Driving in Romania – Recommendations, Tips and Tricks
Find Your Car in Romania
12. In Romania, you can use radar detectors. There are no penalties about them in the country. However, drivers should not forget that many police cars are equipped with modern laser radar equipment, so not all radar detectors can identify them. The use of anti-radar equipment is prohibited, and the offender is likely to receive a huge fine. Of course, the prohibited device will be immediately confiscated.
13. Speeding remains the most frequently issued fine. Police patrols are often on duty in very secluded areas along roadsides, so it is almost impossible to notice them. If you’ve got a fine, it is recommended to pay it off within first two days because, in this case, you can count on a 50% discount.
14. Romania is famous for high-quality fuel. Local petrol stations usually sell unleaded petrol (95 and 98), as well as diesel fuel. The cost of fuel is quite high and is approximately 1.5 euro per liter, but high price is compensated by good quality.
Hints on Car Hire in Romania
When choosing a car for your Romania trip, don’t forget to check and compare the franchise amount (indicated in the rental conditions) for all cars considered in your selection. The franchise may vary from 200 to 2000 euro/dollars even for cars of the same class. A thorough comparison will allow you to choose the option with the lowest franchise.
During your booking, we will offer you to take a full coverage of the franchise ('No Risk' or 'No Excess' package). If you book a car without full coverage, it is recommended to take it at the pick-up time - this will substantially reduce your financial liability in Romania for the whole rental period.
During your car pick-up in Romania, do not forget to check what to do in breakdown-, accident- or theft-cases. Most of our offers include 'Breakdown Assistance' package. Besides this, every rental office would be happy to assist you with this package.
Prior to the car return, please check your voucher for the fuel conditions. If it is indicated that a driver shall return the car with a full tank, do not forget to refuel it on the way back, this will save you from additional charges at the rental office.
If you are looking for a car hire in Romania, we advise you to check OrangeSmile.com actual rental offers. Just use the orange search form at the top. We guarantee that you would not be able to find better rates anywhere else!
15. Currently, there are two main highways in the country - Bucharest - Pitesti (A1) and Bucharest - Constanța (A2). The third highway, Brasov-Bors (A3), is currently under construction. Drivers, who are going to use these roads, should remember that they may be charged an additional for the use of certain bridges.
16. There is a huge number of hotels, shops, restaurants and cafes close to main roads, so visitors will not have to search for a long time in order to find a nice place to stay. Quite often you can see bright signs close to roads. These signs usually contain information about a nearby hotel or a recreation area.
17. The period from the beginning of May to late September is considered the best period to travel by car. At this time, the most favorable weather prevails in the country, and travellers can ride on the most beautiful mountain road in the country - Transfăgărășan highway.
18. During the period from December to March, a large part of mountain roads is covered with ice and snow. Some roads are even closed, so it is not possible to use them. All main roads are carefully cleaned from snow, so you will find it quite convenient to travel on Romanian roads in your private car even in winter.
19. When traveling in the country, drivers are recommended to use the roads that are laid through settlements. Even if you can use a bypass road and drive without entering some settlement, it is still not recommended to use that road because its quality may be poor. Roads that are located in central parts of settlements will lead you to good quality major roads.
20. Local drivers are distinguished by quite an unpredictable behavior that may seem strange to many foreign motorists. For example, in small towns you can often see cars that are parked right in the middle of the road. Their owners have gone somewhere on business and do not worry about improperly parked cars. Here this behavior is quite common.
21. Tourists, who plan to travel to mountainous parts of the country, are recommended to drive in the daytime only. Horse-drawn carts run by locals have become a serious danger to car drivers. At night, these carts often move on the roadside, and only a few carts are equipped with reflective devices. Some local drivers are so careless that even at night they drive on local roads with the headlights turned off.
22. Foreign visitors should be particularly attentive and try not to break the traffic regulations when driving on the roads that are located close to popular resorts. As a rule, there are many police patrols on these roads, so there’s no doubt that they will quickly notice even the slightest violation that will certainly result in a fine.
23. The driver and all the passengers in the car must necessarily fasten seat belts. If you need to get out of the car on a highway, you must wear a reflective vest.