This route is one of the most complex routes in Europe, with many artistic elements that contain many viaducts, 44 tunnels and beautiful landscapes. The route joins two historical regions, Transylvania and Oltenia through the Defileul Jiului National Park that crosses the Carpathian Mountains.
The Filiași – Bumbești – Livezeni railway connects the Transylvanian Plateau with the Romanian Plain through the coal basin of the Jiu Valley and is famous in history for the Bumbești – Livezeni section completed a few years after the Second World War.
In addition to it`s capital importance in rail transport, the railway that crosses the Jiu Valley also offers spectacular views.
The line was built by the CFR administration between 1886 and 1948 in five stages. In the first two phases, the Filiași – Cărbunești (46 km) and Cărbunești – Târgu Jiu (24 km) railway sections were inaugurated in 1888, with work being carried out at a steady pace because they were declared works of public utility. For 27 years, Târgu Jiu was the end of the line on this route.
