How do you get from Bucharest to Brașov?

Bucharest to Brasov at a glance

Last checked 27 October 2026. Fares are approximate; dollar figures convert at our committed exchange-rate snapshot.

Planning more legs? Use the route finder.

Train from București Nord (best for most)

All trains leave from Gara de Nord (București Nord), about 3 km north-west of the old town and on metro lines M1 and M4. Romanian media reporting on the 2026 timetable say the fastest InterCity trains between Bucharest and Brașov take under 2 hours 14 minutes, while slow Regio trains take over 3.5 hours, with a direct train on average less than an hour apart.

Train types: IC (InterCity) is fastest; IR (InterRegio) is the everyday long-distance train and stops at Ploiești, Sinaia, Bușteni and Predeal; R (Regio) stops everywhere. State operator CFR Călători runs most trains, and private operators such as Softrans and Astra Trans Carpatic also run some. Their tickets are not interchangeable, so buy from the company that runs your train.

Price: Romania's IR second-class fare from București Nord to Brașov was 64.5 lei after December 2023, and fares have risen since: about 4.6% in December 2024, up to 3 lei with the August 2025 VAT rise, and 9.88% from 14 December 2025. Expect IR second class to cost somewhat more than the last published 64.5 lei; Regio is cheaper and IC slightly dearer, with a compulsory IC seat reservation of about 6 lei. Check the exact fare on CFR Călători's site or the official app.

How to book: CFR Călători's website and app sell e-tickets, with a small discount for buying online and a bigger one for buying more than 10 days ahead. At the station, CFR has ticket machines and counters; the desks for private operators are not always clearly marked, so allow 15 minutes. Outside Friday afternoons and holiday weekends you can usually buy on the day.

What the train ride is like

The line climbs the Prahova Valley through the Bucegi Mountains. After Câmpina the views open up: sit on the left-hand side going north for the Bucegi cliffs above Bușteni, where the mountain wall rises right beside the track.

Trains reach Brașov station on the north side of the city, about 2 to 3 km from Piața Sfatului and the old town. Local buses and taxis wait outside; a ride-hailing car or taxi takes about 10 to 15 minutes. If you are staying in Schei or near the Black Church, get dropped at the old-town edge: streets inside are narrow.

Trains are not luxurious and delays of 10 to 30 minutes happen, but the line is the most-used intercity route in the country and runs all year, including winter, when the road can be slow with snow.

Stop in Sinaia on the way

Sinaia is on the same line, a stop for InterRegio trains before Predeal, and Peleș Castle is the main reason to stop. It is closed on Mondays, so check our Peleș Castle guide before timing the stop, and the Sinaia guide for the town.

The easiest plan is to spend a night there, as we did between Brașov and Bucharest, or to buy separate tickets Bucharest to Sinaia and Sinaia to Brașov and keep a small bag. On Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons every train through the valley is busy with Bucharest weekenders.

Bus and minibus

Aggregators list around two dozen bus departures a day, the first around 05:00 and the last around 22:30, with FlixBus among the operators. FlixBus leaves Bucharest from Militari (Calea Făgărașului 8), in the far west of the city. The fastest listed run is about 3.5 hours and the average about 4 hours.

Fares are often lower than the train, but the bus uses the DN1, which is two lanes for much of the climb and heavily congested on Friday afternoons, Sunday evenings and in ski season. The bus only makes sense if a departure suits your hotel's location better than Gara de Nord.

From Otopeni airport (OTP)

There is no confirmed direct airport train to Brașov in the 2026 timetable. Take the CFR airport train from the Aeroport Henri Coandă station to Gara de Nord: it runs about every 40 minutes and takes about 21 minutes. Then change onto a Brașov train. Allow at least 30 minutes for the change.

Some shuttle companies run airport-to-Brașov minibuses, but their schedules change often; check the operator rather than an aggregator. A private transfer quoted for a 2026 date costs about €130 (≈ $145) or more for a car, so it only pays off for a group of three or four with luggage.

Driving

It is about 170 km. The A3 motorway is still not complete between Ploiești and Brașov, so you drive the DN1 through Sinaia, Bușteni and Predeal: about 2.5 hours on a quiet weekday and 4 hours or more on Friday or Sunday. Romanian national roads need a rovinietă; rental cars normally have one, but check. See our rovinietă guide.

A car is worth it if you want Bran Castle, Râșnov and the fortified churches around Brașov without bus connections, but it is a poor choice for the transfer alone.

Our route and how long to stay

Our Transylvania loop ran Oradea, Cluj-Napoca, Deva, Sibiu, Sighișoara, then Brașov from 29 October to 2 November 2022, Sinaia for 2 nights, and Bucharest from 4 to 8 November. That reverse direction, ending in Bucharest for the flight out, works well: you do the mountains first and finish near the airport.

Three or four nights in Brașov covers the old town plus day trips to Bran and Râșnov. For Bucharest, see our Bucharest guide and day trips from Bucharest; for timing, see the best time to visit Romania. Romania joined Schengen fully in January 2025, and our Romania visa page covers entry.

Frequently asked questions