Alcohol on Romanian trains

[Hoofhearted]

Just thought I'd let you know of experiences I had on Romanian trains last year. My son and I travelled from Bucharest Nord to Constanta on a very pleasant intercity train, and went 1st class as it was quite cheap. For the return journey we purchased a few bottles of beer in a local supermarket to enjoy on the train. To our shock and horror when the Conductor came through the train to check tickets he went into a rage because we were drinking alcohol on the train. He spoke no English so we couldn't reason with him. He even called for the Train Manager over to chastise us. She was much calmer, but again, spoke little or no English. The net result was we had to get rid of the beer. He even followed me to the WC where I had to pour the beer down the pan! Now, we were not aware of an alcohol ban on Romanian trains. This was even more bizarre because we'd travelled from Brasov to Bucharest a couple of days before, with a beer each, but were not challenged by the Conductor. Furthermore, the following day after the Constanta excursion, we travelled from Bucharest to Sofia, had a couple of beers each, and we were not challenged by the Romanian Conductor? We didn't notice any labels on the trains to suggest that alcohol was not permitted. Have any of you witnessed similar problems in Romania?

 

[bspahh]

Just thought I'd let you know of experiences I had on Romanian trains last year. My son and I travelled from Bucharest Nord to Constanta on a very pleasant intercity train, and went 1st class as it was quite cheap. For the return journey we purchased a few bottles of beer in a local supermarket to enjoy on the train. To our shock and horror when the Conductor came through the train to check tickets he went into a rage because we were drinking alcohol on the train. He spoke no English so we couldn't reason with him. He even called for the Train Manager over to chastise us. She was much calmer, but again, spoke little or no English. The net result was we had to get rid of the beer. He even followed me to the WC where I had to pour the beer down the pan! Now, we were not aware of an alcohol ban on Romanian trains. This was even more bizarre because we'd travelled from Brasov to Bucharest a couple of days before, with a beer each, but were not challenged by the Conductor. Furthermore, the following day after the Constanta excursion, we travelled from Bucharest to Sofia, had a couple of beers each, and we were not challenged by the Romanian Conductor? We didn't notice any labels on the trains to suggest that alcohol was not permitted. Have any of you witnessed similar problems in Romania?

https://www.timisoara.esn.ro/what-not-do-romania says:

DRINKING LAWS

• People can drink and buy alcoholic drinks if they are over 18 years old.
• You can buy alcohol no matter the hour, but drinking in public places is forbidden. That includes streets, parks, trains, buses and public buildings

https://www.reddit.com/r/Romania/comments/8dp2uc/can_you_drink_on_trains_in_romania/ suggests that the enforcement is variable.

 

[Alex Mihai]

Just thought I'd let you know of experiences I had on Romanian trains last year. My son and I travelled from Bucharest Nord to Constanta on a very pleasant intercity train, and went 1st class as it was quite cheap. For the return journey we purchased a few bottles of beer in a local supermarket to enjoy on the train. To our shock and horror when the Conductor came through the train to check tickets he went into a rage because we were drinking alcohol on the train. He spoke no English so we couldn't reason with him. He even called for the Train Manager over to chastise us. She was much calmer, but again, spoke little or no English. The net result was we had to get rid of the beer. He even followed me to the WC where I had to pour the beer down the pan! Now, we were not aware of an alcohol ban on Romanian trains. This was even more bizarre because we'd travelled from Brasov to Bucharest a couple of days before, with a beer each, but were not challenged by the Conductor. Furthermore, the following day after the Constanta excursion, we travelled from Bucharest to Sofia, had a couple of beers each, and we were not challenged by the Romanian Conductor? We didn't notice any labels on the trains to suggest that alcohol was not permitted. Have any of you witnessed similar problems in Romania?

I am from Romania and there is a law that states that drinking alcohol in public spaces is forbidden and trains are also considered as such. Even with the existence of this law, not everyone abides by it. This goes both ways (people that drink regardless and people who have the power to enforce it, but don't really care - eg. the conductor on the Brasov-Bucharest train). Sadly quite a few of the staff on romanian trains act in such a manner when you are in the wrong, instead of explaining it casually.

 

[Hoofhearted]

Thanks Alex and bspahh for the very swift response. We're travelling to Italy next week, for a fortnight. I hope those rules don't apply there!

 

[peteb]

I didn't see anyone drinking alcohol on Romanian trains in May this year. Now I know why! But neither did I see any being consumed in Italy so check before you slurp?

 

[Dave W]

You definitely can in Italy. Or rather... My two experiences drinking cans were not (a) remotely interesting to those around me and (b) didn't bother the conductor.

 

[peteb]

You definitely can in Italy. Or rather... My two experiences drinking cans were not (a) remotely interesting to those around me and (b) didn't bother the conductor.

That's good to hear!

 

[ricohallo]

Meanwhile I've been drinking a few beers in the bar car which was literally the same as all second class cars apart from a little bar at one end Oh, and the conductors and bar employee sat with me too in my bay of four

 

[AndrewE]

Meanwhile I've been drinking a few beers in the bar car which was literally the same as all second class cars apart from a little bar at one end Oh, and the conductors and bar employee sat with me too in my bay of four

... but in which country?

 

[dutchflyer]

Besides these general bans-mostly in the old communist countries of East-EUR and Scandinavia- there may also be regional or temporary bans. Like when there is a big festival or the like. Yes, different countries, different habits!

 

[ricohallo]

... but in which country?

Romania, Timisoara to Bucharest.

 

[Merseysider]

Thanks Alex and bspahh for the very swift response. We're travelling to Italy next week, for a fortnight. I hope those rules don't apply there!

Can confirm, drink to your heart's desire on trains in Italy

 

[yorksrob]

Besides these general bans-mostly in the old communist countries of East-EUR

Yet another iniquity of Communism !

 

[rg177]

I remember taking the Astra TransCarpatic overnight train from Bucharest to Arad and actually answered the door to the attendant and handed over my ticket while I still had a can in my other hand. From experience it seems that drinking in private sleeper compartments is significantly more tolerated - as he wasn't bothered at all.

I'm sure that it's technically not allowed in Hungary either, but that didn't stop a group of folk who were easily in their 70s cracking open cans on the 05:53 from Budapest to Pecs a few weeks ago. At that hour of the day, you're practically continuing from the night before IIRC some carriages actually have bottle openers attached to the tables - one of the variants of the Bpmee (open) IC carriages.

I've never had a problem having a beer on a train anywhere in Europe - but that usually means 'reading the room' a bit. If you're on an all-stopper regional train in the middle of the day, maybe don't. Long-distance is usually fine though - I was on an IC train in Denmark last month and it seemed that train bevvies were a national past-time!

 

[Doppelganger]

Just thought I'd let you know of experiences I had on Romanian trains last year. My son and I travelled from Bucharest Nord to Constanta on a very pleasant intercity train, and went 1st class as it was quite cheap. For the return journey we purchased a few bottles of beer in a local supermarket to enjoy on the train. To our shock and horror when the Conductor came through the train to check tickets he went into a rage because we were drinking alcohol on the train. He spoke no English so we couldn't reason with him. He even called for the Train Manager over to chastise us. She was much calmer, but again, spoke little or no English. The net result was we had to get rid of the beer. He even followed me to the WC where I had to pour the beer down the pan! Now, we were not aware of an alcohol ban on Romanian trains. This was even more bizarre because we'd travelled from Brasov to Bucharest a couple of days before, with a beer each, but were not challenged by the Conductor. Furthermore, the following day after the Constanta excursion, we travelled from Bucharest to Sofia, had a couple of beers each, and we were not challenged by the Romanian Conductor? We didn't notice any labels on the trains to suggest that alcohol was not permitted. Have any of you witnessed similar problems in Romania?

So you went to another country and you didn't make any effort to check local laws or customs?

I'm not sure what you want people to say, ignorance is no defence.

Why do you describe it as a problem in Romania? To me this smacks of British exceptionalism and you would have done far more to have tried to learn a few Romanian phrases instead of expecting everyone to speak English.

 

[ryanstait24@gm]

I was planning on having a couple of beers on the Dacia to Vienna when I use it in the next couple of weeks. I'm sure they sell beer in the dining car/cafe so how does that work if you're not allowed to drink it??

This guy always seems to be drinking beer on Romanian trains https://twitter.com/PaliparanDotCom/status/1680257375515688960?t=qA66P7q-OMZUhIBFeLOogw&s=19

 

[Zamracene749]

I have never experienced any problems at all drinking on Romanian trains(or Hungarian ones as mentioned earlier). My most recent Romanian trips were Bucuresti to Brasov and return then Bucuresti Constanta return utilising Astra TC and CFR, cheerful ticket checkers, no problems at all. This was June 2023.
I've checked with rail staff in every country I've visited before drinking alcohol on their services, no mention of alcohol being banned on Romanian trains, Or is itperhaps this was a particular 'dry service ' for some reason? possible that they thought your son was underage?
One country where drinking is taken seriously is Poland- drink can only be consumed in buffet cars if bought from said buffet, plus station bars are not allowed. Not that any of this stops folk getting on absolutely plastered, or from dodgy blokes with backpacks selling booze on late IC services!

*EDIT*
So I looked it up.
As with most laws, in most countries including the UK, they aren't simple to find if you are not fluent in the language!
Eventually, I did find this one- Law 61 / 1991 https://legislatie.just.ro/Public/DetaliiDocumentAfis/125693
Running it throught translate, it seems that consumption of alcohol IS forbidden outside of designated areas in all public places, including any public transport. It is classed as a misdemeanor and subject to fines of 100 to 500 RON.

However, the same law also lists 'appealing, repeatedly, to the mercy of the public, by a person fit for work, as well as determining a person to commit such acts', 'uttering of insults', 'organizing, allowing or participating in games of chance unless legally authorized', 'consumption of alcohol inside religious premises' (no communion wine then), 'shouting' and 'the playing of instruments in residential buildings between the hours of 1300 and 1400'.
So to all intents and purposes, it is an 'antisocial behaviour' law. Perhaps it's seen as something that should be used with discretion rather than absolute no tolerance?

It does however, state- 'In the premises of these public places, alcoholic beverages can be consumed by delimiting spaces specially arranged for the consumption of alcoholic beverages, by the decision of the management of the respective public places.'
So presumably, CFR management designate parts of their trains as drinking areas ie the buffet car, much like the Polish example I mentioned.

Cheers!

 

[parkender102]

I seem to remember on Amtrak in USA many years ago (1991) Alcohol could only be consumed if purchased from the Dining Car / Buffet / Cafe. Maybe to control consumption if anyone got out of hand! We circumvented this by taking a bottle of Rum in our carry on baggage and buying Coca Cola complete with Ice and a Plastic Glass from the Cafe and adding our own Rum back at our seats. We didn't have a room / roomette but as long as we were discreet and didn't get completely intoxicated there was never a problem. Not sure what the current situation is with Amtrak but we are travelling on The Canadian in 2 weeks from Vancouver to Jasper and Vice Versa so I'm wondering if it's a similar setup.

 

[nw1]

Not on the train, but this reminds me of a time when I mistakenly bought a bottle of beer in a small village in Canada to drink on a bench, adjacent to the ferry terminal, while waiting for a ferry; I'd just missed the previous one so it was almost an hour's wait. It was this time of year and getting dark so must have been around 2100-2200 or so.

A police officer asked "this isn't liquor, is it?" with a somewhat wry smile and stated it was illegal to drink in public and I had to pour it away. Nonetheless he was very polite.

I later discovered this law was mostly in place back home too - but I must have been ignorant of it as around this era, I used to have a regular picnic with friends on midsummer night out in the sticks (but on public land), and this included alcohol - so must have assumed that it was legal as long as you weren't "drunk and disorderly".