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Romania (Romanian: România) is a country on the western shores of the Black Sea; except
for Dobruja, it is north of the Balkan Peninsula. It is a country of great natural beauty and diversity
and a rich cultural heritage, including a variety of ethnic, linguistic, and confessional groups.
Romania enchants visitors with its scenic mountain landscapes and unspoilt rural areas, but also
with its historic cities and busy capital. It has seen significant development and is one of the most
recent members of the European Union. Still, it may surprise some of its visitors who are used to
western Europe. It has six cultural and one natural UNESCO world heritage sites.
Romania is a large country which can sometimes be shocking with contrasts: some cities are truly
modern, while some villages can seem to have been brought back from the past. While it has
significant cultural similarities with other Balkan states, it is regarded as unique due to its strong
Latin heritage, reflected in every part of Romanian society from its culture to its language. Things for
which Romania is famous include: the Carpathian mountains, wine, medieval fortresses, Dacia cars,
Dracula, stuffed cabbage leaves (sarmale), the Black Sea, sunflower fields, painted monasteries and
the Danube Delta.
Famous Romanians are Constantin Brâncuși (sculptor), George Enescu (composer, violinist, pianist,
conductor), Mircea Eliade (writer, historian, philosopher), Herta Müller (writer), Henri Coandă
(aviation pioneer - the Coandă effect is named after him), Nicolae Ceaușescu (Romania's last
communist dictator), Nadia Comăneci (gymnast), Gheorghe Hagi (former association football player)
and Leonard Doroftei (former WBA world champion).

Understand[edit]

Capital Bucharest
Currency Romanian leu (RON)
Population 20.1 million (2011)
Electricity 230 volt / 50 hertz (Europlug,
Schuko)
Country code +40
Time zone UTC+02:00 to UTC+03:00 and
Europe/Bucharest
Emergencies 112
Driving side right
edit on Wikidata

With a Black Sea coast to the east, it is bordered by Bulgaria to the south, Serbia to the
southwest, Hungary to the northwest, Moldova to the northeast and Ukraine in both the north and
the east. While its southern regions are usually seen as part of Southeastern Europe
(Balkans), Transylvania, its largest region, is in Central Europe.
The country - which joined the European Union in January 2007 - is enjoying better standards since
the Communist periods, with foreign investment on the rise.
History[edit]
See also: Roman Empire, Austro-Hungarian Empire, World War
II in Europe, Cold War Europe
The area between the Southern Carpathians and Danube had been
inhabited since the dawn of mankind. The human remains found in
Peștera cu Oase ("The Cave with Bones"), radiocarbon dated as
being from circa 40,000 years ago, represent the oldest
known Homo sapiens in Europe
 The Neo-Renaissance Peleș Castle

In ancient times the territory of present-day Romania was inhabited

mainly by Dacian tribes, which were a remarkable, although not
very well known, culture. The Dacian kingdom reached the height of
its power in the 1st century BC, when their king Burebista ruled from
his power base in the Carpathian Mountains over a vast territory
stretching from Central Europe to the Black Sea. The intriguing
network of fortifications and shrines built around the Dacian
capital Sarmisegetuza, in today's south-western Transylvania, has
been relatively well preserved through the ages and is now
a UNESCO World Heritage site.
In 106 AD, after two fiercely fought wars, the Dacians led by king
Decebalus were defeated by the Roman legions under Emperor
Trajan and most of their homeland became part of the Roman
Empire under the name "Dacia Felix".
Being very rich in natural resources (especially gold), the region
prospered under the Roman administration: cities developed
rapidly, important roads were built and people from all over the
Empire settled here. That's why, although Roman rule lasted only
169 years (106-275 AD), a population with a distinctive Latin
culture, character and language emerged.
In the Early Middle Ages Hungarians began to settle in the area
today known as Transylvania, which would eventually become part
of the Kingdom of Hungary, and later the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Germans also settled in that area (in several waves) and in Banat,
some coming as early as the 12th century. In order to protect
themselves from the frequent Tartar and Turkish invasions they set
about building fortified cities and castles, many of which remain
standing. South and east of the Carpathians the principalities of
Wallachia and Moldavia were created in the 14th century. Starting
with the 15th century, they (and for a while Transylvania too) fell
under the domination of the Ottoman Empire.
For a short period in 1600, Michael the Brave (Mihai Viteazu) ruled
over all three principalities, thus briefly becoming the de facto ruler
of a unified Romania. His union fell apart a short while later.
A Romanian national revival movement started in Transylvania in
the late 1700s and swept across the Carpathians, inspiring the 1859
union of Moldavia and Wallachia, thus creating the prototype of a
modern Romania. In 1918-1919 Transylvania and Eastern Moldavia
(present-day Republic of Moldova) were united with Romania.
In 1940, after losing part of its territory (Eastern Moldavia and
northern Bukovina) to the USSR as a result of the Molotov-
Ribbentrop Pact, Romania joined the Axis powers and participated
in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR. 855,000 Romanian
soldiers, airmen and sailors fought all the way to Stalingrad and
Caucasus Mountains and then retreated alongside the German
Army while suffering more than 30% casualties. Three years later,
overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed an armistice. From August
1944 until 9 May 1945, two Romanian armies, 540,000 strong,
fought on the side of the Allies against the Axis powers and
liberated parts of Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Austria while
suffering over 160,000 casualties. Except for Germany, Romanian
armed forces exceeded all other combined Axis military on the
Soviet front, and became the fourth largest Allied European
contributor after the August 1944 armistice was signed (after USSR,
USA and Great Britain).
The post-war Soviet occupation led to the formation of a communist
"people's republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. Between
1947 and 1965, Romania was led by Gheorghiu Gheorghiu-Dej,
who had a pro-Soviet stance throughout most of his administration.
In 1965, he was succeeded by Nicolae Ceaușescu who was less
enthusiastic towards the Soviet Union and maintained a more
neutral foreign and domestic policy than his predecessor; but his
Securitate police state became increasingly oppressive and
draconian through the 1980s. Ceaușescu was overthrown and
executed in late 1989.
Former Communists, regrouped around the Front of National
Salvation and later the Romanian Party for Social Democracy,
dominated the government until the 1996 elections, when they were
swept from power by a fractious coalition of centrist parties, the
Democratic Convention of Romania (DCR). After failed reforms and
internal infighting the DCR lost the elections in favour of the Social
Democratic Party (PSD). Both groups attempted to amend ties with
Hungary, which were deeply fractured in the 1980s, when
Ceaușescu either encouraged the large Hungarian community to
leave the country or exiled them outright (5,000 Hungarians left
Romania per year). The 2004 elections brought to power an alliance
formed by the National Liberal (PNL) and Democratic parties. They
governed with the support of most minority parties in Romania. In
2008 Romania held its legislative elections with the right wing
Democratic Liberal Party becoming the winner of the national
elections, despite being outrun by a small margin by the left wing
PSD. After a 2012 political crisis, the Parliament and the
government are now dominated by the centrist Social Liberal Union,
a coalition of PSD and PNL).
When the economic, social and political development is concerned,
Romania is doing well in comparison to its neighbors (with the
exception of Hungary), but it still has some ways to go to reach that
level of development that is enjoyed by the Western Europeans.

Talk[edit]
See also: Romanian phrasebook
The official language of Romania is Romanian, limba română,
which is a Romance language, close to Latin and Italian. It was
formalized in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some 10%
of the Romanian vocabulary is of Slavonic origin and less than
5% is from Turkish, Hungarian, or German.
Minority languages spoken in Romania are Hungarian, German,
Turkish, and Romany (the language of the Roma, or Gypsies).
Russian and Ukrainian can be heard in the Danube Delta as
well. French used to be the second well-known language in
Romania, since it used to be compulsory in every school;
however, it has been mostly replaced by English. A well-
educated Romanian who graduated from an average university
can usually speak English and another European language,
such as French, German, Italian, Spanish, or Russian.
However, if you leave the common touristic routes, Romanian is
the only way to ask for information. That won't be such a
problem; learn some basic words and ask them to write the
answers.
In Transylvania there is a large Hungarian minority (17.9% of
the population according to the 2011 census), and people
speak Hungarian in their daily life. Counties where Hungarian is
widely spoken, and where in fact ethnic Hungarians are the
majority of the population, include Harghita, Covasna,
and Mures. In certain parts of Cluj, Bihor, Satu
Mare, Brasov, Sibiu and other Transylvanian counties there are
villages or towns with a Hungarian majority or plurality.
Although some might speak Russian due to Romania's past as
a part of the Eastern Bloc, you should not count on it. About 2%
of Romanians understand Russian but only about 4% are fluent
in it. The chance meeting one is small, as the Ceaușescu
administration and subsequent leaders made learning the
language optional, rather than compulsory, and today, English
has largely supplanted Russian as the second language of
choice among younger people.
Most educated Romanians may be able to make some sense of
other spoken Romance languages, such as French, Spanish,
and Italian. Other Romanians may understand some Spanish
and Italian because of popular TV soap operas from Italy and
Latin America.

Regions[edit]
 The regions of Romania

Transylvania
It is the most famous region of Romania, with a very marked Hungarian (Szekely) and
German (Saxon) heritage. A land of medieval castles and towns, dark forests, snowy peaks
(especially those in Transylvanian Alps), but also vibrant cities.
Banat
This western-most province is probably the most economically developed in Romania. It has
beautiful baroque cities and traditional German villages in the western plains and huge
mountain forests in the eastern parts.
Oltenia
The south-western region, with impressive monasteries, caves and health resorts along the
mountains in its northern part and a bizarre desert-like area in the south.
Southern Bukovina
This north-eastern region is famous for its world heritage listed Painted Monasteries, tucked
away between picturesque rolling hills.
Maramureș
The northern-most region, it's best known for its timeless villages, traditional wooden
churches and beautiful mountain landscape.
Crișana
Located along the border with Hungary, this western region is the entry point for most
travelers into Romania, who often neglect its Central-European style cities, numerous
medieval sites and resorts on the western side of the Apuseni mountains.
Northern Dobruja
A seaside province dotted by ruins of ancient Greek and Roman cities, with various summer
resorts along the Black Sea coast and the unspoiled natural landscape of the Danube Delta in
the region's north.the most ethnically diverse region with many small minority groups
Moldavia
Certainly one of the most extraordinary regions in Romania, it offers a pleasant blend of
historical cities, medieval fortresses, churches, wine and friendly locals.
Muntenia
Also known as Wallachia. The capital, Bucharest, is in this southern region, as well as the
early residences of the Wallachian princes and the mountain resorts on the Prahova Valley. It
is also the name of the old kingdom of leaders such as the notorious Vlad țepeș (The Impaler).

Cities[edit]
+-
45°29′31″N 25°12′11″E
Map of Romania

Bucharest skyline

 1 Bucharest (București) — the capital of Romania, in which

megalomanic monuments, including "House of the People",
built during Ceaușescu's reign, overlook medieval
neighbourhoods
 2 Brașov — located in south-eastern Transylvania, its main
attractions are the well kept medieval downtown, the
nearby luxury resort of Poiana Brașov and the proximity to
the Râșnov fortress and the Bran Castle.
 3 Cluj-Napoca — the largest town in Transylvania, a major
economic center and also a very youthful city, as it has one
of the largest universities in Europe.
 4 Constanța — Romania's main Black Sea port and one of
the major commercial hubs in the region. The northernmost
district, Mamaia, is one of the best Black Sea resorts.
 5 Iași — the second largest Romanian city, it was the
capital of the Moldavian principality until 1861 and then
briefly capital of Romania. Today it remains one of the
major economic and cultural centres in the country.
 6 Sibiu — one of the most beautiful cities in the region, it
has the best preserved historical sites in the country,
numerous museums and exhibitions, proximity to the
stunning Făgăraș mountains, for which reasons it became
the 2007 European Capital of Culture.
 7 Sighișoara — the city's downtown area, the Sighișoara
Citadel, is the last inhabited medieval citadel in Europe and
one of the best preserved.
 8 Suceava — the main city in Bukovina and the medieval
capital of Moldavia; it can be used as starting point for
visiting the Painted Monasteries of the region.
 9 Timișoara — the largest town in the Banat region, one of
the most prosperous and modernized cities in Romania; it
was here that the 1989 Romanian anti-communist
revolution began.

Other destinations[edit]
 1 Corvin Castle – Gothic-Renaissance castle sometimes
(wrongly) considered a source of inspiration for Dracula's
Castle.
 2 Sinaia, 3 Predeal, 4 Poiana Brașov, 5 Băile
Herculane, 6 Vatra Dornei, and other ski resorts;
 7 Transylvanian Alps within the Carpathian Mountains
 8 Painted Monasteries
 Saxon villages with fortified churches in
Transylvania: 9 Biertan, 10 Câlnic, 11 Dârjiu, 12 Prejmer, 1
3 Saschiz, 14 Viscri
 15 Danube Delta, 16 Hărman, 17 Axente Sever
 The Black Sea resorts

Get in[edit]
Getting to Romania is easy from nearly all parts of the world: it
is served by an array of transport types and companies.
Entry requirements[edit]
Romania is committed to implementing the Schengen
Agreement although it hasn't yet done so. For citizens of the
European Union (EU) or European Free Trade Area (EFTA)
(i.e. Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland), an
officially approved ID card (or a passport) is sufficient for entry.
Other nationalities will generally require a passport for entry.
Travel to/from any other country (Schengen or not) from/to
Romania will (as of now) result in the normal immigration
checks, although customs checks will be waived when travelling
to/from another EU country.
Inquire with your travel agent or with the local embassy or
consulate of Romania.
Citizens of Canada, Japan and the United States are permitted
to work in Romania without the need to obtain a visa or any
further authorisation for the period of their 90-day visa-free stay.
However this ability to work visa-free does not necessarily
extend to other countries.
If you do need to obtain a visa from outside your own country,
try obtaining it from somewhere else beside Budapest, where it
can take 3 to 4 days. From Ljubljana the process can
sometimes be done in a day because they are not as busy.
By plane[edit]
Romania has 17 civilian airports, 12 of which are served by
scheduled international flights. The main international airports
are:

 Bucharest's 1 Henri Coandă (Otopeni) Airport is the

largest and busiest, it has flights to nearly all the major
cities in Europe, to a few Middle Eastern capitals, to all
other Romanian cities, but no direct flights to the USA;
besides traditional carriers, some low cost airlines such as
Easyjet or Vueling operate flights on this airport.
 The 2 Traian Vuia International Airport in Timisoara is the
second largest in the country; it has flights to several large
cities
in Germany, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Greece, Ukraine, Mold
ova, France, United Kingdom as well as to various cities in
Romania. The airport is a focus city for low-cost Wizz Air.
Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines are also important
operators on the airport.
 3 Cluj International Airport, the largest airport in Cluj-
Napoca, Transylvania. Served by a growing number of
flights from various European destinations; it is one of the
many hubs of low-cost Wizz Air, with services to over 10
destinations daily. Lufthansa also serves the airport.
 Other smaller international airports are located in:
 Sibiu (flights to Austria, Germany, Britain, Italy
and Spain on Lufthansa, Austrian and Blue Air). Focus
city for Blue Air.
 Bacau (flights mainly to Italy and London on Blue Air.
Secondary hub for Blue Air).
 Constanta - The only Romanian airport served by
Ryanair (to two Italian destinations). A few inbound
seasonal charters and a few seasonal domestic flights
from Transylvania and Bucharest also serve this
airport.
 Iasi - One daily flight to Vienna and one to Budapest
 Targu-Mures - Wizz Air focus city, with flights
to Hungary, Germany, Britain, Italy, France, and Spain.
Domestic flights to Bucharest operated by TAROM.
 Arad - Flights from Milan.
 Baia Mare - Only domestic flights from Bucharest.
 Oradea - Only domestic flights from Bucharest.
 Satu Mare - A charter flight from Antalya (summer
seasonal) and domestic flights from Bucharest
 Suceava - Only domestic flights from Bucharest.
There are three important Romanian airlines:
 1. TAROM, the Romanian flag carrier, based in Bucharest
Otopeni.
2. Blue Air, the only Romanian low-cost airline, based in
Bucharest with a secondary hub in Bacau and a focus
city in Sibiu.
Romania has become increasingly attractive for low cost
carriers. Blue Air, a Romanian low-fare airline, serves various
destinations in Europe from Bucharest (Aurel Vlaicu Airport),
Arad, Targu Mures, and Bacau. A Hungarian budget
airline, WizzAir, offers direct flights from London Luton to
Bucharest. Several others, including Ryanair operate flights to
Romania. EasyJet operates flights from London, Milan,
and Madrid.
By train[edit]

The great square of Sibiu.

Romania is relatively well connected with the European rail

network. There are daily international trains
to Munich, Venice, Vienna, Budapest, Zagreb, Belgrade, Sofia,
Istanbul, Chișinău, Kiev, and Moscow. But due to the poor
quality of rail infrastructure in the region, train travel on long
distances takes considerable time.
Nonetheless, trains are the ideal way of reaching cities in
western and central Romania such
as Brasov, Sighisoara, Oradea or Cluj-Napoca coming
from Central Europe.
International trains to Romania include the (relatively high
standard) EuroCity trains and night trains. Romania is part of
the Eurail pass offer.
A cheap way of traveling to or from Romania might be
the Balkan Flexipass.
By bus[edit]
Even though Romania has not been traditionally seen as a 'bus
country', buses are becoming a more and more popular way to
reach the country from abroad, especially from the Balkans and
the former USSR, but also from Western Europe, e.g. Germany
and Switzerland. Even though trains are still the most popular
way of getting to Romania from Central Europe, due to good
service, train services to the Balkans and former USSR are of a
considerably poorer quality and are less frequent (mainly
because railway infrastructure in these countries is a lot poorer
than Romania's infrastructure). For this reason, a slew of
private bus operators (like VioTur.ro or Royal-tour.ro) now
provide quicker and arguably more comfortable coach services
to and from cities such as Chișinău, Kiev, Odessa, Sofia,
and Istanbul.
A general rule of the thumb on whether you should use bus or
train is this: if trains are available just as frequently, and at
around the same price, and take around the same amount of
time, then definitely use them. Otherwise, consider the buses.
For all information about buses in Romania and online
reservations and tickets (i.e. timetables and prices) you can
use Autogari.ro ("Autogari" is the Romanian word for bus-
stations). They accept also payment with credit card.
By boat[edit]
Cruises on Danube are available, very expensive though,
starting from Passau or Vienna and having a final destination in
the Danube Delta. These cruises will stop in every major port
along the road, in Austria, Hungary, Serbia, and Romania.
Once in the Delta, you can travel by rapid boats or fisherman's
boats on endless channels to watch huge colonies of pelicans,
cranes or small migratory birds. You can enjoy a local dish,
fishermen's borsch, prepared using different species of fish, but
take care, they use the Danube's river water!
It is the only way to travel around the Danube Delta, and the
only way to get to the city of Sulina.
There are ferries across the Danube to/from Bulgaria in several
ports: from Bechet to Oryahovo (daily) and
from Zimnicea to Svishtov (only on weekends).
From Calafat to Vidin there is now a traffic bridge, easily
accessible by car.
There are reportedly (but not confirmed) ferry connections over
the Black Sea from Varna in Bulgaria to Constanța. The ferry
service between Odessa and Constanța is no longer operating
at this time.
By car[edit]
You can easily drive into Romania coming from countries in the
West, but when coming from the East you will have to drive
through Moldova and you may experience troubles there. There
is not a direct border crossing between Ukraine and Romania in
the south-eastern corner of Romanian Moldavia (Reni/Galati),
you must go via Giurgiulesti, which is in Moldova (a small
stretch of about 500m). Moldovan border control officers will
ask several times for money (ecological tax, road tax... up to
€20 in July 2007). Coming from the north (Ukraine), can also be
time-consuming, times can vary from one to more than five
hours.
The road infrastructure is fairly modest compared to Western
and Central Europe. There are few motorways and only in the
south of the country. The upside to this is that most European
roads, which you will mostly be travelling on are well maintained
and are denominated with an E followed by a number (e.g.
E63), are scenic roads and cross some spectacular scenery of
mountains, valleys and forests. The roads especially in
Transylvania are built on top of the old medieval routes and
there is always something to stop for and visit on your way.
Drivers are confronted with a lot of roundabouts, both in towns
and outside. The rule for them is straightforward: cars already
inside the roundabout have priority, those outside must wait.
On the roads linking Romania to its western borders take
particular care as traffic is heavy and most roads have one, or
at most two, lanes each way, and on some parts are unlit.
On foot and by bike[edit]
On the Ukrainian-Romanian border there is only one point
where one can cross on foot: Solotvino-Sighetu Marmației. The
bridge over the Tisa is old and one could say a point of tourist
interest.

Get around[edit]

Lake Oașa near Sebeș, with Pătru's peak in the background.

 Colourful tombstones at the Merry Cemetery in Săpânța.

Rugged landscapes in Prahova County.

Getting around Romania is relatively hard and inefficient for the

great distances that have to be covered in this country (this is
after all, the second-largest country in Central Europe,
after Poland). The transport infrastructure has been improving
quite significantly, even though roads remain a weak point.
There are three operational highways, that connect Bucharest
to the seaside and to the cities of Pitești and Ploiești,
respectively, and several others under construction. Train
travel, however, has improved dramatically. Several upgrade
projects are underway for several railway tracks, which makes
rail traffic on those lines a bit slow for the time being.
By train[edit]
Romania has a very dense rail network that reaches practically
every town and a sizable number of villages. Although some
modernization is taking place, this network isn't in a very good
condition, with low speeds and limited train frequency on many
routes. Nonetheless trains remain the best option for long
distance travel.
Most trains are run by the state carrier, Căile Ferate Române,
abbreviated as (SN)CFR. Many secondary lines are operated
exclusively by private
companies: Regiotrans, Regional , Transferoviar,
and Servtrans.
Trains generally run without major delays, except on lines
where there are repair works or during anomalous weather
(heavy snow storms in winter, heat waves or floods in summer).
Train types[edit]
Three major types of trains are available: Regio, InterRegio,
and Intercity. The last two types provide reasonable conditions
but Regio trains are best avoided.

 Regio (R)
These are very slow trains, stopping in almost every station
(including some in the middle of nowhere). Prices are dirt
cheap, but they provide extremely basic service and are
sometimes uncomfortable (no seat reservation, no ventilation to
speak of, sometimes crowded, no working toilets in some trains,
poor lighting).
They usually have 1970s single-suburban or double-decker
cars, with 4 seats per row. Most will not offer 1st class (but if
they do it's highly recommended to get a 1st class ticket, it will
be less crowded and less miserable than 2nd class).
Western Desiro and French Z-type DMUs have been introduced
on some routes, including Suceava-Cacica, Craiova-Sibiu,
Sibiu-Brașov, Cluj-Teiuș-Brașov, Cluj-Bistrița, Brașov-Sfântu
Gheorghe. Z-type cars provide a more comfortable seating
arrangement but a bouncier ride, which is diametrically opposed
to Desiro's improvement. As these newer trains are designed
for short-distance travel, expect to be uncomfortable if traveling
for a long period of time.
Most of the trains operated by private companies are also
ranked as Regio. They are usually cleaner than CFR Regio
trains, but rarely run on the same routes.
Example: Bucharest-Brașov (166km) by Regio train costs ~23
lei in 2nd class, takes about 4 hours, and has up to 31 stops

 InterRegio (IR)
Semi-slow trains traveling on medium and long distance routes,
stopping just in towns. They are cheap (though nearly twice as
expensive as Regio) and offer variable conditions.
Newly-renovated cars have been introduced on several routes
including Bucharest-Târgu Jiu and Bucharest-Brasov. However,
many consider these cars just as uncomfortable, if not more so,
than older cars, with merely an improved visual element. There
is little baggage room and little leg-room compared to 1980s
carriages.
Some InterRegio trains have connection cars to destinations
located on secondary lines; after they separate from the
InterRegio train they run as RegioExpress (RE).
Example: Bucharest-Brașov (166 km) by InterRegio train costs
47 lei in 2nd class, c. 2hr45min, up to 8 stops

 InterCity (IC)
The best of CFR's network. They are nearly as comfortable as
Western European trains, while remaining cheap by Western
standards. All IC trains offer air conditioning, individual reading
lights, dining cars, and some will offer power plugs (both in first
and second class). Wi-Fi is provided in some dining cars and in
business class (where available). They're slightly faster than
InterRegio and very clean most of the time.
Some Intercity trains also have Business Class (Standard and
Exclusive) cars, roomier than regular 1st class. Standard has
plush armchairs while Exclusive has leather armchairs and
built-in LCD screens for each seat; both have Wi-Fi.
Travellers with large backpacks should note that baggage
storage racks on intercity trains are small, hence they are likely
to find Intercity trains less convenient than Rapid or Accelerat.
However, experiences seem to vary depending on the particular
train, as in some trains this is true only for non-compartmented
cars, so it might be worth trying to get a seat in a compartment.
If presented with a choice of Intercity trains (classic cars or
"Săgeata Albastră" - Blue Arrow DMUs) it is advisable to
choose classic cars, as these are faster, more comfortable
trains. Săgeata Albastră are small 3-car diesel trains with
slower service (120 km/h top speed compared to 160 km/h).
Example: Bucharest-Brașov (166 km) by Intercity train costs 58
lei in 2nd class, about 2½ hr, three stops

 Night trains
Most InterRegio trains travelling by night also have couchette
cars (with six or four beds) and sleeping cars (with three, two or
one bed). Conditions are relatively good.
Example: Bucharest-Satu Mare (782 km), ~142 lei/bed (six
beds couchette), 14 hours
Getting tickets[edit]
Tickets for CFR operated trains are sold at train stations and
CFR booking agencies (agentie de voiaj CFR), which exist in
any sizable town (usually located in the central area). At these
booking agencies and at a few major stations it's possible to
buy tickets up to six months in advance for any domestic route
and for international trains passing through Romania.
It's also possible to get tickets for domestic routes online
through CFR's relatively complicated booking site with up to
one month in advance.
All trains types except Regio and RegioExpress require seat
reservation (not to be confused with advanced ticket booking).
Several discounts are available:

 for small groups (10% for 2 people, 15% for 3, 20% for 4
and 25% for 5+)
 for large groups (25% for groups of more than 30 people)
 for buying return tickets (10%)
 for advance ticket purchase (13% for over 21 days in
advance, 10% for 11-20 days in advance, 5% for 6-10
days)
People that board CFR trains without a ticket from stations
where there are ticket sellers can be fined and have to buy
more expensive tickets directly from the train staff.
On lines operated by private operators tickets are usually
issued on the train.
For up-to-date timetable information on CFR operated lines
see CFR's timetable site. For timetables on lines operated by
other companies check.
A complete price list by distance and train type is available
online .
Tourist railways[edit]
Several scenic narrow gauge railways exist in mountainous
areas, but trips on them are mainly available for small groups
and not for individual tourists. One notable exception is
the Valea Vaserului railway in Maramureș which has tourist
runs daily in mid-summer and on weekends in early summer-
autumn.
Groups can also rent the former Romanian king's personal train
or Ceaușescu's private train but these trips are rather
expensive.
By car[edit]

Transfăgărășan road is among the most spectacular drives in

Europe.

Travelling by car or coach is the easiest way and a vast

majority, over 60% of foreign tourists, use this way of
transportation. The steering wheel is on the left and European
driver's licenses are recognized by police. For Americans, a
passport and valid US driver's license are sufficient for car
rental. If you drive your own car, you must purchase a road tax
sticker (the "Rovinieta") either from the border or from the
nearest gas station. Driving without one will incur a severe fine.
Rentals can be expensive; avoid the major international rental
companies, as well as the "friendly" locals who are willing to
rent you their own car. In Bucharest and throughout the country
rentals start at €20-30 per day (without fuel) for a small
hatchback, go around €65-90 for an average car or lame SUV
and may go up to €170-200 for a luxury sedan or a luxury SUV.
You may be denied renting unless you are 25 or older.
While Romanians are generally friendly and polite, this doesn't
always apply to their driving style. Speeding is common, young
(inexperienced) drivers driving performance vehicles are
common in cities, angry drivers are the norm in the capital and
the accident rates are amongst the highest in the European
Union.
City roads tend to be heavily overcrowded, particularly in
Bucharest. Beware of hazards, such as double-parked cars,
pedestrians, sudden braking to avoid a pothole, or stray
animals entering the road (in rural areas). Most intercity routes
are 2-lane roads, used by everything from communist-era
trucks to modern sports cars. So plan for longer driving times
than in other areas of Europe.
Bucharest has a very dense and crowded city centre, with
narrow, twisting roads, built mainly in the 19th century, with little
traffic in mind. The roads are suffocated by over 1 million cars
every day - it is possible to take 2 hours to drive a distance that
could be walked in 20-25 minutes. GPS or local guide is a
necessity. The best way to travel within Bucharest is either by
public transport (as it is very cheap and fairly reliable) or taxi.
Romanian police now have high-tech radars to catch speeding
motorists. Speed limits are generally 100 km/h outside of a city
and 50 km/h or 70 km/h within built up areas. Some police units
are equipped with performance vehicles, while others are the
standard Dacia Logan cars. Although rare, some highway
patrols have BMW bikes. On major roads, motorists in the
opposite direction will sometimes flash their headlights to warn
that they have passed a radar trap which may be just ahead of
you. Also many national roads and motorways are discreetly
watched by Police Puma helicopters. Even small offences are
subject to heavy fines by the traffic police (Poliția Rutieră), they
may even take one's driver's license for an irregular passing.
Both hidden and visible speed cameras are becoming common
on major roads and highways. Policemen sometimes seem to
be more lenient with locals, than with foreigners - however,
stricter fining applies for locals than for foreigners (for locals, as
few as two or three minor offences will get their license
suspended for six months). Bribing is ill-advised as most patrol
cars have recording equipment and as of 2008, bribing is less
and less accepted, so for a foreigner it is not recommended to
attempt this get-away technique - it can easily land you in jail.
The Romanian police have a zero tolerance policy on drunk
driving - controls are very frequent - and basically any amount
of alcohol in your blood counts as drunk driving.
If you are involved in a car accident while driving and someone
is hurt you must stop and wait for the traffic police. Driving
away from the scene is considered hit-and-run. Accidents with
no injuries can be solved with yourself and all parties involved
having to go to a police station and make a statement, but, if in
doubt, better phone 112 (Emergency Services) and ask for
directions. In most of the cases, after an accident it is
mandatory to take a blood test to establish if the drivers had
consumed alcohol. Refusal to undergo this test is almost certain
to land you in jail - the punishment is usually more harsh than
the one for drunk driving.
Many important roads were once medieval trade routes which
go straight through the centre of many villages. Passing while
driving is the norm rather than the exception as slow moving
trucks, horse drawn carts, and non-moving herds of cows often
frequent village main streets.
Types of roads[edit]

Motorway A2

A lot of road infrastructure has been constructed in the past few

years, and changes appear rapidly. Therefore, check up te date
online sources before you go, as information might get outdated
quickly.

 Motorways (autostrada)
 A1 - planned to connect Bucharest with cities in
southern Transylvania and then proceed to the western
border; the only part completed so far is the 126 km
long stretch between Bucharest and Pitești opened in
1973. The Arad - Timișoara section was opened at the
end of 2011.
 A2 - connects Bucharest with the Black Sea ports of
Constanța and Agigea. This means that you can avoid
Constanța, if you're going to the other resorts on the
seaside.
 A3 - is supposed to cross Transylvania diagonally from
north-west to south-east and then head south to
Bucharest. The Borș - Brașov segment, also called
the Transylvania Motorway, is the largest road project
in Europe; it will connect the Hungarian-Romanian
border with Oradea, Zalau, Cluj-Napoca, Targu Mures,
Sighisoara and Brasov. As of 2015, only a few sections
of the A3 are in use: a 55-km stretch between
Bucharest and Ploiesti in the south and a 52-km section
 between Campia Turzii and Gilau, which is part of the
southern section of the Transylvanian Highway.
The speed limit on motorways is 130km/h.

 Expressways (drum expres) - Basically non-grade

separated/semi-grade separated dual carriageway. The
only completed expressways are the 60 km long Bucharest
- Giurgiu (DN 5) road, The Ploiesti Bypass (DN 1), the Cluj
East bypass, the Bucharest - Henri Coanda International
Airport stretch of the DN 1 (which is grade-separated). The
speed limit on expressways is 100 km/h.
 National roads (drum național), including European
Roads (drum european). In the absence of motorways the
national roads remain the most important element of the
Romanian road system, as they connect the main cities in
the country. Thanks to recent investments most of them are
in reasonable condition - most of the trunk network being
rehabilitated. Many have 4 non-separate lanes near cities,
some have 3 or 4 non-separate lanes throughout (such as
Bucharest-Comarnic and a large part of E85) but many
have only two lanes - one per traffic direction (a notable
example is DN1 Câmpina-Brașov - the 100-km mountain
stretch can take 3-5 hours to cross during weekends and
holidays. The speed limit on national roads is 100 km/h.
 Other roads - county (drum judetean) and rural (drum
comunal) roads are owned and maintained by either
regional or local authorities. These roads mainly link trunk
roads with very small towns or villages - few running for
more than 30-40 km. The situation of county roads is highly
dependent on each of the counties involved - while in Ilfov
or Constanta these roads are of decent-to-high quality, in
other regions such roads are in a poor to very poor
condition compared with national roads. Rural roads are of
even shorter nature (under 10 km), some of them being one
lane of traffic only, others being covered in gravel only. The
speed limit on these roads is 90 km/h.
For all roads, when in a city, town or village, the speed limit is
50 km/h (unless clearly otherwise posted). As such, driving a
National Road becomes a constant accelerate-and-brake
adventure, one having to be constantly spotting speed limit
signs, city limit markers and the behaviour of other drivers.
By bus[edit]
 The Palace of Culture in Iași

Bus can be the least expensive method to travel between

towns. In the Romanian towns and cities, you can usually find
one or several bus terminals (autogara). From there, buses and
minibuses depart for the towns and villages in the nearby area
as well as to other cities in the country. You can find timetables
on the autogari website.
Minibuses are usually very uncomfortable; some buses are old
and slow. Schedules are not tightly followed, and delays of over
an hour are not uncommon, especially for inter-city buses.
Romanian roads are in a rather bad shape, with most of the
trunk network being made of one lane per way roads (fairly
similar with British rural roads), and only about 250 km of
expressway. Most minibuses employed are small, crowded, 14-
seat vans (some converted from freight vans), with some longer
routes employing 20-seat mini-buses. For commuter and
suburban routes, expect an overcrowded van (25 passengers
riding a 14 seat van is quite common, with 40 passenger loads
not being unheard of), with no air-conditioning, which stops
several times in every village. Inter-city bus travel is only slightly
better - most vehicles used are also converted vans, or, at best,
purpose-build minibuses, with only some being air-conditioned.
Seating is generally crowded, and in most cases there is no
separate compartment for luggage. Most have no toilets on
board, calling for 30 minutes stops every 2-3 hours. All in all,
the experience of travelling by minibus is quite similar to that of
traveling in a Russian or Ukrainian marshrutka.
However, buses are the best solution for a number of routes
badly served by the railway network, namely Bucharest - Pitești
- Râmnicu Vâlcea, Bucharest - Alexandria, Bucharest - Giurgiu,
and Pitești - Slatina.
The comfort of vehicles is steadily improving, at least in
Transylvania along the longer routes serving larger cities. You
will find buses from respected companies (such as
Normandia, FANY or Dacos) which offer punctual and
reasonable, though not always sparkling, conditions, and on
which a luggage compartment will always be available. Toilet
stops still need to be made, but they happen usually in places
where you can also buy food or drinks. On Fridays, Sundays,
and close to national holidays, these buses tend to be
overcrowded, so a reservation by phone might be necessary.
Buses inside the cities are often crowded. This gives
pickpockets good opportunities. The pickpocket problem seems
to be not essentially worse than in any other European city.
Please, pay attention.
By taxi[edit]
Taxis are relatively inexpensive in Romania. It costs about 1.4-2
lei/kilometre or slightly more, with the same price for starting.
The very low prices make taxis a popular way to travel with both
locals and travellers (it can be cheaper than driving your own
car) - so during rush hours it may be hard to find a cab (despite
Bucharest having almost 10,000 cabs).
A notable exception is the Fly Taxi company that operates from
the Henri Coanda (Otopeni) Airport. The price for a ride from
the airport to the city centre can be about 70 lei. Either call a
taxi by phone to pick you up near the airport or chose the 783
bus line to get into the city. Alternately, you can go to the
departure terminal to avoid expensive airport taxis. To do this,
after you exit baggage claim, immediately turn right. Literally
dozens of taxi operators will approach you and ask if you need
a taxi, having marked you as a foreigner (it's their job to do so,
after all). Be polite, shake your head no and keep walking. You
will pass though about 200 m of shopping and service areas in
a little mini-mall connecting the two terminals, and will then
arrive at the 2nd level of the departures terminal. Walk out the
door and you will see plenty of taxis dropping off passengers.
Flag one down and make sure the fare posted on the side is
less than 2 lei/km. They are not supposed to pick up there, but
you aren't doing anything wrong by trying, and not many drivers
can say no to 30 lei for a trip back to the city centre that they
were going to make anyway. Just make sure they use the
meter. Some taxi drivers use remote controls in their pockets
that raise the tariff price suddenly by small increments that are
otherwise unnoticeable until the end of the fare. It might be
easier to negotiate the tariff price upfront based on your
destination and pay that amount at the end.
Kiosks for reasonably-priced cabs can be found inside the
arrivals terminal, and the police are constantly watching for
pirate taxi drivers. Kiosks are a safe and reliable to hitch a €10
trip by taxi to downtown Bucharest.
Be careful to look at the cost posted on the outside of the taxi,
and then to look at the meter to see that you are being charged
the same fare. Be especially careful in Bucharest, where some
taxis post 7.4 lei instead of 1.4, but the 7 looks very much like a
1. Ask if you're not certain - they are obliged to post and clearly
state the tariff up-front. All taxis must have a license - a large,
oval metal sign bolted on the sides of the car, featuring the city
markings, and a serial number inscribed, usually using large
numbers. Do not use any taxi without those markings. Also, do
not use a taxi with a license from another city (for example,
never use an Ilfov taxi in Bucharest or a Turda taxi in Cluj-
Napoca).
The driver may try to cheat you if he sees you are a foreigner.
Insist that he will use the meter, or have a Romanian guide with
you. Don't negotiate the ride fee in advance, as it may be 2-4
times higher (even more) than the real fee (even if it would
seem cheap to you). Check whether it is going in the right
direction, follow the way on a map (if you have any!) Do not
take cabs from the cab stand in railway stations, unless they
are from a reputable company and do not take any of the
services of those offering you a cab ride in the train station.
They may end up being amazingly expensive (up to €50 for a
cab ride that would normally be around €3). If you need a taxi
from the train station (or airport), order it by phone from a
reputable company (see the city pages for the cities you want to
visit) - most dispatchers speak some English as do many taxi
drivers.
By plane[edit]
Air travel as a means for domestic transport is becoming more
and more popular as increased competition resulted in lower
prices (sometimes less than the cheapest train or bus ticket).
This, coupled with an improved airport infrastructure leads to
increases in the number of passengers compared to past
decades.
Two airlines offer domestic flights in Romania - Tarom, with a
hub in Bucharest and "no-frills" Blue Air with its domestic hub in
Bucharest.
In 2010, Bucharest and Timisoara were linked by up to 12 daily
flights (operated by Blue Air and Tarom - Tarom operated some
of the flights on the routes with A310 wide-bodies), Bucharest
and Cluj by up to 10 daily flights (operated by Tarom and Blue
Air), Bucharest and Iasi by up to 4 daily flights (operated by
Tarom), Bucharest and Oradea, Bucharest and Sibiu, and
Bucuresti and Satu Mare by 2-3 daily flights (operated by
Tarom), Bucharest and Suceava and Bucharest and Baia Mare
by 1 daily flight (operated by Tarom). Bucharest and Arad are
also connected through a daily flights by Blue Air. Constanta
and Bacau, owing to the short distance from Bucharest, only
see flights a couple of times per week. Frequencies on
Saturdays may be reduced, especially to smaller cities.
Prices can begin from as low as 40 lei one way if booked in
advance with Blue Air, or through a Tarom 'Superspecial' fare.
Even 2-3 days before the flight, it is not uncommon to find
tickets for under €35-€50 with a little shopping around. While
Tarom style themselves as full-fare full-frill airlines, Blue Air
considers itself a low fare carrier, and subsequently, has
followed the model of not allowing price aggregation through
reservation systems (a la Ryanair, Easyjet or Southwest), and
as such, tickets for their flights will not be available through
booking engines such as Orbitz or Kayak, but only directly
through their website.
Some airports may be fairly distant from city centers, and, while
some larger ones have adequate public transport (Bucharest,
Cluj, Timisoara, Oradea), in some (such as Craiova or Iasi) you
have to rely on taxis. Even so, a taxi fare from any airport
downtown should not cost more than €5-10 outside of
Bucharest.
Hitchhike[edit]
Hitchhiking is very common in Romania, and some experienced
hitchhikers say it's the easiest country in eastern Europe.
Usually, if you are in the right spot, you don't have to wait longer
than 5 minutes. During weekends you may need a bit more
patience, as roads are a little emptier. Locals also use this
method on a regular basis, especially for shorter distances (up
to 50 km). It is not uncommon for people (especially students)
to hitchhike intercity (Bucharest-Sibiu, Timisoara-Arad and
Bucharest-Ploiesti are particularity common hitchhiking
destinations). Increase your chance to be picked up by using a
paper with the city where you want to get to - it may save you
some time especially if travelling intercity. A good spot is a bus
station, road-split, or close to the city limits. Nevertheless, many
if not most people will stop (provided they drive alone) - you
may end up getting a ride in a 1970s rusty old Dacia or in a
brand new Mercedes, in a semi-articulated truck or in a
company car belonging to a big corporation. Hitchhiking is
typically not dangerous (the highly aggressive, fast and
disorderly driving style of Romanians may be more of a
danger), but take usual precautions when using this
conveyance. Inside city limits, it is not advisable to hitchhike
using the traditional thumb-up hand signal, as many drivers
may believe you are flagging a taxi or a route-taxi (mini-bus),
and not stop. Use a destination paper instead.
It is customary to leave some money for the ride (so called 'gas
money', about 1-2 lei/10km), but if you are a foreigner you will
not be expected to leave money and nobody will get upset.
Most truck drivers and company car drivers will refuse payment
altogether. Furthermore, if you tell the driver where you want to
get in a city, he or she will make a detour just to drop you off
where it best suits you. Say "Mulțumesc"(Mooltsoomesck)
(thank you) at the end.
Most Romanians are very talkative, and even if their English,
French, German, whatever is extremely rusty, many will more
likely than not tell you their entire life story, discuss the entire
football season and/or talk politics (usually starting from
discussing the poor state of roads even while on a freshly
repaired road). In the end, however, hitchhiking is a mostly
enjoyable experience, and, if lucky, you may even get yourself
invited for lunch or dinner, offered a room for a night, or just
meet some very interesting people along the way.
See[edit]

Bran Castle is one of Romania's main landmarks.

Whether you're looking for stunning landscapes, ancient cultural

traditions, bustling city life or beautiful historic heritage; no
visitor to Romania needs to search for things to see. This
country is home to a range of top sights, especially when you'd
like to get a feel for the old Europe, the time of monasteries and
castles.
Cities and castles[edit]
The country's lively capital Bucharest does not top the average
traveller's wish list, but if you're willing to look, this city's
controversial mix of building styles might just amaze you. Go
see the largest parliament building in the world, the 1935
Romanian version of the Arc de Triomph or visit one of the
many museums. The impressive Bran Castle, dramatically
situated on a Transylvanian hill top, is widely associated with
the famous tales of Count Dracula and one of the country's
main tourist draws. While there's no clear evidence of this
castle being the model for Bram Stoker's stories, the castle
surely fits the book's descriptions and has a fascinating
recorded history of its own. Yet, there are other interesting
examples, including the Neo-Renaissance Peleș
castle near Sinaia and Corvin castle near Hunedoara. The still
inhabited citadel of Sighișoara is easily among the most
beautiful ones of it's kind. Listed as a Unesco World Heritage
Site, it still features many characteristics of a medieval fortified
town and is a charming town to visit. Other fine historic towns
include Timișoara, the country's second city, the popular
mountain resort Brașov and Sibiu.
Natural attractions[edit]
For a more natural experience, head to the Danube Delta,
considered to be the most well preserved and one of the largest
river deltas in Europe. While it mostly consists of extensive
wetlands, it in fact holds 23 different ecosystems. It lies on route
for a number of main migratory routes, and more than 320
species of bird can be found here in summer. Besides water
systems, Romania is also home to the largest European
populations of bears and wolves, inhabitants of it's vast
untouched forests. The Rodna National Park and Biosphere
Reserve and Retezat National Park are excellent places to
experience the country's rugged lands, old-growth forests and
stunning mountainous landscapes, or hike to beautiful water
falls in Cheile Nerei-Beușnița National Park.
Countryside and monasteries[edit]
When planning your trip, make sure to include one of the many
monumental monasteries and churches, such as the one
in Horezu, a World Heritage Site known for it Brâncovenesc
style architecture or Curtea de Argeș the most representative
Byzantine style monastery in Romania, also royal necropolis
where are buried the all kings of Romania. Or, head
to Southern Bukovina to see some of the wonderful and
famous Painted Monasteries. Another fascinating region
is Maramureș, listed by Unesco and popular among visitors for
its wooden churches and Merry Cemetery. A trip to some of
these more remote places of worship comes with the bonus of
easy exploration of Romania's lovely countryside where -
despite rapid development- old traditions and craftsmanship are
still alive.
Itineraries[edit]
The following are some possible itineraries for travelling in
Romania:

 Transylvania Triangle Train Tour

 If you like to drive, follow the stunning Transfăgărășan
Road for some spectacular views and lots of challenging
curves.

Do[edit]

Trekking in the Retezat Mountains

 Southern Bukovina is home to the remarkable Painted
Monasteries

Romania has a number of good winter sports destinations

 Go to church - Romania is one of the most religious

countries in Europe, and the Orthodox church is
omnipresent. You will certainly want to visit some churches
and monasteries for their beauty and history, but why not
take the chance to experience an Orthodox mass? The
congregation is usually standing and it is perfectly normal to
show up only briefly during the mass so you can come and
go at your leisure without disturbing anyone. Show up at
any church on Sunday morning, stand quietly in the back
and observe. Be suitably dressed, see the section
"Respect".
You will experience bible readings, prayers and other rituals
accompanied by a short sermon explaining the text. You are not
likely to understand much, but you can notice the varying levels
of involvement among church-goers, visible in how long and
where people stay at the mass, and how often they sign
themselves with the cross, or even genuflect. Organized
congregation singing is not common but is conducted by a choir
with each church-goer joining when he feels like. The choir
singing can be captivating, the quality usually reflects the
importance of the church.
The altar has sections with doors that open and close
depending on the church season. You will also see candles
sold, they are lit in or by the church in separate trays for the
souls of either dead or living people. Try to find out about
special holidays and rituals, perhaps the distribution of holy
water by the truckload at the baptism of Christ (Boboteaza) or
midnight masses at Christmas or Easter (the Orthodox Easter
 may be off by one or a few weeks compared to the Western).
Weddings are often Saturdays, the ritual is very colorful and
interesting.

 Hiking trails come in a wide range of levels, from

easy to seriously challenging. From flat delta areas
to rugged terrains, the country's national parks
make for great starting points and excellent vista's.

 Winter sports - the Romania mountains house a

number of popular winter sports resorts, such as
Poiana Brasov (close also to Bran
castle), Sinaia and Predeal. While increasingly
popular, also among locals, these places remain
fairly off the beaten track for most international
winter sports fans and remain budget friendly.

Buy[edit]
Money[edit]

Exchange rates for Romanian lei

As of August 2018:

 US$1 ≈ 4.0 lei

 €1 ≈ 4.6 lei
 UK£1 ≈ 5.1 lei

Exchange rates fluctuate. Current rates for these and other currencies are available from XE.com

The national currency of Romania is the leu (plural lei),

which, literally translated, also means lion in Romanian.
The leu is divided into 100 bani (singular ban). On 1
July 2005, the new leu (code RON) replaced the old
leu (code ROL) at a rate of 10,000 old lei for one new
leu. Old ROL banknotes and coins are no longer legal
tender but can still be exchanged at the National Bank
and their affiliated offices.
Coins are issued in 1 (gold), 5 (copper), 10 (silver), and
50 (gold) bani denominations, but 1 ban coins are rare,
despite store prices ending a lot of times with 99 bani.
Do not expect exact change from store clerks, unless
your total spending divides by 5 bani. When grossly
short on change, clerks may also provide small coffee
bags, oranges or similar as substitutes, but they may
not accept it back as tender. Banknotes come in
denominations of 1 (green), 5 (purple), 10 (red), 50
(yellow), 100 (blue), 200 (brown), and 500 (blue and
purple) lei denominations, are made of polymer plastic,
and, except for the 200 lei, correspond to a euro
banknote in size. However, 200 and 500 lei banknotes
are not common.
When exchanging money, it is extremely advisable to
use exchange bureaus or to use cash machines (which
will provide ready access to most foreign bank
accounts). Absolutely avoid black market transactions
with strangers: in the best case scenario, you might
come out ahead by a few percentage points, but that
rarely happens. Most apparent black marketers are
actually con men of one sort or another, who will either
leave you with a bankroll that turns out to be full of
worthless Polish złotys or will simply engage you in
conversation for a few minutes, awaiting the arrival of
their partners who will pretend to be the police and try
to con you into handing over your wallet and papers.
(This con game is known as a maradonist.) Exchanging
money in the street is also illegal and in the worst case
scenario, you might spend a night in jail as well. It is not
recommended to exchange money in the airport either -
they tend to overcharge on transactions and have very
disadvantageous rates - you should use a card and the
ATM for immediate needs (taxi/bus) and exchange
more money later while in the city.
You should shop around a bit for good exchange rates.
Some exchange offices in obvious places (such as the
airport) may try to take advantage of the average
tourist's lack of information when setting the exchange
rate, and it is not advisable to use them, as the
exchange rates may well be quite unrealistic. Prior to
leaving for Romania consult the website of the National
Bank of Romania for a rough estimate of what
exchange rates you should expect. Typical exchange
offices should not list differences larger than 2-3% from
the official exchange rate. Also, when picking an
exchange office, make sure it has a visible sign saying
"Comision 0%"; Romanian exchange offices typically
don't charge an extra commission apart from the
difference between the buy and sell rates, and they are
also required by law to display a large visible sign
stating their commission, so if you don't see such a sign
or if they charge something extra, keep going.
Choosing a reasonable exchange office, which is not
hard to do with the data in this paragraph, can save you
as much as 10%, so this is worth observing. Changing
money at a bank's exchange office is also a good idea.
Costs[edit]
Romania is relatively cheap by Western standards, you
can buy more in Romania than you can in Western
Europe and North America, especially local products.
Although you can expect food and transport to be
inexpensive in Romania, buying imported products
such as a French perfume, an American pair of sport
shoes or a Japanese computer is as expensive as in
other parts of the EU. Clothing, wool suits produced in
Romanian, shirts, cotton socks, white and red wine
bottles, chocolates, salami, a wide range of local
cheese, inexpensive leather jackets or expensive and
fancy fur coats are possible good buys for foreigners.
Transactions[edit]

Shops in old Craiova

Romanian transactions generally take place in cash.

Although some places will accept Euro or USD, it is not
advisable as you will generally be charged an additional
20% paying by this method, although this is changing.
The best method is to pay using local currency - lei
(RON). Most Romanians have either a charge card or a
credit card - however, they are generally used at ATM
machines - on-line payments are relatively new, and
some companies still look at them with suspicion - so
much so, that they will make you pay on delivery. You
can however pay by card in many shops and in most
supermarkets. Accepted credit/debit cards are:
MasterCard, Visa, American Express (in some places -
although this is rapidly expanding because of a very
aggressive campaign by American Express) and Diners
Club (usually only in hotels, and even then expect
stares and incredulity that such a card even exists).
Almost all transactions at POS machines
(supermarkets, shops etc.) will ask you to enter the
card's PIN as well.
Most small towns have at least one or two ATMs and a
bank office, with large cities having hundreds of ATMs
and bank offices. (It is not uncommon to see three bank
agencies next to each other in residential
neighborhoods of Bucharest). ATMs are also available
in many villages (generally at the post-office or the local
bank-office). Romanian for ATM is bancomat. Credit
cards are accepted in large cities, in most hotels,
restaurants, hypermarkets, malls. Do not expect to use
a credit card at any railway station or for the public
transport (the subway and RATB of Bucharest, for
example, are cash-only because they consider that
card transactions would slow down the queues at the
ticket booths). Gas stations and a great number of
other stores accept Visa and MasterCard. It is
advisable to always have a small sum of money in cash
(about 50 lei or even more), even in large cities. It is not
possible to withdraw any common currency (like euros
or dollars) besides lei.
Romanian businesses are not mandated to provide you
with full change for every transaction, and frequently
their tills are short of small coins in particular.
Fortunately many prices are in round multiples of 1 leu,
and they are almost always in multiples of 10 bani.
Even if a store can change, say a 100 lei note, they
might ask you for smaller change first. For very small
amounts (say 20 or 50 bani) they might sometimes
insist on you buying something of that worth instead of
giving you change.
Tipping[edit]
The tip is usually 5-10% of the bill and is expected in
restaurants, coffee shops, taxi, hair dressers.
Prices[edit]
Romania is generally very cheap, and is probably the
cheapest country inside the EU, though it's still more
expensive that neighboring Ukraine. However, inflation
has struck Romania in many places, and some prices
are as high or higher than those in Western Europe, but
this is often reserved to luxuries, hotels, technology,
and, to an extent, restaurants. However, raw food,
transport, and accommodation remain relatively cheap,
as does general shopping, especially in markets and
outside the capital. Bucharest, as with every capital in
the world, is more expensive than the national norm,
particularly in the city centre. In the past 2-3 years,
Bucharest has become increasingly expensive, and it is
expected to do so for some years. However, travellers
from Nordic countries will find all the prices in Romania
to be amazingly low, especially transport (short and
long distance), restaurant food and drinks.
Supermarkets and convenience stores[edit]
A good place to shop for food are farmers' markets,
although hypermarkets have become popular in
Romania such
as Auchan, Billa, Carrefour, Cora or Kaufland.
Different from supermarkets are neighbourhood grocery
stores called 'alimentară'. The stores are dim, old
Communist-era shops that can be cheaper. These
shops, which can best be compared to British
cornershops, may be convenient if living in the suburbs
or in smaller towns. Despite their seemingly poorer
appearance, they sell good-quality food. In 'alimentara',
expect strange systems of payment or selection: you
may not be able to take items off of the shelf yourself,
or one person may tally up your total before another
handles the cash, etc. Many locals however actually
prefer these establishments, since they offer a personal
touch, with many salespeople remembering the
preferences of each buyer, and catering specifically for
their needs.
Opening hours are extremely predictable and
amazingly long. Some shops will have a "non-stop"
sign - meaning they are open 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Shops that are not open 24 hours are usually open
8AM - 10/11PM, with some keeping open in summer
until 2 or 3AM. Supermarkets and hypermarkets are
open 8AM - 10/11PM as well, except during some days
before Easter and Christmas, when they remain open
through the night. Pharmacies and specialized shops
are usually open 9AM - 8/9PM, sometimes even later
while farmers' markets usually open their doors at 7AM
and close at 5 or 6PM.
The countryside fair[edit]
A traditional countryside shopping is the weekly fair
(târg, bâlci, or obor). Usually held on Sunday,
everything that can be sold or bought is available - from
live animals being traded amongst farmers (they were
the original reason why fairs were opened centuries
ago) to clothes, vegetables, and sometimes even
second hand cars or tractors. Such fairs are hectic, with
haggling going on, with music and dancing events,
amusement rides and fast food stalls offering
sausages, "mititei" and charcoal-grilled steaks amongst
the many buyers and sellers. In certain regions, it is a
tradition to attend them after some important religious
event (for example after St. Mary's Day in Oltenia),
making them huge community events bringing together
thousands of people from nearby villages. Such fairs
are amazingly colorful - and for many a taste of how life
was centuries ago. One such countryside fair (although
definitely NOT in the countryside) is the Obor fair in
Bucharest - in an empty space right in the middle of the
city, this fair has been going on daily for more than
three centuries.

Eat[edit]
 Colivă dishes are used for a church ritual.

Saramura is one of Romania's traditional dishes.

Romanian food is distinct yet familiar to most people,

being a mixture of Balkan and Central European
flavours, but it has some unique elements. The local
dishes are the delicious sarmale, ardei
umpluți (stuffed peppers), mămăligă (pr.
muhmuhliguh, polenta), bulz (traditional roasted
polenta, filled with at least two kinds of cheeses, bacon
and sour cream), friptură (steak), salată de
boeuf (finely chopped cooked veggies and meat salad,
usually topped with mayo and decorated with tomatoes
and parsley), zacuscă (a yummy, rich salsa-like dip
produced in the fall) as well as tocană (a kind of
stew), tochitură (pr. tokituruh, an assortment of fried
meats, and traditional sausages, in a special sauce,
served with polenta and fried eggs), mici (pr. michi,
with a ch sound like in the word "chat"; a kind of spicy
sausage, but only the meat, without the casings, almost
always cooked on a barbecue, but may also be cooked
with hot water vapours; often served with beer during
picnics - mici și bere), roe salad, various mashed
beans varieties like iahnie (the h is loud).
Other dishes include a burger bun with a slice of ham, a
slice of cheese and a layer of French fries, ciorbă de
burtă (white sour tripe soup), ciorbă rădăuțeană (very
similar to ciorbă de burtă, but with chicken instead of
tripe), ciorbă țărănească (a red sour soup, akin to borș
but with the beet root being replaced by fermented
wheat bran, with lots of vegetables), Dobrogean or
Bulgarian salads (a mix of onions, lettuce, tomatoes,
cheese, white sauce and ham), onion salad - diced
onion served in a dish, tomato salad - diced tomato with
cheese, șorici (pig skin - boiled and sometimes in
stew), and drob (haggies) - a casserole made from
lamb or pork liver and kidneys. Local eclectic dishes
include cow tongue, sheep brain (Easter), caviar,
chicken and pork liver, pickled green tomatoes and
pickled watermelon.
Traditional desserts include pască (a chocolate or
cheese pie produced only after Easter), sărățele (salty
sticks), pandișpan (literally means Spanish bread; a
cake filled with sour cherries), and cozonac (a special
cake bread baked for Christmas or Easter). Bread
(without butter) comes with almost every meal and dill
is quite common as a flavoring. Garlic is omnipresent,
both raw, and in special sauces (mujdei is the
traditional sauce, made of garlic, olive oil and spices),
as are onions.
Generally, there is good street food,
including covrigi (hot pretzels), langoși (hot dough
filled with cheese and various other optional
seasonings like garlic), gogoși (donut-like dough,
coated with fine sugar), mici (spicy meat patties in the
shape of sausages), and excellent pastries (many with
names such as merdenele, dobrogene, poale-n
brâu, ardelenești), thin pancakes filled with anything
from chocolate and jam to bananas and ice cream.
Very popular are kebab and shawarma (șaorma),
served in many small shops.
Popular Romanian snacks that are readily available in
shops are pufuleți (very cheap and delicious corn-
made snacks) and sunflower seeds, but usual snacks
like potato chips and various nuts are also common.
Common sweets are halva, halviță, rahat (Turkish
Lokum - "rahat" is also commonly used as an
euphemism for feces, meaning that you might hear
Romanians talk about rahat a lot when being angry, but
they do not actually refer to anything commonly
considered edible) and colivă, a boiled wheat dish
commonly used in religious mourning rituals.
Most restaurants in Romania, especially in more
regional areas, only serve Romanian food, even though
it is similar to Western European food. Especially in
Bucharest, there is a wide variety of international food,
especially Mediterranean, Chinese or French. There
are also fairly plentiful international fast food chains.
The interesting truth about these is that they are just
nominally cheaper than restaurants, with the quality of
the food being of an international standard but quite
much lower than that served in restaurants. Therefore,
go for the restaurants when you can - they provide a
much more authentic and quality experience at prices
that aren't much higher.
Vegetarian and vegan travellers can easily find a tasty
dish suitable for them if they ask for mâncare de
post (food suitable for religious fasting). Because
Romanians are in their large majority Eastern Orthodox
Christians, fasting involves removing of all the animal
products from their meals (meat, dairy products or
eggs). Even though Lent seasons only cover a small
part of the year, you can find fasting food throughout
the year. However, most Romanians are unaccustomed
with vegetarianism or veganism; still, you can find such
"mâncare de post" all year round; some Romanians
fast also outside Lent, on most Wednesdays and
Fridays, as part of their orthodox faith.

Drink[edit]

Palinca for sale at a festival

Wine[edit]
Romania has a long tradition of making wine (more
than 2000 years of wine-making are recorded), in fact
Romania was in 2014 the 12th largest producer of wine
in the world. The best wineries are Murfatlar, Cotnari,
Dragasani, and Bohotin. Its quality is very good and the
price is reasonable: expect to pay 10-30 lei for a bottle
of Romanian wine. Several people in touristic areas
make their own wine and sell it directly. Anywhere you
want to buy it, it is usually sold in glass bottles of about
75 cl. Many of the monasteries produce and sell their
own wine. Most of the individuals wine makers,
including monasteries, will allow you to taste it first, but
some may not.
Beer[edit]
Like all the countries with a strong Latin background,
Romania has a long and diffused tradition of brewing
beer, but nowadays beer is very widespread (even
more so than wine) and rather cheap compared to
other countries. Avoid beers in plastic PET containers,
and go for beers in glass bottles or cans. Most of the
international brands are brewed in Romania under a
license, so they taste quite different than in Western
Europe. Some beers made under licence are still good
- Heineken, Pilsner Urquell, Peroni. You can easily
realize whether a beer has been brewed in Romania or
abroad and then imported simply by looking at the
price: imported beers are much more expensive than
the Romanian ones (A Corona, for example, may be 12
lei while a Timisoreana, Ursus or Bergenbier of a full
1/2 litre size will be 2-4 lei. Some of the common lagers
you may find around are quite tasteless, but there are
some good brewers. Ursus produces two tasteful
beers, its lager is quite good and its dark beer (bere
neagră), Ursus Black, is a strong fruity sweet beer,
similar to a dark Czech beer. Silva produces bitter
beers, both its Silva original pilsand its Silva dark leave
a bitter aftertaste in your mouth. Bergenbier and
Timisoreana are quite good. All the other lager beers
you may find, such as Gambrinus, Bucegi or Postavaru
are tasteless (in some consumers' opinion). Ciuc is a
very decent and affordable pilsner, now owned by
Heineken. Expect to pay around 2-3 lei for a bottle of
beer in the supermarket and double in a pub.
Spirits[edit]
The strongest alcohol is palinca, with roughly 60%
pure alcohol and is traditional to Transylvania, the next
is țuica (a type of brandy made from plums - for the
better quality, traditional version - but alternatively from
apricots, wine-making leftovers, or basically anything
else - an urban legend even claims you can brew a
certain kind of winter jacket (pufoaică) to țuică, but this
is rather a proof of Romanian humor). Strength of țuica
is approximately 40-50%. The best țuica, made from
plums, is traditional to the Pitești area. Strong alcohol is
quite cheap, with a bottle of vodka starting off between
10 lei and 50 lei. A Transylvanian speciality is the 75%
blueberry and sour cherry palinca (palincă întoarsă de
cireșe negre), better known as vișinată - but is usually
kept by locals for celebrations, and may be hard to find.

Sleep[edit]
Finding an accommodation in Romania is very easy, for
any price. In all the touristic places, as soon as you get
to the train station several people will come to you
asking whether you need an accommodation, or you
can book it in advance. Those people welcoming you at
the station often speak English, French and Italian.
Moreover, while walking on the street, you will often
find cazare written on the houses, that means they will
rent you a room in their own house. You'd better book
an accommodation in the big cities (Bucharest, Cluj-
Napoca, Brasov and Iasi), since it'll be quite hard to
wander around looking for a place to sleep, but
anywhere else you won't find any problem at all.
As with most countries it is often cheaper to obtain
accommodation directly with the hotel (either in person
or in advance via the internet) rather than through
booking agencies. An increasing number of even small
hotels will accept reservations via the Internet. Search
for the local official tourist guide websites which will
have a list of hotels and/or bed-and-breakfasts, then
inquire at that site: most have information in English,
many have formal reservation webpages. Prices for
Four star hotels are much the same as in the rest of
Europe, certainly in Bucharest, whilst three star hotels
and below can be a little cheaper. A feature of
Romanian accommodation prices is that many bed and
breakfast establishments (without any hotel star rating)
are in fact as or even more expensive than two or three
star hotels. Most appear to be more modern than rated
hotels.
Rural tourism is relatively well developed in Romania.
There is a national association of rural guesthouses
owners, ANTREC who offer accommodations in over
900 localities throughout the country.

Learn[edit]

Carefully painted Easter eggs are an important part of

Romanian tradition.

The oldest Romanian university is the University of Iasi,

founded in 1860 (the medieval schools in Bucharest
and Iasi are not considered universities). Bucharest,
Iasi and Cluj are considered to be the largest and most
prestigious university centres, with newer centres of
education like Timisoara, Craiova and Galati emerging
as cities with an increasingly larger student population.
If coming with a mobility grant (Erasmus/Socrates or
similar), it is very important to go to the International
Office of the Romanian University as soon as possible,
as Romanian paperwork tends to be quite impressive
and may take some time to be processed. Also, if
planning to study in Romania, it is highly recommended
to find your own accommodation - most universities do
not provide any accommodation, and if they do provide
accommodation, the conditions offered are sometimes
terrible (3-4 persons sharing a room, with a corridor of
50 or more sharing the showers and toilets is not
unheard of - this happens since university-offered
accommodation is typically next to free (€15-20 per
month) for Romanians, and you usually get what you
pay for).
The education system is mediocre at best since 1990
(Romania did not do good in either of the PISA
evaluations, being in the lower third of European
countries), however reform attempts have been done in
the past decade. Attendance is compulsory for 10
years. Universities have started to reduce the number
of subsidies so students will, increasingly, have to pay
the tuition (tuition is however very low - €500 per year is
the norm). With some exceptions teaching methods in
universities are antiquated, with formalism, dictation
and memorization as the main tools employed - leading
to low quality of many establishments (no Romanian
university made it in the Shanghai Index). However,
there were very serious reform attempts, with some
universities (notably the University of Bucharest,
University of Iasi, the Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj
and the University of Timișoara) imposing better
teaching standards and interactivity between students
and teachers - however much progress is to be done
even there. For most subjects, programs are available
in Romanian and Hungarian, depending on the
university. Some programs are available in English,
French and German. Elementary and middle schools
are supported by local authorities budget. As with most
nations, teachers complain about small salaries.
Literacy is nearly universal. According to an EU
commission study, about 30% of Romanians speak
English (50% in urban environments) and 25% French
(40% in urban environments). German is also spoken
by about 3-5% of the population (1% having it as their
mother tongue).

Stay safe[edit]
While violence against foreign tourists is rare, this does
not mean you should leave your common sense at
home, if you decide to vacation in Romania. Generally
crime is limited to petty thefts and common scams, and
not much else that would concern the tourist. Wherever
you may be in the country, ask trusted locals about the
surroundings, they will gladly give you a few pointers.
Although racial prejudice exists in Romania, especially
toward those who look like Roma (“gypsies”), hate
crimes are rare. Some homophobic prejudice also
remains, for instance an annual gay pride parade in
Bucharest has been the scene of violent protests in
past years.
Emergency phone numbers[edit]
Romania uses the pan-European standard
number 112 for all emergency calls since 2004.
Therefore, this is the only number you will need to
remember for police, ambulance and the fire
department.
Petty crime[edit]
Romania is quite safe, with very little violent
crime. Pickpocketing and scams (such as taxi scams or
confidence tricks) are present on a wider scale, so
exert care especially in crowded places (such as train
stations, some markets, urban public transport). Keep
your money or valuables in inner pockets of your
backpack and always watch your handbag in said
crowded areas. When traveling with a cab, always
make sure you read and remember the price per
kilometer that's written on the outside of the car,
because some of the drivers may try to take advantage
of the fact that you are not familiar with the prices.
Animals[edit]

Bear warning sign

Romania has a very large population of wild animals,

including one of the largest population of wild bears in
Europe. Bears are deadly, and even the ones living
closer to cities, which loot garbage containers, must not
be approached. It is commonplace for bears to visit city
neighborhoods situated near mountain forests in search
for food (such as in Brașov). As such, spotting a bear or
wolf is fairly easy. Although usually not dangerous,
such animals may become aggressive if care is not
taken. If you spot a bear or wolf when hiking, it is
advisable to slowly turn around and slowly walk the
other way. Local shepherds advise people who are wild
camping to camp out in the open rather than under
trees where possible to avoid the bears. Under any
circumstances, do not attempt to run or try to feed the
animal, as it may become disoriented and attack. In
2006, 6 people were killed by wild animals in Romania.
There have also been cases in which tourists
encountered bear cubs and attempted to feed or play
with them. In some cases this has turned out to be a
fatal mistake. If you happen to encounter any sort of
young animals be aware their parents are somewhere
close. The best thing you can do is leave the area as
soon as possible, as cuddly and cute as bear cubs may
be, their parents are not. Bears are extremely
aggressive when they have cubs and will attack at the
slightest hint of a threat to their cubs. This is one of the
leading causes of attacks by animals on people.
Feral animals such as stray dogs may additionally pose
a problem in Bucharest and other major cities, where
they are widespread. Some might not be aggressive,
but be careful about animals in packs and at night.
Some are taken care of by people from nearby housing
blocks and these can be especially territorial and can
sometimes attack without warning. The number of stray
dogs is declining but is still relatively high and overall
they are the biggest physical danger especially in
remote areas.
Romanian farmers also use dogs for herding and
protecting sheep. You'll most likely see this if you're
walking near any farms, on dirt roads, or rural areas.
You can tell they are sheep dogs as farmers usually
attach horizontally-hanging sticks under their necks. If
you encounter one of these dogs, it might appear
scared at first, and might be looking backwards. It is
indeed scared, but it is not looking for retreat: it's
looking for its other doggy friends! If you continue
walking towards their territory or whatever herd of
sheep they are protecting, they will most certainly
become more and more defensive, and have no doubt
that more and more will appear as you get closer to the
herd. In situations like this, you simply need to back off.
It's not worth attempting to defend yourself either, as
Romanian farmers will get very angry. If you are in a
rural area, consider waiting for a horse-drawn wagon or
car for hitchhiking: this is the best way to cross such
territories.
Corruption[edit]
Some visitors may encounter corrupt policemen
(Polițiști) and customs officials (Vameși, Ofițeri de
vamă) first hand, even though this seems to be a
declining problem. While it may be tempting to pay a
bribe (mită or șpagă) to smooth things along on your
visit, you should avoid doing so as it only contributes to
this problem. It is also illegal to give bribe as well as it is
to receive it. Foreigners might receive tougher
sentences in Romania.
A piece of good advice for when you find yourself in the
situation to be asked to pay a bribe (or just suggested)
is to politely reject the proposal, stating clearly that you
would not do that. If you are being harassed adopt a
swift and determined attitude, and threaten that you will
immediately call the police. This will almost surely make
whoever is asking for the bribe stop and leave you
alone.

Stay healthy[edit]
Health care[edit]
Conditions in Romanian hospitals may vary from the
very clean and sparkling, with all the latest
technological utilities, to the downright drab, dark and
cold. Some hospitals, however, may be, as
aforementioned, uncomfortable, with dimness,
temperature problems (hot in summer, cold in winter)
and outdated equipment, although medical staff are
usually experienced. You won't usually face problems
such as significant lack of cleanliness.
Your travel health insurance might prove to be
insufficient if the medical condition is severe. In this
case, you will be asked to pay for the medical services,
and prices are not very low compared to Western
Europe.
Citizens of the European Union are covered by
Romania's National Healthcare System as long as they
carry an E111 European Health Insurance Card,
obtainable from their own national healthcare authority
and valid for all EU countries.
Dental procedures in Romania, especially those in
private clinics, are of an excellent quality. In fact, many
Western Europeans come to Romania to have their
teeth done for the quarter of the price they pay in their
home country. Quality is particularly high in clinics
in Transylvania and Bucharest.
Respect[edit]

A shepherd in the Făgăraș Mountains

Romanians are quite hospitable. In the countryside and

small towns, they welcome foreign tourists and,
occasionally, they might even invite you for a lunch. As
is common with Romania's Balkan neighbours,
Romanians will insist when offering something, as "no"
sometimes does not mean "no", and they just consider
it polite for you to refuse and polite for them to insist.
You should take some normal precautions to study your
hosts first. It is common for friends and family to kiss
both cheeks upon greeting or parting. Respect towards
the elderly is highly appreciated and is a good
representation of your character. The phrases used to
greet friends and strangers alike is "Bună ziua" (Boo-
nah Zee-wah) which means "Good day" or "Good
afternoon." During morning and evenings, the phrase
changes to "Bună dimineața" and "Bună seara",
respectively.
At beaches, men wear either speedos or shorts, with
the former more common amongst the over 40s, and
the latter more popular with the younger crowd. Ladies
tend to wear thong bikinis, while topless sunbathing is
becoming more widespread.
Refrain from observations that Romanian is a Slavic
language or even related to Hungarian, Turkish or
Albanian. People might find it quite offensive; in fact, as
it was already mentioned, Romanians do
not pronounce vowels and consonants the same way
as any of their neighbours.
Romanians also appreciate foreigners who do not
assume that Romania was part of either the Russian
Empire or the Soviet Union (it was only a member of
the Eastern Bloc).
Avoid discussing the ethnic animosities between the
Romanians and ethnic Hungarians. Hungarians
dominate in some areas in Transylvania, and
occasionally inter-ethnic violence has broken out.
Other minority-rich regions include Dobrogea, where
Tatars, Turks, and Ukrainians still live today, and also
the west of the country, where there are small numbers
of Serbs, Slovaks, and Germans. Almost all Jews left
the country in the decades after the Holocaust.
Another very offensive misconception is making no
difference between Romanians and the Roma people
(commonly referred to as Gypsies, although this term is
considered derogatory). Confusing the two ethnic
groups can offend a lot of people because there is still
a lot of prejudice towards the Roma people.
Romanians might dislike having Romania labelled as a
Balkan country because of a somewhat negative image
of the region. It is not entirely geographically correct
either, as most of Romania (all of it except Dobrogea)
lies outside the Balkan Peninsula.

Connect[edit]
Mobile phones[edit]
Mobile phones are ubiquitous in Romania. There are
five networks - four GSM/3G (Orange Romania,
Vodafone, Telekom and DigiMobil) and one CDMA
(Zapp). Orange and Vodafone have almost full national
coverage (98-99% of the surface of the country), while
the German Telekom is expanding quickly.
Tariffs are average for the European Union (€0.08-
0.30/min, €0.04 per SMS). Both pre-paid cards and
subscriptions are available, and special options for
discounted international calls exist with some pricing
plans. Roaming is available but is, like in most of the
EU, rather expensive. Pre-paid cards or recharge
codes can be bought in almost every shop, either rural
or urban.
On prepaid SIMs you can activate extra options
("extraopțiune") starting from €5 (+ 24% VAT) in total =
27-32 lei, with a validity period of 30 days, containing
thousands (200 -3000) of minutes and SMSs within the
same network and up to 100 minutes outside the
network, including most European Union fixed land-line
networks and two or three mobile networks.
Internet access[edit]
Internet access is fast, widely available in urban
environments and growing in rural environments.
Broadband internet is widely available in cities and
towns, through cable, DSL, or home-grown small or
medium size ISPs offering UTP connections. Speeds
are mostly like Western Europe or the US, with 1-4
Mbit/s downstream for non-metropolitan access being
 the norm - with prices being around €9-25 for 1-4Mbit/s,
with local access significantly faster (10-50 or even
100Mbit/s). The speeds are increasing, home access
for 4Mbit/s being available at around €10 per month.
Internet cafés are available in most towns and cities
and villages - but in big cities, their numbers are
dropping because of the cheap availability of home
access. In rural areas, public Internet access is
available in 150 remote villages (in so-called
"telecenters"). In these "telecenters", access is
subsidized by the state, and therefore limited.
Computers are usually not available in libraries, or in
public places such as train stations.
Wireless access is growing, especially in Bucharest,
Brașov, Sibiu, Bistrița, Timișoara and Cluj with Wi-Fi
widely available in University areas, airports, public
squares, parks, cafes, hotels and restaurants. Pay-as-
you-go Wi-Fi is also available in many venues. If
uncertain, look for plazas near the Town Hall, large
parks or other important buildings. Most (if not all)
McDonald's restaurants in Romania have Wi-Fi access
and so do most 3-star (and higher) hotels.
Mobile internet is available cheaply by all the mobile
phone companies (using Romanian simcards).
Combined 3G/GPRS/EDGE access is priced at 40-80
lei per month with a cap of 5-10GB.
Cable TV[edit]
Cable TV is also very widely available, with about 85%
of all households being connected. All hotels providing
you with a TV set will offer cable TV or digital TV.

This country travel guide to Romania is an outline and may need more content. It has a template, but there is not enou
they may not all be at usable status or there may not be a valid regional structure and a "Get in" section describing al

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 This travel guide page was last edited at 18:46, on 17 October 2018
by Wikivoyage user MSG17. Based on work by Wikivoyage
users Ground Zero, Wrh2Bot, Mx.
Granger, Andree.sk, AndreeBot and Inferno986return, Wikivoyage
anonymous
users 213.233.109.155, 37.73.85.195 and 213.233.103.24 and other
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