From choosing the right airport to timing the Transfăgărășan correctly, here's how to move through Romania like someone who's done it before.
Start With the Airport Question, Not the Route
Most travellers planning a trip to Transylvania book into Bucharest's Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP) out of habit. It's the country's busiest airport by a wide margin and sits only 16.5 km, about 30 minutes, from the capital's centre. But if Bran, Brașov or the wider Carpathian region is your actual destination, that habit now costs you time you don't need to spend.
Brașov-Ghimbav International Airport (GHV), the first new airport built in Romania in half a century, opened in 2023 and spent its first year quietly finding its feet. That changed through 2025, when Wizz Air added six new routes and boosted frequency on two others, pushing the airport firmly into growth territory. For anyone heading into the mountains, this matters enormously: GHV sits just 13 km from Brașov and roughly 40 km from Bran Castle, putting you at your hotel in well under an hour. Compare that with flying into OTP, where the drive to Bran covers around 170 km and takes close to three hours in normal traffic, longer if you catch Bucharest at the wrong time of day.
The practical upshot is simple. Check GHV's route map before you default to Bucharest. If a direct or convenient connecting flight exists, it will almost certainly save you a half-day of driving and spare you the slow crawl out of the capital on the DN1.
If You Do Land in Bucharest
There's still a strong case for routing through OTP, particularly if your itinerary includes the capital itself or if your home airport simply doesn't connect to GHV yet. The airport continues to invest in its passenger experience, with new short-term parking near departures and a further terminal currently working through design and tender stages.
From OTP, the drive north towards Transylvania is itself worth savouring rather than rushing. The route runs along the DN1/E60 through Ploiești, climbing steadily for around 85 km before the land folds into the first Carpathian foothills. You'll pass through the old mountain resort towns of Sinaia and Predeal, both worth a coffee stop, before descending towards Brașov and on to Bran. Budget close to three hours for the full journey and treat any shorter private-transfer estimate as the best-case scenario rather than the rule.
For this corridor especially, a private chauffeur is worth the modest premium over self-driving. Romanian drivers know these roads intimately and move with a confidence, sudden overtakes on two-lane stretches, tight tailgating, that can unsettle visitors used to gentler driving cultures. A driver who does this route daily removes that friction entirely, and it's one of the reasons Jet Crust arranges door-to-door chauffeur transfers as standard for guests staying across Transylvania and the wider mountain region.
If You Choose to Drive Yourself
Self-driving in Romania is entirely manageable once you know the rules. You drive on the right. Speed limits sit at 30 to 50 km/h through built-up areas, 90 km/h on main roads, and 130 km/h on motorways, though note that some expressways are posted lower at 100 km/h, so watch the signage rather than assuming. Headlights must stay on at all times outside towns, even in bright daylight, which catches plenty of visitors out. And the drink-drive limit is zero. Not strict, zero. Plan accordingly if wine tastings are on your itinerary.
Nearly every road in the country requires the rovinieta, an electronic vignette enforced entirely by camera, with no physical sticker and no toll booths to pull into. Buy it online before you arrive, since it can't be backdated and driving without one risks a fine. Passes run from one day up to a full year, so match the length to your trip rather than overpaying for cover you won't use.
The Transfăgărășan: Plan It, Don't Assume It
No discussion of driving in Romania is complete without the Transfăgărășan, the DN7C that cuts through the mountains between Transylvania and Wallachia. Carved with dynamite under Ceaușescu and threaded through five tunnels, 27 viaducts and 831 smaller bridges, it passes Poenari Fortress, the Vidraru Dam and the Capra-Bâlea tunnel, Romania's longest. It is, deservedly, one of the great mountain drives in Europe.
It's also seasonal, and this is the detail that trips up itinerary planning more than anything else. The alpine section typically opens for through traffic from July to the end of October, weather permitting, and stays closed the rest of the year. In 2025 it opened on 6 June and closed on 5 October, dates that shift year to year and are usually confirmed by road authorities only a day or two in advance. If you're building a luxury itinerary around this drive, treat the window as a hard constraint, not a safe summer assumption, and always keep a fallback route via Sibiu or Brașov on standard roads in your back pocket.
Putting It Together
The most useful shift for 2025 and beyond is simply this: check GHV before booking into OTP, lean on a private driver for the Bucharest-Brașov corridor if you do land in the capital, sort your rovinieta online in advance, and treat the Transfăgărășan's opening dates as something to confirm close to travel, not assume. Get those four things right and the logistics of Romania stop being a hurdle and start being part of why the trip feels so well judged, which is exactly the standard Jet Crust works to when arranging stays and transfers across Bran, Brașov and the wider Transylvanian countryside.
Further reading
Frequently asked questions
Should I fly into Bucharest or Brașov for a trip to Bran or Transylvania?
If your route allows it, choose Brașov-Ghimbav (GHV). It sits around 40 km from Bran and under an hour's drive, compared with roughly three hours from Bucharest's OTP. Wizz Air's expanded 2025 route network has made GHV a realistic option for far more travellers than in previous years.
Is self-driving in Romania safe for visitors?
It's manageable if you know the rules, but many visitors find the local driving rhythm, frequent overtaking and tailgating on two-lane roads, more intense than at home. For the Bucharest-Brașov corridor especially, a private chauffeur is a comfortable alternative that also removes the hassle of vignettes and speed enforcement.
Do I need to buy a toll sticker for Romanian roads?
Yes, almost all roads require the rovinieta, an electronic vignette enforced by cameras with no physical sticker or toll booths. Buy it online before you arrive, since it cannot be backdated, and choose a duration that matches your trip length.
When is the Transfăgărășan road open?
The high alpine section generally opens from around June or July through to October, weather permitting, and is closed the rest of the year. Exact dates vary annually and are often confirmed only a day or two ahead, so check current status close to your travel dates rather than planning around a typical season.
What's the drink-drive limit in Romania?
It's zero. Romania enforces a strict 0.00% blood alcohol limit for drivers, which is stricter than many home countries, so plan your wine tastings and tours around a driver rather than getting behind the wheel afterwards.
How far is Henri Coandă International Airport from central Bucharest?
OTP sits about 16 km north of the city centre, roughly a 30-minute drive under normal traffic conditions, making it a convenient gateway if Bucharest itself is part of your itinerary.