Last update: September 11, 2020
The CoronaVirus outbreak is affecting, lightly, some areas in Romania.
There are no other events or situations – such as diseases, distress or unrest –
threatening the personal safety or well-being of travelers to Romania.
The following information may be of interest to travelers:
Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Romania is mildly affected by Covid-19 and,
steps have been taken to prevent the spread of the virus.
A state of Covid-19 alert will be in effect until September 15, 2020.
Local health authorities are monitoring the situation closely;
infected citizens are in isolation.
~ Hotels, museums, cultural sites and tourist attractions are open,
~ Grocery stores, pharmacies, shops, do-it-yourself stores, garden centers,
hair salons and shopping malls are open as well,
~ Restaurants that offer take-out food (walk-through or drive-through) are open.
as well as restaurants and cafes that can offer open-air table service (have terraces)
Tentative date for re-opening indoor dining facilities is September 15.
The National Centre for monitoring and control of transmissible diseases
recommends 14-day self isolation for all, asymptomatic, Romanian nationals
and (foreign) visitors arriving to Romania from Covid-19 affected areas.
Are excepted from self-isolation, visitors arriving from:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malta, Monaco, Morocco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunis, Uruguay and Vatican.
It is expected that most restrictions will be lifted on or before September 15, 2020.
Your airline and the nearest Consulate of Romania should be able to provide
the most up-to-date information concerning border-crossing / entry-requirements and conditions.
Social gatherings of more than eight people are discouraged and,
physical distancing (5-feet) is the key word for all behavior.
All people are required to wear a mask while in (indoor) public spaces
as well as when in crowded outdoor spaces.
The reccomendations above are in place until September 15, 2020.
Romania Traffic Delays or Restrictions // Roads Closed
Route: TransFagarasan
National Road DN 7 C (Drumul National 7 C) crossing the Fagaras Mountains
Road Status: OPEN
with the following restrictions:
~ daytime car traffic (7 am to 9 pm) only,
(night-time traffic is prohibited)
Section affected: Piscu Negru — Balea Cascada (km 104 to km 131)
Scheduled Dates: July 1 — October 31, 2020 (tentative date of closing for winter time).
Scheduled days: Monday – Sunday.
Section affected: Piscu Negru — Balea Cascada (km 104 to km 131)
Scheduled Dates: November 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020 (tentative date for reopening)
Scheduled days: Monday – Sunday.
Route: TransAlpina
National Road DN 67 C (Drumul National 67 C) crossing the Parang Mountains
Road Status: OPEN with the following restrictions:
~ daytime car traffic (8 am to 8 pm) only,
(night-time traffic is prohibited)
~ speed limit 20 miles / hour (30 km / hour),
~ max. vehicle weight: 16,000 lbs (7.5 tons)
Section affected:
Ranca – Obarsia Lotrului (km 34 to km 60)
Reason: hazardous driving conditions: narrow road and very low visibility at night.
Scheduled Dates: May 23 — October 15, 2020 (tentative date of closing for winter time).
Scheduled days: Monday – Sunday.
Route: Targu Ocna — Slanic Moldova
(Drumul National 66A)
Road # DN 66A
Road Status: Closed
Section Closed: Campu lui Neag to Cerna Sat (km 47 to km 88)
Event: major repairs and maintenance
Scheduled Scheduled dates: December 31, 2018
Scheduled days: Monday – Sunday
Detour route: Campu lui Neag – Arcani – Baia de Arama – Tatu – Cerna Sat.
Information on Road Conditions can also be obtained directly from
Romania’s Road Authority (Compania Nationala de Administrare a Infrastructurii Rutiere)
Telephone: + 4 021.264.33.33 or 0800 800.301 (local toll free)
E-mail: [email protected]
Money Exchange
Romania’s currency (Lei) is not readily available abroad.
If you do not wish to keep your leftover Romanian Lei, please make sure that, before leaving Romania, you have converted them into the currency of your choice.
Bucharest Taxi
In the past years, the RomaniaTourism has received quite a few complaints regarding Bucharest taxi drivers who overcharged customers by not using the meter or employing malfunctioning meters.
Drivers approaching you at the airport or at the train station (Gara de Nord) in Bucharest are likely to inflate their rates; please be aware and try to avoid them.
Taxis can be summoned by telephone or hailed on the street. Confirming the cost of the ride with the driver, before starting the trip, is always a good idea.
Taxi tariffs can vary from company to company.
Typical Bucharest Taxi tariffs:
| Lei (RON) | U.S. Dollars* | |
|---|---|---|
| Initial fee | 1.99 Lei – 4.50 Lei | $0.50 – $1.00 |
| Trips within city limits | 1.79 Lei – 4.50 Lei / km | $0.50 – $1.00 / mile |
| Trips outside city limits | 1.99 Lei – 7 Lei / km | $0.50 – $1.75 / mile |
| Slow traffic or waiting time | 0.50 Lei – 0.95 Lei / minute | $0.15 – $0.25 / minute |
| Waiting time | 19 Lei – 29 Lei / hour | $4.75 – $6.50 / hour |
* Tariffs in U.S. Dollars estimated at an exchange rate of 4.50 Lei / Dollar.
For a free Bucharest Taxi Fare estimate please visit
www.TarifTaxi.ro
Fare estimates offered by TarifTaxi.ro are for the shortest route/ normal traffic conditions. Actual fare may be more – or less – than predicted.
The cost of the taxi trip from Henri Coanda (Otopeni) Airport to downtown Bucharest is about 75.00 Lei ($20.00).
More information on transportation from/ to Bucharest international Airport are available at www.romaniatourism.com/bucharest.
If you run into a problem with any taxi in Bucharest – or if you are suspecting that you have met a dishonest driver – ask for a receipt and if possible try to write down the vehicle’s license plate #.
To file a Taxi complaint please call
021 201 3242 (Transportation Bureau of the Police Department) and/or
021 9844 (Bucharest City Hall – Complaints)
021 9551 (Consumer Protection Authority).
Feedback about Bucharest taxi service can also be sent to:
Bucharest City Hall
(Primaria Municipiului Bucuresti –
Directia Transporturi, Drumuri, Sistematizarea Circulatiei
Serviciul Control Transporturi, Utilitati Publice)
Bd. Regina Elisabeta nr. 47
etajul 2, camera 237
050013 Bucharest 5 Romania
E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: 021 305.55.00 x 1252
Bucharest Consumer Protection Agency
(Oficiul Municipal pentru Protectia Consumatorilor)
Str. Transilvaniei 2
010798 Bucharest 1 Romania
E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: 021 310.63.75 or
021 9551 (this is a valid ‘short’ phone #).
The Romanian Ministry of Tourism
Bd. Dinicu Golescu 38
Bucharest 1 – Romania
E-mail
Driving in Romania
Most major tourist attractions in Romania are easily accessible by public transportation but travel by car is perhaps the best way to discover Romania’s charming villages and to reach attractions located in areas with limitted bus
or train service.
In some areas of Romania, conditions of roads, the number of slow moving vehicles and even the level of adherence to traffic regulations and common road courtesies may be different from what you are familiar with in the USA or Canada.
We are not aware of any major incidents regarding driving in Romania but feedback from a few U.S. and Canadian travelers have indicated that some Romanian drivers have a competitive driving style (improper passing / cutting into another car’s path and tailgating flash of the headlamps are not uncommon).
While in North America flashing the headlamps is considered rude in Europe a quick flash of the headlamps is sufficient to get the car lead to move on the first lane of the (multi-lane) road.
In rural areas be ready to share the road with slow-moving vehicles, including horse-drawn wagons.
A number of roads are under construction.
Signage and safety studs may be inferior to those used in North America.
The numerous photo opportunities offered by Romania’s scenic countryside may make you to stop more often than planned and driving to your destination may take longer than expected.
However, as long as you will drive cautiously we believe that you will enjoy your driving vacation in Romania.
A map of Romania’s roads condition is available at the link below:
romaniatourism.com/romania-maps/romania-roads-condition.html
A map of road traffic intensity forecast (not real time traffic info) is available at:
romaniatourism.com/romania-maps/romania-road-traffic-intensity-forecast.html
Feedback about tour operators / travel agencies
We love positive feedback about travel to Romania and we are getting lots of it
from travelers who have visited recently.
However, we would like to know if your Romania experience was flawed by a company and/or its staff;
please do not hesitate to let us know if not everything went well during your trip.
If you wish to book a trip with a travel agency based in Romania, feel free to check with us their credentials.
Romanian Tour Operators, Travel Agencies and Freelance Guides must be licensed
by the Romanian Ministry of Tourism
Be particularly cautious if:
– the Website of a travel company or a freelance guide does not indicate a physical address,
– hotel rates and prices for similar services are significantly lower then those offered by other companies,
– full payment – in cash / wire transfer – is being asked when making the reservation or long before the beginning of trip, especially for services that must not be paid in advance by the travel company (meals, guide services, ground transportation).
