Romania

Getting to Romania

By Air
Regular and charter flights of TAROM National Company and foreigncompanies connect Bucharest to the great world airports. Tarom andBritish Airways offer daily direct flights to Bucharest from the UK.Regular flights exist from major North American airports to Bucharest'sAirport, though they usually involve a stop in Europe before reachingRomania's capital. There are frequent air connections, often severaltimes a day, between nearly all the major European airports andBucharest. Most international carriers arrive at Henry CoandaInternational Airport in Bucharest, about 16 km from the city centre.In addition to Bucharest's airport, other cities in Romania have smallinternational airports, offering flights from/to some Europeandestinations.International Airports: Bucuresti - Henry Coanda, Bucuresti - AurelVlaicu, Timisoara, Cluj - Napoca, Iasi, Sibiu, Constanta, Targu Mures,Suceava, Bacau, Baia Mare, Arad, Oradea.

By Rail
Romania is member of the RIT International Tariff System and of theInter Rail and rail connections to the country from the main Europeancapitals are frequent.You can view information about train timetable at www.cfr.ro andwww.banh.de.

By car
Documents required by Romanian Customs are the vehicle's registration,proof of insurance and a valid driver's license from the driver's homecountry. When you enter Romania you must purchase a rovinieta,available at border crossing and some gas stations. Rules of the roadfollow the European norms. The distance between Bucharest and otherEuropean cities: Athens - 1252 km, Budapest - 893 km, London - 2577 km,Madrid - 3530 km, Paris - 2401 km, Rome - 2149 km, Stockholm - 3100 km,Prague - 1465 km, Berlin - 2154 km, Frankfurt - 2.100 km, Bonn - 2.100km, Vienna - 1100 km.

Entry Formalities
Visitors from the European Union can come and go as they please andstay in Romania for as long as they like, using their national IDcards. Visitors from US and Canada do not need a visa and can enterRomania with just a valid passport for stays up to 90 days. Similar,other European citizens can enter the county without a visa. However,nationals of non-EU countries should check the current visarequirements before traveling. Visa applications can be made to anyRomanian consulate abroad in person, or by post. A tourist visa isvalid for ninety days within six months of issue. For addresses ofRomanian embassies and consulates abroad, a full list of countries thatare visa-exempt and more information about customs procedures, go tothe Romanian Foreign Ministry's website www.mae.ro.There are no special custom requirements for visiting Romania. Cash inexcess of 10.000$/ person (or an equivalent value in any currency), incash or traveler's checks, must be declared on entry. Objects ofprecious metals, with or without precious stones, surpassing personaluse and goods of cultural, historic or artistic character, must also bedeclared when leaving the country. The goods with cultural, historic orartistic character can be declared, in writing, when entering thecountry to be taken out from the country without approval. If you buyan antique during your stay in Romania, then a respected dealer shoulddo the paperwork for you. Customs officers do not usually check theluggage of individual travelers or tour groups. However, you must knowthat, as in any other country, custom officers have the authority toconduct enforcement examinations without a warrant, ranging from asingle luggage examination to a personal search.

Climate
Romania has a continental climate, with hot summers and cold wintersand is a country where you can always come for holiday, no matter theseason.Sun and heat lovers are recommended to come for the last two summermonths: July and August. A holiday on the Black Sea shore can begin inJune, when the sunrays nicely heat the sand and up to first half ofSeptember, when the atmosphere is no longer burning.The fabulous realm of the Danube Delta can be visited, in the bestconditions, since April to October.For mountain trekking fans, we recommend the period between April andOctober. May, when the mountain meadows are covered with differentlycolored flowers, giving you the feeling of a vegetal "explosion" andOctober, when the leaves are "rusting", changing their color from greeninto yellow, orange or fiery red are especially nice. From November toFebruary it is the season of snow and low temperatures. The mountainresorts on Prahova Valley, and those in Maramures and Bucovina, offerthe best conditions for winter sports lovers from December to March.December has a particular charm due to the holidays and folk traditionsaccompanying them - amazingly well preserved especially in Maramures,Transylvania and Bucovina.

Costs and Money
National currency is leu, in plural lei. It is usually seen in itsplural form and sometimes appears as RON. Romania does not yet use theeuro, though many hotels, shops, restaurants and bars accept paymentsin euro. The best places to change money are the banks and specialexchange offices found in most towns, some opened 24 hours. ATMmachines are available at banks, airports and shopping centers. Do notexpect to find ATMs in remote areas or villages. Major credit cardsincluding American Express, Mastercard and Visa are accepted in hotels,restaurants and stores in the main cities. However, credit cards areunlikely to prove useful in small towns or away from tourist areas.Preferably in US dollars or euros, Travelers' Checks can be cashed inlarge banks, some hotels and selected exchange offices but most of themcharge considerable commissions. Do not count on cashing such checksoutside Bucharest and a few other major cities. For traveling aroundthe country it is a good idea to carry cash. For current exchangerates, check the National Bank of Romania's website www.bnr.ro. Thebiggest expense, anywhere in the country is likely to be accommodationand can be as high as those in Western Europe. Eating out, even in thetop-class restaurants remains very affordable. Food in supermarkets ischeap. Taxis are inexpensive, as long as you ensure the taxi is from areputable company.

Electricity
220V; 50 Hz - the electric devices which are not equipped with 2-holeplugs require converter sets, and when the plugs are from the USA theuse of some adaptors or transformers may be necessary.

Time
Romania is two hours ahead GTM. Noon in Bucharest is 10am in London,11am in Paris, Berlin and Budapest and 5am on the East Coast of theUnited States.

Photography
Many museums and attractions charge a fee for taking photos.

Safety
Although violent crime against tourists is almost non-existent,visitors should take customary steps to safeguard their valuables.Leave your valuables and passport in the hotel's safety deposit box orkeep it out of sight. Be aware of pickpockets and scam artists in majorcities. Do not attempt to exchange money on the street; you will likelybe short-changed or receive a pile of worthless bills. The generalemergency number for police, fire station or ambulance service is 112.No vaccinations are required for Romania. The country is free ofserious diseases, including malaria and poses no particular healthhazards. In summer there are mosquitoes, especially in the Danube Deltaarea and in the field regions, so we advise you to carry repellant. Tapwater is generally potable, but bottled water is available nearlyeverywhere, at everybody's discretion and modestly priced. We hope youwill not need to call the medical services while staying in Romania.However, if you should require them, you must know that the healthunits are equipped accordingly, and the medical staff follows thehighest standards of medical education. There are internationalagreements regarding health services, signed by Romania and UK, USA,Canada and Australia, which stipulate that the citizens of thesecountries can benefit the emergency medical services. It is stillrecommended to acquire medical travel insurance.

Travelers with Disabilities
Romania's entry into the EU in 2007 means that the country has beganthe process of making its streets, buildings and public transportationaccessible to disabled travelers. However, this may take some time andat the moment, getting around the country remains difficult.

Tipping
You can offer a tip for good service of 10 - 20 percent of the bill inrestaurants and beauty salons. Hotel staff also expects a small reward.For taxi drivers, round up the total sum.