Travelling through Romania - roads, airports, railway, bus transportation

The transport system in Romania is under development. The railway cuts across most part of the country, with their total length reaching 12,000 kilometers. However, the state of the railway infrastructure leaves much to be desired. The country has commuter trains, fast trains and passenger trains. The car fleet of most transport companies is very old and requires some amount of repair and modernization. On the other hand, the fare on a bus ride is lower than on a train. The bus service is well developed in large cities, although buses are often crowded at rush hour. In addition, there are regional buses as well as international ones.

In the capital of the country, aside from buses, there are trolley buses and trams. Ticket inspectors often work on routes, so you should not overlook paying for the trip. There is also a metro station in Bucharest. To date, there are three branches that link the most important areas of the city with each other. The metro works from 5:00am and until 11:30pm. The interval between trains is 5-8 minutes. Nonetheless, it increases on weekends and holidays. It is possible to familiarize yourself with the underground interchange, thanks to information boards.

Air traffic is well developed in Romania. However, domestic flights are very rare and the cost of flights is very high. Water transport was developed due to the territorial location of Romania. The most common mode of transport is the ferry. At the height of the tourist season, small passenger ships begin to cruise the most popular destination, including ferries, boats, as well as cruise liners that connect Constanta with Istanbul and Odessa.

Highways in the country meet international standards when it comes to markings and road signs, but the quality of the hard surface leaves much to be desired. At night, the roads are rarely illuminated, and signs are not on all dangerous parts of the road. Also, during the repair of roads, construction equipment is without light signals at night. For these reasons, if you choose to rent a car, you must strictly adhere to a certain speed limit. Majority of taxis in the territory of Romania have meters. In the cities, there is a municipal taxi which can be recognized by the respective checker pattern on the doors of the cabs.

The air transportation system of Romania with other countries of the world is developed at a fairly good level. There are 12 international airports in the country. Besides them, there are several dozen private and commercial airports operating throughout the country, which are intended for domestic air travel as well as for cargo transportation. The most important airport is Henri Coanda. It is considered the busiest in the country, with a capacity of around 9 million passengers a year. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The airport is located just a few kilometers from Bucharest. You can reach it by bus, transfer or taxi, which are on duty right near the terminal. The transport infrastructure of the airport is developed at a high level. There are several waiting rooms where you can comfortably relax. Free internet as well as VIP rooms is available. There are waiting areas for passengers with children, a nursery, and facilities for persons with disabilities. In addition, the airport has a lot of shops with branded clothing, as well as restaurants and cafes, where you can eat local or European cuisine.

The next airport is Baneasa Harbor, which is located only 8 kilometers from Bucharest. Its capacity is about 3 million passengers a year. In addition to regular flights, the airport also accepts charter and business flights. At the peak of tourist activity at the airport, new flights along the most popular destinations become available. You can get to Bucharest from here by means of several buses or by taxi. You have to pay about three and a half Euros for it. The terminals have a small area, but at the same time, there is everything necessary for a comfortable stay while waiting for a flight. There is a waiting room, cafes and restaurants, bars, shops, souvenir shops and newsstands, as well as currency exchange offices and branches of banks.

The next important airport in Romania is Arad. This airport is the main one in the western part of the country. At the airport you will find a cozy waiting area, a comfortable and spacious VIP lounge. Here you can rent a car or book a transfer, get acquainted with tours of the country in travel agencies, as well as have a snack. You can get to the city by bus or taxi for $3.

Despite the fact that the quality of transport infrastructure in Romania leaves much to be desired, tourists generally do not have any problems with movement in the country. The most popular form of public transport is buses, which work from 5:00am to 11:00pm. In large cities, the transport interchange is very well organized, even though the buses are often crowded at rush hours. Tickets for trips can be purchased at kiosks, and upon boarding it is necessary to clip them. In the capital, you can also travel by trolley buses and trams. The cost of traveling by these means is somewhat cheaper. There are 3 metro lines, and you can buy tickets at the adjoining kiosks. Note that you can buy a ticket for at least 2 trips, up to a maximum of 10 trips.

To travel between cities in Romania, it is best to choose the railway system. However, its quality is also not up to international standards. The country has four types of trains, each of which has both the first and second class. Passenger trains run across the country, but very slowly. Train tickets are cheap, but the trains themselves are very dirty and crowded. Fast trains travel long distances, move faster, but the quality of service within the train remains the same. In winter, these trains are not even heated. Express trains of class Rapid move fast enough, but the quality of the wagons in this case is much higher. Between the cities there are so-called InterCity trains, considered the fastest and most comfortable. Thus, it is best to reserve seats for trains in advance, especially if a night trip is foreseen.

The quality of roads in Romania is quite bad, there is no lighting, and sometimes there are no markings or road signs. However, you can rent a vehicle in major cities. In order to do this, you will need an international driver’s license and a credit card. Also, the driver must be over 21 years old. The average cost of renting a car is 30 Euros per day. There are taxis, and even municipal taxi companies in most cities. Basically, payment is made according to the meter. Despite the fact that there are several airports operating on the territory of Romania, domestic air traffic is still poorly developed. The flight costs an average of $80, which is very expensive for a small country.