Driving in Romania: roads, vignette, rules and practical tips

Romania is a large country (238,000 km²), with significant distances between cities and a public transport system that — outside the Bucharest-Brașov axis — is slow. For that reason most independent travellers choose to rent a car. It’s the best decision to cover Maramureș, the Saxon fortified churches, the Transfăgărășan or Bucovina’s monasteries. But driving in Romania has peculiarities worth knowing before setting off. This post sums them up.

The road network: motorways, national, rural

Motorways (Autostrada, A): Romania only has around 1,000 km of operational motorway in 2026, far less than Poland or Hungary. The main ones:

• A1: Bucharest - Pitești - Sibiu (partial, eternal works on Sibiu-Deva).
• A2: Bucharest - Constanța (complete, Romania’s best).
• A3: Bucharest - Ploiești - Brașov - Cluj (partial, permanent works).
• A4: Constanța ring road.

National roads (Drumuri Naționale, DN): the real backbone of Romanian transport. Well-asphalted but with mixed traffic (trucks, carts, local cars). Average speed: 60-80 km/h. DN1 (Bucharest-Brașov-Sibiu-Cluj) is the most used; in high season there can be 1-2 h queues at mountain passes.

Secondary roads (Drumuri Județene, DJ): quality varies greatly. In zones like Maramureș or Bucovina, many still have potholes. Slow but scenic.

The vignette: mandatory tax

To circulate on national roads and motorways you must buy the vignette (rovinietă). It’s an electronic sticker linked to the licence plate.

2026 prices:

• 7 days: €3
• 30 days: €7
• 90 days: €13
• 12 months: €28

Where to buy: petrol stations (all OMV, Lukoil, Rompetrol), border crossings, the eRovinieta app (card payment). If you rent a car, it’s usually included.

If you don’t have it: automatic camera fines, 250-500 lei (€50-100), sent to the rental company. You’ll pay.

Renting a car: what to choose

International companies (Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Sixt): pricier but with international support and extended insurance. €35-50/day small car.

Romanian companies (Autonom, Klass, Promotor): €25-40/day, acceptable quality, but less assistance network. Autonom is the largest and most reliable in the country.

Category: a small car (Opel Corsa, Dacia Logan) is enough unless you’re going to the Transfăgărășan or Maramureș, where a compact with some clearance is better.

Insurance: the basic one is usually insufficient. We recommend CDW+TP with zero excess. +€10-15/day but saves you scares. Valid EU driving licence, passport.

Fuel and prices

Petrol 95: 7.4 lei/litre (€1.48). Diesel: 7.3 lei/litre. LPG: 3.8 lei/litre (accepted on some rental cars).

Main networks: OMV, Petrom, Rompetrol, Mol, Lukoil. On motorways they are all present. In rural areas, OMV or Petrom are reliable. Card payment universal.

Traffic rules

• Lights on 24 hours mandatory all year.
• Alcohol: zero tolerance for drivers. Not 0.5 — 0.0. Frequent checks.
• Speed: city 50, road 90, motorway 130. Camera controls abundant.
• Seatbelt: mandatory all seats.
• Phone: hands-free only.
• Children <12 years: rear seat with restraint system.
• Roundabouts: priority to those inside (European standard).

Fines: paid at the bank or by app, in lei. Romanian officers collect cash but always ask for the receipt (if they try to charge you without receipt, it’s corruption — increasingly rare but still present in rural areas).

Mountain roads: Transfăgărășan and Transalpina

The two most famous alpine roads:

Transfăgărășan (DN7C): 151 km, from Lake Bâlea to Poenari castle. Top Gear named it “the best road in the world” in 2009. Open 1 July - 31 October only (closed the rest of the year by snow). Climbs to 2,042 m. Drive carefully: tight curves, occasional cattle, bicycles.

Transalpina (DN67C): 148 km, Romania’s highest (2,145 m at Urdele), less touristy than the Transfăgărășan but equally spectacular. Open May-November.

Both: go early (07:00-10:00), avoid weekends in July-August, carry water and refuel before going up (no petrol stations at the top).

Typical mistakes to avoid

• Driving at night on secondary roads: horse carts with no lights, potholes, animals. If you can, avoid it.
• Google Maps GPS in rural zones: it works, but sometimes suggests dirt tracks. Verify before turning.
• Looking for free parking in Bucharest: nearly impossible in the centre. Paid parking is 5-10 lei/h.
• Excessive speed on DN1 between Brașov and Sibiu: fixed and mobile cameras abundant.
• Not declaring injuries in an accident: calling the police is mandatory if there are injuries.

Parking

Bucharest and big cities: SMS parking (blue parking), Telpark app. 1-3 lei/h.

Sighișoara, Sibiu, Brașov: regulated zones in the centre, paid car parks outside. €3-8/day.

Rural villages: normally free, in the square or next to pensiuni.

Far Guides’ complete Romania guide includes a rental-contract template with checklist, map of reliable petrol stations and routes recommended by day.