Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Car & Motorcycle
Driving around Romania has some compelling advantages. With your own wheels, you're
free to explore off-the-beaten-track destinations and tiny villages. Additionally, you're no
longer at the whim of capricious local bus schedules and inconvenient, early morning
train departures.
That said, driving in Romania is not ideal, and if you have the chance to use alternat-
ives like the train and bus, we strongly recommend considering this option.
Roads are generally crowded and in poor condition. The country has only a few short
stretches of motorway
(autostrada)
, meaning that most of your travel will be along two-
lane national highways
(drum naţional)
or secondary roads
(drum judeţean)
. These pass
through every village en route and are choked with cars and trucks, and even occasionally
horse carts and tractors pulling hay racks. It's white-knuckle driving made worse by ag-
gressive motorists in fast cars trying to overtake on every hill and blind curve. When cal-
culating arrival times, figure on covering about 50km per hour.
Western-style petrol stations are plentiful, but be sure to fill up before heading on long
trips through the mountains or in remote areas. A litre of unleaded 95 octane costs about 6
lei. Most stations accept credit cards, but you'll need to have a PIN to use them.
Hire
International companies like Avis, Budget, Hertz and Europcar have offices in large cities
and at Henri Coandă International Airport in Bucharest (see
Click here
f
or a list of car-
hire companies in the capital). Book cars in advance over company websites to get the
best rates. Drivers must normally be at least 21 years old, and the renter must hold a valid
credit card.
ROAD RULES
Motorists are required to buy and display a sticker, called a
rovinieta
, that can be purchased on the border or at
petrol stations. A vignette valid for one week costs about 15 lei, for 30 days, 30 lei. Other common traffic rules
are as follows:
»Standard speed limits are 50km/h in town; 90km/h on national roads; 130km/h on
four-lane expressways.
»The minimum driving age is 18.
»The blood-alcohol limit is zero.
