Northern Railway Station, București

Located in the square with the same name, The Northern Railway is the biggest railway in Romania, linking together all the areas of the country. The railway station is also the biggest entrance point of the country.

The Northern Railway Station was founded in 1868/1869, its inauguration being officiated at a later date, on September 13th 1972. The first route was Roman-Galați-București-Pitești. The initial name of the station was Gara Târgoviștei because, at that time, Calea Griviței of today was named Calea Târgoviștei. The Northern Railway Station wasn’t constructed with the purpose of becoming the main railway point of Romania. At first, only 7 lines were built, destined both for people and goods transportation, and a lot of workshops.

In 1888, the station gets the “Northern” part of his name, because Calea Târgoviștei changes its’ name. The edifice was constructed following the plans of the Ministry of Public Works, but in the year of its’ name change, it had to be rehabilitated.

A telephone switchboard in installed in the station in 1890, which had 25 lines only in Bucharest. The stations’ extension continues until the point in which, during the interwar period, the station has  6 lines for departures and 4 for arrivals.

The new building of the Northern Railway Station was realized in 1932, following the plans of the architect Victor G. Stephănescu. The facade has neoclassical elements, with 6 big columns. A speaker was mounted here, with the purpose of replacing the platform bell.

The area around the station has developed alongside it, and was quickly populated. The construction of the CFR Palace, the place where the Ministry of Transports resides today, began in 1941.

During the 2nd World War, the building of the Northern Railway Station is hit by the enemy airstrikes, but continues to stand tall, being modernized twice afterwards, in 1945 and 1990. The lines are electrified, the platforms are made longer and the station is coupled to the heating network, the fireplaces are replaced with heaters, the waiting rooms are rearranged and the Northern Railway Station is linked with the metro station built here in 1988.

The trains start to lose their popularity as means of transportation after the 1990, and the station isn’t as populated. However, over 200 trains pass through here everyday, and this is a transit point of the luxury train called Orient Express, which goes from Paris to Istanbul.