Local Transport
Rental Car — The Best Option
For a tour of Romania, the rental car is clearly the best choice. Many attractions (fortified churches, painted monasteries, rural villages) are difficult or impossible to reach by public transport. Prices: from 20€/day (small car) to 50€/day (SUV). Providers: Europcar, Hertz, Sixt, Autonom (local provider, often cheaper).
Road conditions: Highways (Bucharest–Pitești, Bucharest–Constanța) are good. National roads (DN) vary greatly — some are excellent, others have potholes. Side roads in rural areas can be gravel tracks. In the mountains: hairpin bends, slow trucks, and occasionally horse-drawn carts on the road. Drive defensively and expect surprises.
Vignette (Rovinieta): Mandatory for all national roads. Buy online (roviniete.ro): 7 days from 3€, 30 days from 7€.
Trains (CFR Călători)
Romania's rail network is cheap but slow. Trains are often delayed, and the facilities range from modern (IR trains on main routes) to adventurous (regional trains with wooden benches). Still, train travel in Romania has charm — the landscape slowly passes by, and you experience the country from a perspective that a rental car cannot offer.
| Route | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Bucharest → Brașov | 2.5–3.5h | 8–15€ |
| Bucharest → Sibiu | 5–6h | 10–18€ |
| Bucharest → Sighișoara | 4.5–5.5h | 10–16€ |
| Bucharest → Constanța | 2–4h | 8–12€ |
| Bucharest → Timișoara | 8–10h | 15–25€ |
| Bucharest → Iași | 6–7h | 12–20€ |
| Brașov → Sibiu | 2.5–3h | 6–10€ |
| Brașov → Sighișoara | 2–3h | 5–8€ |
Tickets online: cfrcalatori.ro or in the app Trenurile.ro. First class (Clasa I) costs only 20–30% more and is worth it for longer distances.
Buses & Minibuses
For many routes, buses are faster and more frequent than trains. FlixBus connects major cities comfortably and affordably (from 5€). Local buses (Autogară) and minibuses (Microbuz) connect smaller places — they leave when full and can be an adventure. Departure: at the bus station (Autogară), not always easy to find.
Public Transport in Bucharest
Bucharest has a metro (4 lines, clean and efficient), trams, buses, and trolleybuses. Day pass: 8 RON. The metro is the fastest way to get around the city. Bolt and Uber work excellently and are extremely cheap (a city ride: 2–5€).
💡 Tipp
Bolt and Uber are available in all major Romanian cities and are almost always cheaper and more convenient than taxis. Taxi fraud (manipulated meters, detours) is still a problem in Bucharest — use ride-hailing apps instead of taxis at airports and train stations.
