Budapest‑Bucharest Train Delayed after Locomotive Failure in Romania

An international passenger train on the Budapest–Bucharest Nord route (IR 12079) was forced to stop between Caracal and Fărcașele on Sunday after the EA 014 electric locomotive broke down. The locomotive, which was still under the warranty provided by RELOC Craiova after recent modernization, could not be restarted. CFR Călători dispatched a replacement locomotive and maintenance staff to the scene, allowing the train to resume its journey. The incident pushed the scheduled 09:34 arrival at Bucharest's Gara de Nord back by roughly five hours, with a reported delay of 300 minutes.

The breakdown adds to a series of recent problems with modernized locomotives in Romania. Earlier in the year, another upgraded locomotive failed on an international service, causing a multi‑hour delay, and a similar incident was reported at the end of April 2026. Authorities indicated the defects could stem from technical, software, or human factors, but investigations are ongoing. The train entered Romania at Curtici and traverses Arad, Timișoara, Drobeta‑Turnu Severin, Craiova and Caracal before reaching the capital.