. Cash only.

Book online, pay cash at the counter; station parking 9 lei.

## Practical

### Tickets
At Viseu choose between Standard and the Special with meal. At Sovata and Moldovita fares are on the operators' sites, and the exact day is checked in the calendar.

### Bookings
At Moldovita booking is required and lapses without check-in 15 minutes ahead. At Sovata arrive 30 minutes before departure.

### Money
At Moldovita payment is cash only — including station parking (9 lei). At Viseu buy online; holiday fares differ.

### Bases
Brasov is closest to Sovata (149.8 km); Cluj to Viseu (165.8); Iasi to Moldovita (189.6). From Bucharest the shortest is Sovata: 334.6 km.

## Questions

### Which mocanita should I pick?
For the big steam day: Viseu. For an easy weekend: Sovata. For Bucovina on a small budget: Moldovita — steam to Argel or diesel to Vatra Moldovitei.

### Are they all steam?
No. Viseu, Sovata and Moldovita–Argel run on steam; Moldovita–Vatra Moldovitei is a diesel run.

### Do I need a booking?
At Moldovita yes, required — and it lapses without check-in 15 minutes ahead. At Viseu and Sovata buy online in time, from the shop and the calendar respectively.

### Can I pay by card?
Not at Moldovita: cash only, as announced on the site. At Viseu tickets are bought online; at Sovata check the terms in the booking calendar.

### Do they run in winter?
Viseu publishes a program for the whole of 2026: in winter Thu–Sun (Jan–Apr) and Fri–Sun (Nov–Dec). Note: the operator's homepage gives slightly different off-season days — verify the exact day in the shop.

### How long is the drive?
Measured examples: Cluj–Viseu 165.8 km / 3 h 13; Brasov–Sovata 149.8 / 2 h 43; Iasi–Moldovita 189.6 / 3 h 43; Bucharest–Sovata 334.6 / 5 h 22.

## Sources

- [Viseu — 2026 program (operator page)](https://mocanita-maramures.com/)

- [Viseu — timetable](https://mocanita-maramures.com/mersul-trenurilor/)

- [Viseu — online tickets (shop)](http://shop.mocanita-maramures.com/)

- [Sovata — program and prices](https://mocanitasovata.ro/)

- [Moldovita — fares and bookings](https://mocanitamoldovita.ro/bilete-mocanita-bucovina/)

- [Trenopedia — narrow-gauge railways in Romania](https://trenopedia.com/narrow-gauge-railways-in-romania/)

- [Mocanita, last of the Carpathian forestry railways (Google Arts & Culture)](https://artsandculture.google.com/story/hwWBAhG2oQ0A8A)