Initially, their name was Kolozsvári Vasutas Sport Club (Cluj-Napoca Railway Sports Club), but in 1918 the club was renamed after the Romanian state railway carrier, Căile Ferate Române, for which an acronym CFR is. From 1907 to 1910, the team played in the Municipal Championship of Kolozsvár (today Cluj-Napoca). However, the club did not have any notable achievements during this time. In 1911, th
e team won the newly organized Championship of Transylvania. The club consistently finished in second place in that competition between 1911 and 1914, a competition that was interrupted because of World War I. After the war, Transylvania became part of Romania and the club accordingly changed its name to CFR Cluj, maintaining its links with the national rail organisation. They went on to win two regional titles, in 1918–19 and 1919–20. Between 1920 and 1934 the club did not have any notable achievements. Between 1934 and 1936, CFR played for two seasons in the Divizia B, ranking 6th in the 1934–35 season and 8th in the 1935–36 season. In 1936, CFR was relegated to the Divizia C, where the team played for two seasons, finishing 2nd and 4th, respectively. After World War II, CFR played for one season in the Divizia C, earning the promotion to the Divizia B. Before the start of the 1947–48 season, the team merged with another local club, Ferar Cluj, and played in the Divizia A for the very first time in history. Unfortunately, the team lasted only two years in the first league and would not play here again for another 20 years. In 1960, another merger, this time with Rapid Cluj, resulted in CSM Cluj. In 1964, the team's name was changed to Clujeana. In that same year, the club's junior team won the national championship. Three years later, the team's name was reversed yet again to CFR Cluj.