The history of the Oradea tram
(selections from the book "From one station to another" authors: Liviu Borcea, Mihai Apan, Gabriel Moisa, republished on the occasion of the centenary of the Oradea tram in 2006)
The reason for a railway transport was not initially aimed at public transport of people but at the transport of goods, raw materials and finished products, equipment and machinery necessary for the industrial platform of the city.
As early as the middle of the 19th century, this platform began to be built on one of the free lands near the medieval fortress of the city. It is known that the Great Square (now December 1 Square) was formed due to the ban on building buildings over a fairly large area around the fortress, a ban established in the sixteenth century when the construction of the bastion fortress began (1570-1618). . After the conquest of Oradea by the Austrians (1692), the strategic importance of the fortress decreased so that, little by little, it began to be built in the immediate vicinity of its ditches. Thus was born the Subcetate district, southeast of the medieval fortification and, in the same way, on the south side of the Great Square, in the middle of the 19th century, still a cattle market, the foundations of the city's industrial platform were laid, including area Mihai Viteazul street - Sucevei street - Agri-food Square - Mihail Kogălniceanu street - Great Square. At that time, the Peţa brook flowed on the current Suceava Street, being an important source of industrial water for the platform we are referring to.
Another industrial area, of slightly smaller proportions, existed in Velence, in the area of the Church Square (Youth Square) and which extended on the way to Cluj. The railway transports being in permanent expansion (in 1870 the Great Station of Oradea was inaugurated and, a little later, the canton of Velence was also transformed into a station), it was obvious the need to connect the industrial platform to the two railway points. It is interesting to note that, from the very beginning, Velentzia station was foreshadowed as a freight triage and therefore there was a special interest of all those who initiated urban railway networks to the idea of connecting both stations to the city platform.
Trasura 1890Tramvai hipo 1870In terms of passenger transport, the temptation has always been to make a quick and cheap connection with Baile Felix and Baile Episcopiei (today Baile 1 Mai). Inside the city, there was an omnibus-type transport around 1870 (covered carriages, with hypo traction, capable of carrying 8-10 people and on the roof, luggage), from the current hotel "Crişul Repede" to the train station. He was insured by the then concessionaire of this hotel and we do not know any details about the regularity of the flights performed. It seems that by 1902 this race no longer existed.
In 1880, the initiative of an internal railway network was resumed in the steam-powered version by the Hungarian General Institute for Land Credit S.A., which, on December 23, 1880, received the right to build a steam-powered railway line. Obviously, there was no question of transporting people because no one could have imagined a train running in the center of the city. It was planned to connect to the Oradea-Cluj railway line not to Gara Mare but to the one in Velence. From here it followed Clujului Street, passed through the Church Square, the Great Square, Casa Vămii Street and reached the Rhédey Garden (the current Zoo). This was done, being inaugurated on August 28, 1882, the beneficiary being the Public Railway with steam traction S.A. Oradea Mare.
In the fall of 1897, two companies set out to achieve a bold goal: the city's electric railway network. The two rival companies were the S.A. Public Steam Railway. Oradea Mare and a company from Budapest about which we know very little but that in the documents of the time it was called the Joint Stock Company for electricity and transmission companies or, for short, the Trust. On February 25, 1899, the new direction of the Oradea Mare S.A. Public Railway was established. As it can be seen, the specification "with steam traction" has disappeared from the new title. It seemed that the start of the works would be a matter of a month or, at most, two.
The electric lighting of the city streets began on December 15, 1903 and then, in early 1904, it was extended to public institutions, schools and the ice factory. On January 10, 1904, the power plant was taken over in a festive setting by the City Hall.
On July 11, 1905, on Clujului Street, the first pickaxe was struck, which marked the beginning of the works for the installation of the electric railway.
The fact that on February 17, 1906, the chief engineer did not know exactly what the trams that would run on the streets of Oradea would look like was an indication that they had not yet arrived from the company that made them. This happened between February 18 and March 1, 1906 because on March 1, 1906 in the evening at 8 pm on the route between the current streets of the City Hall and Independence, the first tram made the first test run. The event took place without any incidents, the time being set precisely so as not to hinder the heavy traffic during the day. The wagons (two) were accompanied by policemen on horseback and on foot and were admired by many citizens walking on the street.
On March 3, 1906, the Regulation for the operation of the electric railway was published, drawn up by the chief captain of the city police and approved by the Municipal Council. On March 16, 1906, the routes and stations of the tram lines were advertised and displayed in the main places of the city:
I. Gara Mare Line - Velenza train station
Gara Mare;
The Great Hospital (later it was introduced, optionally, at the corner of Pescăruşului street);
str. Sál F. (str. Dunării) - optional
str. Szaniszló (str. M. Eminescu) - optional;
pp. Úri (pp. Roman Ciorogariu);
pp. Szilágyi D. (pp. Moscovei);
Theater Square;
Small Square;
Great Synagogue;
Commercial Hall (today the Faculty of Medicine of the University);
str. Torna (str. Cele Trei Crişuri);
str. Clujului - optional;
str. Apei (str. Mărţişorului);
Cristina Street (Mierlei Street);
Church Square (Youth Square);
Haieului Square - optional;
Railway diversion;
Velenza Station.
From Gara Mare the tram starts every five minutes but only the second one runs towards Velenza.
II. Piaţa Mică Line - Teleki Street (str. Primăriei)
The Church in the Small Square;
Ör street (Craiova street) - at the cloister of the nuns;
Damjanich street (S. Bărnuţiu street) - optional;
str. Bem (str. Tuberozelor);
"Franz Jozsef" barracks;
Cavalry barracks.
It starts at the Great Station every ten minutes.
III. Little Square Line - Rhédey Garden (Zoo)
Small Square;
pp. Beöthy Ö. (str. Iuliu Maniu) - optional;
Băile Diana (str. A. Iancu corner with str.Sucevei);
Rhédey Garden.
A wagon runs every ten minutes.
On April 11, 1906, the technical supervision of the Oradea tram took place with the participation of the representatives of the constructor, of the municipality, of the police. It has been shown that the tram with a maximum speed of 26 km per hour can be stopped in the best conditions for a distance of only 12 m, which was appreciated as a performance.
"April 25, 1906 - the Oradea tram started. At 6 o'clock in the morning, the first tram car started from the shed, with a proud click. After him, six more rushed on the lines. Large groups were already waiting for him in the first station. of men, mortals who rose with the night in their heads only to enjoy the splendor unknown to Oradea until now, and until the bright wagons reached the Little Square ... above the entrance to each of them smiled the very promising inscription: Full !? (quoted from a 1906 daily) ".
On April 27, the normal races started on Clujului Street as well. The subscriptions come into force from May 1, they are nominal, non-transferable and will be provided with photos. Cost: per year - 100 crowns; per month, for private officials - 8 crowns, for civil and military officials - 6 crowns and for students - 6.
One year after the commissioning of the tram line, the company announced that 280,000 passengers traveled within a year on the route from Piaţa Mică to Gara Velentzia alone. A number of new lines have been made. On the one hand by extending the existing one from the train station in Velenza to the existing bricks in that area.
In 1907, 1,662,419 people traveled with a ticket, 449,660 trips were made on a subscription basis, so a total of 2,112,079 trips.
The year 1914 brought the outbreak of the First World War, with all its procession of deprivations and tragedies. The tram, which has already finally entered the socio-economic life of the city, has not received special attention from the municipality. The romantic period of his existence was over. The operating company faced more and more difficulties. Between 1914-1919 Oradea lived years of agitation and unrest. The years following the First World War meant for Oradea Mare S.A. a period of substantial efforts for the recovery of the electric transport of people and goods, for the restoration of the rolling stock, of the rolling stock and of the lines. The repair of the existing park was initiated and started, the 880 kg wheels being replaced with wheels with 1,380 kg spokes. In the first years, the vast majority of tram routes and more than half of the freight lines, including the related garage lines, were repaired from the funds provided by the Ministry of Communications. From the same funds, the tram line was doubled on the routes to Calea Aradului and on Clujului Street, towards Velentzia.
In 1924, 25 open railway wagons with a capacity of 10 tons each were purchased for the transport of goods, as well as three Siemens tram wagons, an electric locomotive and a bridge.
In 1925 the activity of the maintenance workshop was extended and a hall was built for the installation of open trailers. Two more trams and two electric locomotives were purchased, as well as an electric welding group together with a pneumatic hammer for the forging workshop. In the same year, the electrification of the freight transport line connecting Ioşia station (current Oradea-West) with Velentzia station through Rhédey Garden (current Zoo), as well as all the related garage lines, after the purchase by the city railway of the respective line from SA Oradea-Vaşcău railway line.
In 1926, the tram line was built between Traian Park and the municipal swimming pool (about 1,200 meters) and 2 new trams were purchased to serve this route, which was in great demand during the summer. Starting with 1927, the rails were welded, generalizing the rails with 46.5 kg / m type channel.
In 1929 the tram line on the current Avram Iancu Street was extended on the street leading to the municipal cemetery to the current bridge over Peţa and in 1930 a new line was built between Gara Mare and Episcopia Bihor neighborhood - the section to Oncea - in length of 1,370 ml
Between 1925 and 1930, 5 tram cars and a trailer were made in the city's own workshops.
In 1930 the total length of electrified tram lines for people and freight, the ownership of the city railway was 43.5 km, including garage lines, and the rolling stock included 27 tram cars, 10 trailers, 4 electric locomotives, 2 steam locomotives and 129 freight cars. It was the period when the city's population increased from 68,081 (in 1920) to 81,123 (in 1927) and 82,653 (in 1930). In 1933, most freight cars were scrapped as unsuitable because they had suffered advanced physical and moral wear and tear. They no longer complied with the C.F.R. imposed by the rules of the R.I.V. (International Union of Wagons).
In 1935, the tram line on Dorobanti Street (now the Romanian Army) was extended to the municipal cemetery. A year before, the restoration work of the main line no. 1, being placed 45.6 kg / m welded rails, on reinforced concrete sleepers framed by granite curbs, the area of the line being asphalted, together with the entire street of the Republic from Gara Mare to the center. In 1939, the wooden enclosure of the central station was replaced with a metal one, the old one being taken to the station from the Rulikovski cemetery.
In 1942, the tram line on the current Dimitrie Cantemir Street was extended to the later Nufărul neighborhood, at the Brewery, to ensure the transport of raw materials and the finished product with the freight wagons towed by electric locomotives of the city railways. .
Between 1940-1944, the electric transport of railways, of people and goods, was seriously affected by the destruction caused by the war and by restrictions of all kinds: the reduction of electricity supply, the decrease of materials and service personnel, etc. All this led to a drastic reduction, with over 50% of the volume of goods and passengers transported in 1943 compared to 1939. The aerial bombardments in the spring of 1944 caused serious damage and destruction in the area of the Great Station and the Velenza station. The military operations in the autumn of 1944 caused the destruction of lines and rolling stock, culminating in the blasting and blowing up of the metal bridge in the Small Square and the damage to the bridge near the Great Square.
In order to ensure the traffic of the tram and on the right bank of the Cris, in 1945 the connection was made between the current 1 Decembrie Square, Cele Trei Crişuri street, the bridge over the Cris, the line between the municipal swimming pool and the Republic road, a connection that functioned until 1948 when the construction of the concrete bridge in Unirii Square has been completed. Starting with 1947, the tram line between the theater and the future "Rogerius" neighborhood was built through Moscovei and Progresului streets, with a length of 2,240 ml, which came into operation during 1948. Also in 1947, the garage line was doubled. on Decebal Street, a new public unloading ramp had been set up.
At the beginning of 1947, the issue of concluding a new concession contract between the City Hall of Oradea and Calea ferată orăşenească S.A. The increased need to provide urban transport in the conditions in which the city was in full recovery after the war, the extension of the network of lines to cover other areas, impetuously demanded this approach. Then the City Hall, which was suffering from an acute shortage of funds, wanted to secure its share of the benefits of the tram company under the control of Soviet troops in the city. The general director of the city railways was the Russian engineer Constantin Vasilievich Lomakin. The contract between the two parties was signed on June 5, 1947, the City Hall being represented by Carol Ványai, the mayor of the city and the tram company by its director, eng. C.V. Lomakin and by Emil Sas, technical director. It was specified in the preamble that this contract was signed based on the provisions of the law for the organization and administration on commercial bases of public enterprises and assets and those in the law for the organization of communal exploitations in force, based on the decision of Oradea City Hall no. 14.165 / 1947, approved by the Ministry of Internal Affairs with order no. 6,972 of June 1947, based on the approvals of the Superior Council of Communal Exploitations no. 335 of April 29, 1947.
The year 1948 marked in the life of the city of Oradea the sign of the exit from the post-war crisis. In a way, the entire socio-economic and political development of over four decades (1948-1989) was unitary and was characterized by extensive changes in the economy. The imposition, since 1945, of a program of forced industrialization, carried out at any cost, according to the Stalinist system, brought important changes in all fields and, especially, in the economic one. The noticeable transformations at national level had their correspondences in Oradea as well.
The small factories in the city were unified, new ones were created, and the nationalization of June 11, 1948, at first of the main means of production, then, in stages, of the entire production system, created the possibility of centralized management of the economy. The first annual national plans appeared (1949 and 1950), then the first five-year plan, starting in 1951. Large enterprises were created in Oradea that needed to increase the workforce. The industrial platform was created on the most favorable land for agriculture in the perimeter of the city and, with it, the Rogerius district, which in 1989 had over 70,000 inhabitants. The attraction of the rural population to the city, in the big factories, was much facilitated by the forced collectivization and the state acquisition of almost the entire agricultural production encouraged the exodus from the village to the city. The population of Oradea has experienced significant increases:
1977 1989 1948 1956 1960 1970
87,774 99,685 105,949 137,662 170,531 229,823
The particularly intense pedestrian traffic on Republicii Street forced the city mayors to take measures to decongest the center. In the context of these measures, it was ordered the abolition of a tram line between the bridge in Piata Unirii and Policlinica no. 2, with its location on Magheru Street, thus realizing, in 1956, the route of line 1, in an annular shape, with a single direction of traffic. This was the first step in the total decommissioning of the city center from the tram lines.
In 1956, the first public transport routes were established, served by buses, between 1965-1968 running at Băile Felix, Băile 1 Mai, Tărian, Santăul Mare, Santăul Mic, Leş and Borş, the total length of the routes being 80 km. .
After the nationalization of 1948 S.A. Oradea City Railways is disbanded, its place being taken by the newly established Communal Enterprise "October 12" Oradea (I.C.O.). Passenger transport in the city of Oradea was provided outside the trams and by car (buses and taxis). The bus transport activity started in 1956 when the company was equipped with 8 buses and the taxi activity started in 1957, when 8 taxis were introduced into circulation. In 1959, at the request of the Ministry of Transport, the intercity bus transport was taken over by the I.R.T.A., both the routes and part of the buses remaining in the operation of the I.C.O .: the routes to the Diocese of Bihor, Seleuş and Strand. As a result of the administrative reorganization in 1960, the city of Oradea took over the communes of Oşorhei and Sânmartin, after which I.C.O. reopens the public transport routes to these localities. The bus lines were extended in 1961 by the establishment of routes: Unirii Square - "Eminescu" neighborhood and Unirii Square, Soarelui Street.
In 1960, the company is equipped with the first wagons (motor wagons and trailers) of medium capacity, built by I.T. Bucharest. As a result of the increase in passenger and freight transport activities, in 1957 the installation of the second mercury rectifier group in the substation inside the enterprise was imposed, being located in the control room. Already in January 1961, the municipality officially raised the issue of the total decommissioning of the main street (str. Republicii) by the only remaining tram line. The problem was also related to the high cost of capital repairs to be performed on this line.
In 1962, the passenger transport section was equipped with 18 buses, of which 13 were in circulation, on average, daily. The traveling public from the city of Oradea was also served by buses on the intercity routes that started from the current Union Square to the Diocese of Bihor, Oşorhei, Seleuş, Băile 1 Mai (Felix) and Băile 9 Mai (former Băi ale Episcopiei).
On April 17, 1962, the Technical-Scientific Council within the People's Council of the Crişana Region, with the approval no.147 approves the documentation regarding the systematization of the road network, public transport, freight transport and exploitation bases in the city of Oradea. Following the analysis of the solutions provided in the technical documentation and the observance of the directives in force, together with the favorable opinion, the following recommendations are made: "Regarding public transport, the existing tram network will be maintained and improved by doubling, without extensions, and with the complete removal of lines 6/11 and 5, line 8 to the Decebal bridge and line 4 on Kogălniceanu and Cuza Vodă streets, in order to ensure the transport on the streets without tram lines, in the first stage will be provided the transport served by buses with the possibility to be gradually replaced by trolleybuses in the next stage, as the city's storage area develops, the freight lines in the city will be abolished, and no extensions will be allowed, except for the current line no. "and" Synthesis ".
The year 1963 begins with the establishment of new bus routes, namely: Center - Municipal Cemetery, as a result of the scrapping of the simple tram line, imposed by the modernization of the current street of the Romanian Army then served by two buses. The Centru - Aluminum Plant Site route was served by two buses and the Gara Mare - Băi route ("1Mai" and "9Mai"), also served by two buses. In total, in 1963, the company had 37 buses. The construction of the residential area in the western part of the city resulted in an increase in the flow of passengers on the tram line no. (8) 4. In the interest of a better service to the population, in 1965 the tram route no. 3/4, thus making the connection between the Seleuş neighborhood (the future "Nufărul") and the Rogerius neighborhood. In order to be able to introduce motor wagons coupled with trailers, in order to increase the transport capacity of the line, also in 1965, a return loop was built in the Brewery and at the end point in Progresului Street a return device was built. "delta", because building a loop would have been more complicated from an urban point of view.
Due to the unification of the tram lines in 1966, the city of Oradea had the following routes (we give the current name of the streets and squares):
1. Bucharest Square - Republic Boulevard - Magheru Street - December 1 Square - Victoriei Square (on the circuit)
2. East Station - Calea Clujului - Unirii Square - Mareşal I.Antonescu Street - Calea Aradului
3/4. Dacia Boulevard - Progresului Street - Moscovei Street - Unirii Square - Cuza Voda Street - Dimitrie Cantemir Street - Brewery
5. Bucharest Square - Ştefan cel Mare Boulevard - Matei Corvin Street - Ştefan cel Mare Boulevard
6. Bucharest Square - Berzei Street - Olimpiadei Street - Eroul Necunoscut Street - Menumorut Street - Decebal Street - Mareşal I. Antonescu Street.
7. Mareşal I.Antonescu Street - Decebal Street - Barcăului Street - West Station.
Due to the modernization of road transport, the number of bus lines has increased so that, in 1966, the city had 11 routes, and some of them still exist today:
Line 11. Bucharest Square - Stefan cel Mare Boulevard - Episcopia Station
Line 12. 1 Decembrie Square - H.Heine street - Mareşal Averescu street - Cluj street - Oşorhei commune
Line 13. Unirii Square - Avram Iancu Street - Horea Street - Nufărului Street - Morii Street
Line 14. Unirii Square - General T.Moşoiu street - Dimitrie Cantemir street - Nufărului street - Sânmartin commune - Băile Felix
Line 15. Unirii Square - General T.Moşoiu street - Dimitrie Cantemir street - Nufărului street - Sânmartin commune - Băile 1Mai
Line 16. Bucharest Square - Museum Street - Menumorut Street - Decebal Street - Iuliu Maniu Street - Unirii Square - General T. Maşoiu Street - Dimitrie Cantemir Street - Nufărului Street - Sânmartin Commune - Băile 1Mai.
Line 17. 1Decembrie Square - H.Heine street - Magheru street - Republicii Boulevard - Dacia Boulevard - Alumina Plant
Line 18. 1Decembrie Square - H.Heine street - Magheru street - Republicii Boulevard - Dacia Boulevard - Alumina Plant - Borş commune
Line 19. Rulikovski Cemetery - Romanian Army Street - Avram Iancu Street - Unirii Square - Iosif Vulcan Street - Liberty Square - Trajan Park - Swimming Pool Alley - Swimming Pool
Line 20. Unirii Square - H. Hee Street - Magheru Street - Louis Pasteur Street - Orthopedic Hospital - "Viitorul" Factory
In 1975 the tram line on Dimitrie Cantemir Street was doubled on a length of 1.5 km single track, and in 1978 the tram line on General Magheru Street was doubled on a length of 1.13 km single track . The new configuration of the construction network of the tram lines allowed on 25.06.1978 the establishment of 2 more tram routes (compared to the 3 existing ones) and the increase of the length of the routes from 31.5 km to 60.6 km.
The routes were established as follows:
Line 1 - Ioşia - Victoriei Square (today Unirii Square) - General Magheru Street - Central Station - Ostaşilor Street - Children's Hospital.
Line 2 - Ioşia - Leontin Sălăjan street (today Mareşal I.Antonescu) - Clujului street - Velinţa - Gara de Est.
Line 3 - Dimitrie Cantemir street - Victoriei Square - Moscovei street - Progresului street.
Line 4 - Dimitrie Cantemir street - General Magheru street - Central Station - Ostaşilor street - Children's hospital
Line 5 - Progresului street - Decebal street - Victoriei Square - Calea Clujului - Velence - East Station.
The continuous increase of the transport demand imposed the orientation of the management of the enterprise towards the acquisition of some high capacity trams. Thus, the beginning of 1975 is marked by the commissioning of the first high-capacity tram, Timiş type, equipped with two engines of 140 kW each and service, emergency and parking brake systems.
In the following years there were changes in the structure of the tram park, by the gradual scrapping of the Electroputere and I, T.B. Trams, whose parameters no longer corresponded to the intense traffic conditions, and their replacement with Timiş type trams.
Through this strategy, in 1980 the tram park from the endowment of the enterprise consisted of 44 Timiş type tram trains (motor car + trailer), 14 Electroputere type motor wagons, 13 I.T.B type motor wagons. and 21 I.T.B. trailer wagons, for a total of 136 wagons.
The tram depot in Cetăţii Square no. 4 offered parking spaces for a park of 50 trams. The appearance of the Timiş type tram in the structure of the tram park, imposed as an immediate need the construction of a new tram maintenance base. It was built in 12 Atelierelor Street and put into operation in 1978, in a first stage of execution ensuring a parking and maintenance capacity for 70 trams, with a built area of 1,055 m2. The new tram depot takes over the technological processes of daily maintenance of the Timiş trams, remaining in the organization of the depot in Cetăţii Square the execution of the technical revisions, of the current and capital repairs of the entire tram park.
The end of 1979 marks the solution of the problem of public transport in the new Nufărul neighborhood, by putting into operation the double tram line on Nufărului Street, with a length of 3,444 km single track.
In 1981, the tram line on Transilvaniei Street - Şoseaua 6 Martie (today Dacia Boulevard) to the C.F.R. Bridge, in length of 2,414 km single track, was put into operation, in extension of the line from the Children's Hospital. In this way, the first step was taken in making the connection between the industrial platform on Borşului road and the inhabited areas of the city.
On 12.02.1991, by decision 47 of the Prefect of Bihor County, the Oradea Autonomous Local Transport Authority was established with the basic activity of urban transport of people by trams and buses.
The systematization works executed by the Oradea City Hall on Clujului Street meant for the transport by trams the modification starting with 1994 of the classic, traditional and well-known line 2 Oradea West Station - Oradea East Station.
The restoration or not of the tram line on Calea Clujului represents in 1996 the great "dilemma" of the city mayors, a problem that remained open, which will be the subject of debates in the future Local Council to be elected by the Oradea electorate in the spring of 1996.
Thus, in the period 1997 - 2003, 9,902 Km c.s. tram line worth 1,683,360 RON. During this time, many of the Oradea trams have been renewed.
Important modernizations and investments were made in 2004. All of them were for the benefit of those who used the company's public transport. In that year, the director acquired three ticket vending machines and season tickets worth RON 553,500. Also, in the same year, all means of public transport were equipped with composters with on-board devices, which indicate the time, day, date, the route traveled by the passenger. The value of these equipments was of RON 941,698, and in order to reduce the water consumption in 2004, a well was drilled that serves the two laundries (trams and buses) in the amount of RON 60,000.
Between 1995 and 2005 the administrative building of the company was in turn modernized. Most of the investments were made between 1999 and 2000. The total value of the works amounted to RON 440,000. Also during this period, the administrative body was equipped with a new telephone exchange, furniture and various equipment worth 80,000 RON.
In the last 10 years, there have been a series of changes limited to the strategy regarding the structure of the Oradea tram park. In general, an attempt has been made to reduce vehicle types with effects in simplifying the size of the rolling stock on routes, having relatively equal transport capacities-vehicle and in reducing the range of spare parts and technological maintenance processes. In this sense, a beneficial change was achieved for the trams, offering passengers an extra comfort by buying Tatra trams, which are quieter than the Timiş trams previously equipped.
In order to simplify the traffic of Oradea trams, as a result of a natural logic, starting with June 1, 2004, the tram lines were renumbered in 1R, and 1N, 2, 3R and 3N.
In the period 2001-2004, 65% of the Oradea bus fleet was renewed, so that the old UDA 117, RDT 11, IKARUS 250, Mercedes 305, and 303 and Renault SC 10 U buses disappeared from the Oradea public transport landscape and appeared. new comfortable Mercedes and Liaz buses. Ticket and season ticket vending machines, introduced in 2004, serve the traveling public with travel documents at any time of the day. In 2008 the company introduced a GPS traffic management system for monitoring, dispatching and passenger information. The electrical panels appeared in the tram and bus stations will contribute to the correct information of the passengers, and the system allows the intervention of the dispatchers to irregularities found in traffic.
The Siemens trams with ultra-low floor, purchased during the years 2008 - 2009, will contribute to the most comfortable service of the traveling public.
Details about the evolution of public transport by trams, technical descriptions of electric locomotives circulating in Oradea between 1906 - 1994 can be found at the link: http://www.istvan.home.ro
