Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
»The use of seat belts is compulsory for front-seat passengers. Children under 12 are
prohibited from sitting in the front seat.
»Headlights must be always on, even in bright daylight.
»Give way to traffic entering a roundabout.
Hitching
Hitching is never entirely safe in any country in the world. People who choose to hitch
will be safer if they travel in pairs and let someone know where they are going. That said,
hitching is popular in Romania, where people usually stand along the main roads out of a
city or town. An arm-length, pat-the-dog motion is the prevailing gesture used to indicate
a ride is desired, though the thumbs-up signal is becoming more widespread. It's common
practice to pay the equivalent of the bus fare to the driver (about 1 to 2 lei for every
10km).
Local Transport
Bus, Tram, Trolleybus & 'Maxitaxi'
Romanian cities generally have very good public transport systems comprised of buses,
trams, trolleybuses and, in some cases, maxitaxis. Bucharest is the only Romanian city
with an underground metro. The method for accessing the systems is broadly similar.
Purchase bus or tram tickets at newsagents or street kiosks marked bilete or casă de bilete
before boarding, and validate the ticket once aboard. For maxitaxis, you usually buy a
ticket directly from the driver. Tickets generally cost from 2 to 3 lei per ride.
Taxi
»Taxis are cheap and reliable and a useful supplement to the public transport systems.
Drivers are required by law to post their rates on their doors or windscreens. The going
rate varies from city to city, but during our research in 2012 was anywhere from 1.39 to
1.89 lei per kilometre. Any driver posting a higher fare is likely looking to rip-off unsus-
pecting passengers.
»While it's usually okay to use a taxi parked at a taxi rank (provided the taxi is not at
Bucharest's airport or main train station) or to hail one from the street, we strongly recom-
 
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