Romania
 

Hi,

I'm planning to go to Romania for approx. 10 days this year by bike; are here any guys who can give me some information what to see, where to stay, etc.

I'm looking forward hearing from you!

cheers, Chris

Hi!

I am living in Romania, so I can help you with informations :-)

Border: no problem (maybe you can wait a bit, but generally there are no problems with border crossing)

Fuel: no problem! there are petrol stations everyvhere in the country, but if you want quality petrol buy from big stations like: OMV, MOL, Lukoil, Petrom, Rompetrol ... (about 1 euro / litre) there are unleaded anywhere (ask if you are not sure unleaded = "fara plumb" in romanian)

Roads: The main (national) roads generally are OK, but the rest are very broken-down-looking.

Advice: Don't drive at night! There are carts and animals and people on the road!

People: generally are friendly, but try to find a secure place for you bike for night.

Hotels: no problems. The cost: from 20-25 euro middle range to the sky (high end)

Tips: Turistically Transylvania is the best followed by Moldova. Buy Lonely Planet and don't miss:

1. Transfagarasan, a road open betwen mid June - October high on the Fagaras mountains (2000 m above the sea level)!

2. Old saschz(?) (saxon) cities Sibiu (Hermannstadt), Sighisoara (Schassburg) with medieval churches and walls

3. Castles: old hungarian castle of Hunedoara (in the middle of a very-very ugly city), the Peles Castle and the Bran castle.

4. Lake St. Ana - a lake in an old vulcano crater

etc ...

Safe road!

Santhasz,

Great Info!

Am going to Romania as well in July/Aug...

Looking forward to it

Cheers
Fernando

Hi Santhasz,


thanks for your information; this is very helpful to plan my trip. Anyway, I'll use the lonely planet guide, too.

It's my first trip to Romania and I'm really looking forward to it!

Kind regards from Graz/Austria, Chris

For those who ride enduro motorbike, do not miss Transalpina mountain pass ( Urdele ) between Rinca and Sugag, veeeery nice, 2142m above see level, that is gravel road.

Scuze me ....

That road should be betwen Alba Iulia - Sebes - Sugag - Pasul Tartarau (1.678 m) followed by a crossrod (Petrosani - Brezoi) and a 2.228 m pass - Novaci.

Or you can go from Petrosani near the lake Vidra.

Anyway, Romania is full with wery nice enduro roads .... just go on a road what are white colour on your map :-)

Other informations:

- you must not carry cash with you - you can use your Visa or Mastercard at the most petrol stations, shops and hotels

- because of the denomination there are old currencies and new currencies in circulations so 10.000 old lei (ROL) = 1 new lei (RON), so don't be surprised if you pay at a petrol station with 500 lei (RON) and get back 4.500.000 lej (ROL). Their name is the same: LEI. Is not it interesting?

- communications: two big companies: Orange and Vodafone (Connex) .... (sounds familiar?) and about 90% coverage. Internet coffes everywhere

- restaurants: try to choose a nice looking restaurant and you'll have no problem. Be care with romanian specialities: "mititei"

- service: car services are in every town, but hope no problem with your bike. If so: ask the people maybe you are lucky. (I go to Budapest or Debrecen (Hungary) with my Suzuki)

.... any questions? :-)

Szabi

Exactly that road. Aproach from Sebes-Sugag is nicer than from Petrosani. Enduro paradise. I have croused that region in a day and met no single motorbike, just several old Dacia cars, according west-europian standards - empty space. There is also very nice monastery nearby lake Oasa, deep into forest.
Regards,
AnteK, XTZ 660

Take a pit-stop in eastern Croatia for a beer and informations reffering Romania :-)
Regards,
AnteK, XTZ 660

I rode to Romania last summer and enjoyed the experience. I can't add anything to what's already been said except, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of Romanian hotels.

They were easily on par with what you find in western Europe.

Some of the secondary roads are in bad shape. If Romania joins the EU & gets some funding to improve their roads, it will make motorcycling there even better than it is now.

.... Or in central Transylvania!!

Hi,

thanks for your invitation :-) I actually do not know my exact route, but maybe I come back to you!
May I ask both of you for your address? If you do not want to post it here, you can send it to my private mail

cheers, Chris

===================
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[This message has been edited by Grant Johnson (edited 03 February 2006).]

You can see photos of Transfagarasan and few othe rplaces on Travellers Stories - Kevin Payne. Ask me if more info neededd !

Santhasz -

Can you (or anybody else) recommend some scenic roads in Romania other than the Transfagarasan? I have a good guide to Romania and quite a long list of places I'd like to visit but the guide is intended for backpackers and ignores roads that are worth driving. Don't have to be major ones, I have a Transalp.

Thanks!

Kris

County Maramures (and Moldavia too) on north of the country are fantastic.

Some scenic roads:

1. Mures Valey betwen Arad and Deva (E68)
2. E 81 (Sebes - Sibiu)
3. E574 (Campulung - Rasnov - Poiana Brasov - Brasov) (2 castles: Rasnov and Bran)or Campulung - Rasnov - Predeal - Brasov) between Predeal and Brasov: high traffic!
4. 67C Sebes - Lake Vidra - Novaci (no asphalt, high altitude!)
5. 7A Petrosani - lake Vidra - Brezoi (sections with no asphalt)
6. Tusnad (Road 12) - Bixad - [Lake St Ana (toll 5 RON)] - Balvanyos (ruined castle on the top of the peak)
7. 12 A: Miercurea Ciuc - Frumoasa (lake, but closed) - Lunca de Jos (old HU-RO border) - Palanca
8. 13A Sovata (Salt Lakes - ex. Bear's Lake) - Praid (Salt Mine) continuing with 13 B to Gheorgheni (very good serpent asphalt road, no traffic (at Lazarea old hungarian renaissance castle) continuing with 12C to Bicaz (bad shape asphalt, but must to see that cliffs and the landscape and the Lacu Rosu (Red Lake or Killer Lake as Hungarian people name it)
9. National Road 15: Bicaz - Poiana Teiului - Toplita - Reghin (not very good asphalt)
10. Bistrita - Vatra Dornei (under construction)- Carlibaba - Sangeorz Bai - Borsa - Nasaud - Bistrita (bad shape)
11. Bistrita - Vatra Dornei - (Gura Humorului) - Campulung Moldovenesc - Radauti (old romanian stave churches)
12. NR 15 Danube Valley: Moldova Noua - Orsova - Drobeta Turnu Severin or Orsova - Baile Herculane (generally avoid south Romania if you want scenic roads except this)

You can link all this road:

Hungary - Nadlac - Arad - Deva - Hateg - Caransebes - Resita - Anina - Moldova Noua - Orsova - Baia de Arama - Targu Jiu - Petrosani - Lake Vidra - Poiana Sibiu - Sibiu - Carta - Transfagarasan - Curtea de Arges - Campulung - Rasnov - Predeal - Sinaia - Predeal - Brasov - Sfantu Gheorghe - Bixad - Lake St. Ana - Balvanyos - Targu Secuiesc - Casinu Nou - Tusnad - Miercurea Ciuc - Frumoasa - Lunca de Jos - Frumoasa - Miercurea Ciuc - Odorheiu Secuiesc - Praid - Sovata - Balauseri - Sighisoara - Biertani -Sighisoara - Balauseri - Targu Mures - Balauseri - Sovata - Praid - Gheorgheni - Bicaz - NR 15 - Toplita - Reghin - Bistrita - Vatra Dornai - Campulung Moldovenesc - Suceava - Radauti - Campulung Moldovenesc - Borsa - Nasaud - Dej - Cluj Napoca - Oradea - Bors - Hungary


Huhh ... is that enough?


Courrencies rates: about 3,62 RON / euro, 3,00 RON / USD, the official excange rates: http://www.bnr.ro/Ro/Info/

1 litre benzin (petrol): betwen 3,3 (95 octane) - 3,99 (99+ octane unleaded) RON


Safe Road
Szabi