TRAVEL INFO
Getting to Bucharest
Traveling to Romania is as easy as traveling to any other European destination. Visitors from the UK and EU, Canada, the US and Japan, can enter the country based on a valid passport. All other visitors require a visa, which can be obtained from a Romanian embassy in their home country.
Bucharest is easily accessible from all major European cities and with only one-stop connections from Asia and the Americas. The city benefits from a modern international airport and an extensive public transport system that is one of the largest in Europe.
Regarding the means of transportation that can be used for traveling towards Romania's capital, Bucharest, they are quite varied. The city can be reached by plane, bus, train or car.
Direct flights
Bucharest has direct flights from/to multiple European destinations and connecting flights from the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Most international flights arrive at Henri Coanda International Airport (Otopeni), located aproximately 18 km north of downtown Bucharest.
There are several options to get from Henri Coandă airport to Bucharest:
• By bus - Express bus 783 goes from the airport to downtown Bucharest. Express bus 780 links the airport with the main train station, Bucuresti Nord (Gara de Nord).
• By train – The transfer from The Henri Coandă Airport to the train is made via minibus. Henri Coanda Express Trains offer daily service from Balotesti to the main train station (Gara de Nord) with one stop at Mogosoaia.
• At the arrivals terminal of the Henri Coanda International Airport you will find a line of taxies but most of them are very expensive. Even if these cabs will display an 'Airport' sign you should ignore them and instead call a taxi from a company such as Speedtaxi (tel. 021-9477) or Meridian (tel. 021-9444), and you can meet them at the foot of the Arrivals access ramp. The normal charge of these companies is between 1,39 RON and 3,5 RON.
Train
Bucharest is linked through direct daily trains to all neighboring countries' capitals (Belgrade, Budapest, Chişinău, Kiev, Sofia), as well as to Vienna, Venice, Thessaloniki, Istanbul, Moscow. All international trains and most long distance internal trains arrive at Gara de Nord (Northern) station, located quite near of the city center, to which it is linked by subway and several buses, trolley, and tramway lines.
Car
When traveling by car, the documents required by Border Police are the vehicle's registration, proof of insurance and a valid driver's license. Travelers entering Romania by car need to obtain a road toll badge, called Rovinieta. Rovinieta is available at any border-crossing point, postal office and most gas stations at a cost of $5.00 to $8.00 (valid for up to 7 days) or $9.00 to $15.00 (valid for 30 days), depending on car type. There is no any other tax to be paid by tourists when entering or leaving Romania.
Coach
Buses are a good option to get to Bucharest if coming from Moldova, Turkey, Greece and to some extent Bulgaria, given the low frequency and speeds of trains between these countries and Romania. It's also possible to get to Bucharest from a large number of cities in Western and South-Western Europe. The city has several bus terminals: Băneasa (located in the northern part of town), Obor (east), Filaret (south), Rahova (south-west), Militari (west), Griviţa (north-west) as well as many other smaller stations.
Getting around, at a glance
Bucharest has one of the most extensive systems of public transport in Europe. Bucharest's public transportation network includes: bus, tram, trolley bus, and subway. Buses, trams and trolley buses operate between 5:00am and 11:59pm. The subway operates from 5:00am until 11:00pm
Metro (Subway)
The metro, which has four lines (M1, M2, M3, M4) and covers the city quite extensively, is usually a cheap and easy way to get around, avoiding the traffic jams at the surface. The network is frequent, comfortable and easy-to-use.
• Metrorex official site: http://www.metrorex.ro/prima_pagina_p785-1
Buses, trams and trolleybuses
Bucharest has a very complex network of buses, trams and trolleybuses. Public surface transport can be a cost effective way of getting around since there are frequent bus, tram or trolleybus stops in every part of the city.
• RATB official site: http://www.ratb.ro
Rent-a-car
There are car rental points at the airport and also throughout the city. The average price for a day rental is about €20 for the cheapest car.
By taxi
There are a lot of taxi companies in Bucharest and cabs can be easily found . They can be summoned by telephone or hailed on the street. Authorized taxis can be recognized by the TAXI sign on the roof. All taxis should be equipped with metres. In most cases using a taxi for trips inside the city is affordable and very convenient.
• List of taxi companies: http://www.taximetre.ro/taxi/bucuresti/