Lonely Planet Romania & Bulgaria
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ADownload Lonely Planet's free Accessible Travel guide from http://lptravel.to/AccessibleTravel.
Visas
Citizens of EU countries do not need visas to visit Romania and can stay indefinitely. Citizens of the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Japan and many other countries can stay for up to 90 days without a visa. Other nationalities should check current requirements with the Romanian embassy or consulate in their home country. As visa requirements can change, check with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (www.mae.ro) before departure.
Note that Romania, while a member of the EU, is not part of the EU's common border and customs area known as the Schengen area. In practice, this means that regardless of nationality you will have to show a passport or EU identity card when entering from EU member states Hungary and Bulgaria, as well as from non-EU states Ukraine, Moldova and Serbia.
Volunteering
Volunteering options in Romania usually centre on helping abandoned children or children with special needs. Organisations often have a religious or Christian undertone, and volunteers are typically expected to pay for the experience.
Volunteer Romania (www.volunteerromania.co.uk) is run by a British couple, based near Deva in Transylvania. Volunteering is done in two-week intervals throughout the year, working with orphaned or disadvantaged children.
Global Volunteers (www.globalvolunteers.org) offers one- and two-week volunteering projects helping orphans and teaching English. Volunteers pay for the experience (a two-week slot is US$2295, including lodging, food and insurance).
Sites like www.volunteerabroad.com list many other options.
Work
Working in Romania is possible only with a valid work permit issued by the Ministry of Labor & Social Protection (www.mmuncii.ro; Romanian only) and in conjunction with a Romanian employer. The procedure for obtaining a permit should be initiated before arriving. Working in Romania also normally requires a long-stay visa. The website of the Romanian Ministry for Foreign Affairs (www.mae.ro) has information in English on steps for obtaining such a visa.
Just Landed (www.justlanded.com) is a helpful resource for sorting out the bureaucracy and getting started.
Transport
Getting There & Away
Getting Around
Transport
Getting There & Away
Travel to Romania does not pose any unusual problems. Bucharest has air connections with many European capitals and large cities, and train and long-haul bus services are frequent.
Flights, cars and tours can be booked online at lonelyplanet.com/bookings.
Entering the Country
All international visitors to Romania are required to have a valid passport (EU members must carry a valid EU ID card). The expiration date of the passport should exceed your travel dates by at least three months, though some airlines will not allow passengers to board unless the passport is valid for at least six months.
Visas
Citizens of EU countries do not need visas to visit Romania and can stay indefinitely. Citizens of the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Japan and many other countries can stay for up to 90 days without a visa. Other nationalities should check current requirements with the Romanian embassy or consulate in their home country. As visa requirements can change, check with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (www.mae.ro) before departure.
Climate Change and Travel
Every form of transport that relies on carbon-based fuel generates CO2, the main cause of human-induced climate change. Modern travel is dependent on aeroplanes, which might use less fuel per per person than most cars but travel much greater distances. The altitude at which aircraft emit gases (including CO2) and particles also contributes to their climate change impact. Many websites offer ‘carbon calculators’ that allow people to estimate the carbon emissions generated by their journey and, for those who wish to do so, to offset the impact of the greenhouse gases emitted with contributions to portfolios of climate-friendly initiatives throughout the world. Lonely Planet offsets the carbon footprint of all staff and author travel.
Air
Romania has good air connections to Europe and the Middle East. At the time of research there were no direct flights to Romania from North America or Southeast Asia.
Airports & Airlines
The majority of international flights to Romania arrive at Bucharest’s Henri Coandă International Airport. Several other cities have international airports that service mostly domestic flights, but normally also have flights to select European cities. The largest of these include:
Cluj Avram Iancu International Airport
Iaşi Airport
Sibiu International Airport
Timișoara Traian Vuia International Airport
Romania’s national carrier is Bucharest-based Tarom. While the airline was previously the butt of jokes, in recent years it has transformed itself into a safe and reliable carrier. It operates an extensive network of domestic flights to cities around Romania. It also flies to major cities in Europe, including London and Paris, and the Middle East.
Many other national carriers, particularly from Europe and the Middle East, operate regular flights to Romania, normally between their respective capitals and/or major cities and Bucharest.
Additionally, many budget carriers service the Romanian market, mainly to and from destinations in Italy, Spain, Germany and the UK. These include Bucharest-based WizzAir (www.wizzair.com) and Blue Air (www.blueairweb.com), as well as EuroWings (www.eurowings.com) and Ryanair (www.ryanair.com). Check the airline websites for the latest information on flights and routes.
Major carriers include the following:
Air France (www.airfrance.com)
Austrian Airlines (www.austrian.com)
British Airways (www.britishairways.com)
Lufthansa (www.lufthansa.com)
Swiss Airlines (www.swiss.com)
Turkish Airlines (www.turkishairlines.com)
Tickets
Fares vary depending on the route, the time of year, and the day of the week. Romania’s high season is summer (June to August) and a short period around Christmas. The rest of the year is quieter and cheaper. Weekday flights tend to be more expensive than weekends, or trips that include a weekend stay.
For flights within Europe, travellers have the choice of several major, full-fare carriers as well as budget carriers. Budget options from Britain, Italy and Spain are particularly good.
For transatlantic and long-haul flights a travel agent or internet aggregator are probably still the best sources of cheap tickets. One feasible option is to find the best deal to a European hub, like London, and then try to find a budget flight from there. That might land you the cheapest deal, but bear in mind budget airlines rarely use main airports, and you're likely to have to change not just planes en route but airports too.
Land
Romania shares a border with five countries: Bulgaria, Hungary, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine. Most crossings follow international highways or national roads. Romania has two bridge and three car-ferry crossings with Bulgaria over the Danube River. Highway border posts are normally open 24 hours, though some smaller crossings may only be open from 8am to 8pm. Ferries run during daylight and may have reduced operating hours in winter.
At the time of research, Romania was not a member of the EU’s common customs and border area, the Schengen area, so even if you’re entering from an EU member state (Bulgaria or Hungary), you’ll still have to show a passport or valid EU identity card.
Border crossings can get crowded, particularly during weekends, so prepare for delays.
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL ROAD & FERRY CROSSINGS
Major international road and car-ferry crossings are located at or near the Romanian towns described here.
To/from Bulgaria Bridge crossings at Giurgiu and Calafat; ferry crossings at Bechet, Turnu Măgerele and Călăraşi; a highway crossing at Vama Veche.
Hungary Road crossings at Năd
lac (Arad), Borş (Oradea), Cenad, Valea lui Mihai and Urziceni.
Moldova Road crossings at Rădăuţi-Prut, Albiţa, Galaţi, Ştefăneşti and Sculeni.
Serbia Road crossings at Moraviţa, Comloşu Mare, Jimbolia and Porţile de Fier.
Ukraine Road crossings at Siret and Sighetu Marmaţiei.
Bus
Long-haul bus services remain a popular way of travelling from Romania to Western Europe as well as to parts of southeastern Europe and Turkey. Bus travel is comparable in price to train travel, but can be faster and require fewer connections.
Bulgaria, Turkey & Greece
Bucharest is the hub for coach travel to Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey. Given Bucharest's position in the southeast of Romania, buses are often quicker and cheaper than trains.
Sofia-based Etap Grup (www.etapgroup.com) runs daily between Bucharest and Sofia (about 130 lei per person one way, seven to eight hours). Buses depart from Bucharest's Autogara Filaret.
Bucharest-based Murat Turism & Transport offers a daily bus service from the Romanian capital to İstanbul (160 lei, 11 to 12 hours) and to Athens (200 lei, 18 hours).
Western Europe
Bus services to and from Western European destinations are dominated by two companies: Eurolines (www.eurolines.ro) and Atlassib. Both maintain vast networks from cities throughout Europe to destinations all around Romania. Check the companies' websites for the latest schedules, prices and departure points.
For sample prices, a one-way ticket from Vienna to Bucharest costs roughly €70. From Paris, the trip is about €100.
Car & Motorcycle
Romania has decent road and car-ferry connections to neighbouring countries, and entering the country by car or motorcycle will present no unexpected difficulties.
At all border crossings, drivers should be prepared to show the vehicle's registration, proof of insurance (a 'green' card) and a valid driver's license. All visiting foreigners, including EU nationals, are required to show a valid passport (or EU identity card).
From Western Europe, the best road crossings are via Hungary at Nădlac (near Arad), along Hwy E68, and Borş (near Oradea), on Hwy E60. Both are major international transit corridors and are open 24 hours.
The main road connection to Bulgaria is south of Giurgiu on Hwy E85, across the Danube River. A second car bridge traverses the Danube at Calafat along Hwy E79, connecting to the Bulgarian city of Vidin.
Train
Romania is integrated into the European rail grid, and there are decent connections to Western Europe and neighbouring countries. Nearly all of these arrive at and depart from Bucharest's main station, Gara de Nord.
ABudapest is the main rail gateway in and out of Romania from Western Europe. There are two daily direct trains between Budapest and Bucharest, with regular onward direct connections from Budapest to Prague, Munich and Vienna.
ABuy international train tickets at major train stations or at CFR (Romanian State Railways) in-town ticket offices (identified by an 'Agenţia de Voiaj CFR' sign).
AFor longer overnight journeys, book a couchette (cuşetă) or a berth in a sleeping car (vagon de dormit). The former are cheaper but less comfortable; they are in standard 2nd-class rail cars with seats that convert to makeshift beds at night. Sleeping cars have dedicated beds, though you’re not actually likely to get much sleep since you’ll still be awoken at border crossings to show tickets and passports. Book sleeping-car berths well in advance at train ticket windows or CFR offices.
Rail Passes
If you plan on doing a lot of rail travel or combining travel to Romania with neighbouring countries, you might consider an international rail pass. Romania is part of both the InterRail (www.interrail.eu) and Eurail (www.eurail.com) networks, and several passes offered by both include rail travel in Romania.
Passes typically allow for a number of train travel days within a period of 15 days or a month. Some passes allow for unlimited travel. InterRail passes are cheaper but can only be purchased by EU nationals or anyone living in Europe for at least six months prior to travel. Eurail passes are open to anyone. Check the websites for specific details and prices. Another rail-pass company worth checking out is Rail Europe (www.raileurope.com).
Romanian rail travel is included on InterRail’s GlobalPass, which includes 30 European countries, and the Romanian country pass. Eurail passholders can choose from the Hungary–Romania Pass or the Eurail Balkan Flexipass. The latter option allows for unlimited train travel in Romania as well as Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, and much of former Yugoslavia.
POPULAR INTERNATIONAL RAIL JOURNEYS
Most long-haul international rail trips arrive at and depart from Bucharest’s main station, Gara de Nord. Travel times and the approximate cost of a second-class ticket to popular destinations are as follows (accurate at the time of research but subject to change):
Bucharest–Budapest (via Arad; 215 lei, 14 hours, two daily)
Bucharest–Belgrade (via Timişoara; 180 lei, 12 hours, one daily)
Bucharest–Sofia (via Ruse; 180 lei, nine hours, one daily)
Bucharest–Chişinău (via Iaşi; 140 lei, 13 hours, one daily)
Bucharest–Moscow (via Chişinău; 560 lei, 45 hours, one daily)
Bucharest–Istanbul (210 lei, 19 hours, one daily)
Sea
Constanţa port has a passenger terminal on the Black Sea. Nevertheless, at the time of research, there were no scheduled sea arrivals in Romania.
Tours
It’s generally cheaper to use a Romanian-based operator if you want a prebooked tour. Some recommended international tour agencies offering Romania tours:
AQuest Tours (www.romtour.com) US-based operator offers several themed tours of Romania. Check the website or contact them for an up-to-date list of excursions and prices.
ARomania Tour Store (www.romaniatourstore.com) Local Romanian agency with guided multiday tours to Transylvania, the painted monasteries of Bucovina and the Danube Delta, among others.
ATransylvania Uncovered (www.beyondtheforest.com) UK-based operator that books a variety of inclusive trips including themed travel to the painted monasteries, and travel to Transylvania and Maramureş. Check the website or contact them for the latest excursion and price info.
Getting Around
Air
Given the distances and poor state of the roads, flying between cities is a feasible option if time is a primary concern.
The Romanian national carrier Tarom (www.tarom.ro) operates a comprehensive network of domestic routes and has a network of ticket offices around the country. The airline flies regularly between Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca, Iaşi, Oradea, Satu Mare, Suceava and Timişoara.
The budget carrier Blue Air (www.blueairweb.com) also has a comprehensive network of domestic destinations that overlap with Tarom, but also includes Sibiu, Bacău and Constanţa.
Flights between regional cities usually involve travel via Bucharest, and connections aren't always convenient.
Bicycle
Romania has great potential as a cycling destination, though cycling has not yet caught on to the extent it has in other European countries.
On the positive side, cycling offers an excellent way of seeing the country and meeting locals. Off the main highways, Romania is criss-crossed by thousands of kilometres of secondary roads that are relatively little trafficked and ideal for cycling.
On the negative side, there's not much cycling infrastructure in place, such as dedicated cycling trails and a network of bike-rental and repair shops. Many cities, including Bucharest, do have some cycling trails, but these are half-hearted efforts and frequently leave cyclists at the mercy of often ignorant and aggressive drivers.
It’s possible to hire or buy bicycles in many major towns, though not all. The group i'velo (www.ivelo.ro) is trying to popularise cycling and has opened bike-hire outlets in several cities, including Bucharest, Timişoara, Braşov, Constanţa, Iaşi and Alba Iulia. Rates average about 5 lei per hour or 30 to 50
lei per day.
Several private companies and travel agencies offer extended bike tours, usually including transfers and overnights. One of the best is Cycling Romania (www.cyclingromania.ro).
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.cfrcalatori.ro. Trains that accommodate 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.
Boat
Passenger ferry or private boat is the only way of getting around much of the Danube Delta, where you can pick up ferries or hop on fishers’ boats from Tulcea.
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 understand how the system works – and that's a big if – you can move around regions and even across the country easily and cheaply.