Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Taking Your Bike on the Train
»Bicycles can usually be transported on trains, though not every train will have room for
bikes, including many newer IC trains. Check the timetable at
www.cfr.ro
.
Trains that ac-
commodate cyclists are marked with a bicycle sign.
»If you are travelling with your bike, try to arrive at the train station early and inform the
ticket seller you have a bike. You may have to buy a separate ticket for the bike, usually a
flat fee of 10 lei, and be instructed to hand the bike over to the baggage window.
»Even if the ticket seller says it's not possible, it's always worth taking your bike to the
platform and trying to negotiate with the conductor. Frequently, if the train is not full he or
she may allow you to board.
Bus
A mix of buses, minibuses and 'maxitaxis' - private vans holding anywhere from 10 to 20
passengers - form the backbone of the Romanian national transport system. If you under-
stand how the system works - and that's a big if - you can move around regions and even
across the country easily and cheaply.
Unfortunately, there appears to be little logic behind how the system is organised and
how it functions. Buses and maxitaxi routes change frequently; often these changes are
communicated between people by word of mouth. Towns and cities will sometimes have a
half-dozen different bus stations (
autogara
) and maxitaxi stops, depending on which com-
pany is operating a particular route and the destination in question.
In this guide, we've tried our best to identify bus stations and routes for towns and cit-
ies where that is possible. In other areas, we've identified common bus routes but directed
readers to the website
www.autogari.ro
.
This is an up-to-date timetable that is relatively
easy to use and lists routes, times, fares and departure points. Another tried-and-true
method is simply to ask around.
Once you've located the bus station and your bus, buy tickets directly from the driver.
Have small bills handy, as drivers cannot usually provide change for big bills.
Fares vary according to the demand and number of competing bus companies, but are
usually cheap. Figure on about 3 to 4 lei for every 20km travelled.
