The Royal Salon within the North Railway Station, Bucharest’s main train station, opened for visitation on Monday, June 29, after decades of periodic access.
The Salon is one of the most beautiful and historically significant spaces of the Romanian railways, according to Ministry of Transport state secretary Horațiu Cosma. He recalled that this room hosted, at the end of the 19th century, the first ticket offices of the North Railway Station. Since 1896, with the inauguration of the Royal Salon, the space was used to receive Romania’s kings, visiting crowned heads, and high-ranking diplomats.
“More than a century ago, several railway lines reached right up to the Royal Salon and continued toward the area where the Ministry of Transport is located today. The station was truly the gateway to the capital. The salon also hides impressive stories,” the official added. For example, the Salon’s original carpet was preserved during the communist era, from 1945 to 1989, by sewing communist insignia over it.
“Until now, the Royal Salon could only be visited on special occasions. Starting today, after years during which it remained closed to the vast majority of travelers, this place can be visited free of charge by anyone, between 11:00 and 14:00,” Cosma said.
He also recommended visiting the Railway History Museum, which can be accessed from platform line 14.
The opening of the Royal Salon, however, highlights the slow changes of the North Railway Station. The aging building receives numerous travelers and tourists each day, but its modernization is still far away.
In March 2024, railway officials signed a modernization contract for the North Railway Station. The duration for the design and execution of the works is 55 months, with nine months for design and 46 for execution. Phase I includes the rehabilitation of the existing spaces in the three building sections where railway activities take place, passenger services are provided, and commercial activities are carried out: Building A (Dinicu Golescu Boulevard buildings), Building B (central section, columns, first-class ticket offices), Building C (second-class ticket offices, Calea Gioviței).
However, a few days before the end of the evaluation period for bids for consultancy activities related to the station’s modernization, CFR SA was forced to cancel the tender due to a lack of necessary funds, according to Club Feroviar.
(Photo source: Alberto Mihai|Dreamstime.com)
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