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Trip planningBy Clever Tourists · Published · Last updated
Romania has been a full Schengen member since 1 January 2025, so the EU's Entry/Exit System applies at your first Schengen border and your days count toward the shared 90-in-180 limit. You pay in lei (RON), about 4.8 to the US dollar in late October 2026, not euros. In Bucharest, use Bolt or Uber rather than hailing a taxi, and in the Carpathians treat bears as a real hazard: feeding one from a car can now cost up to 30,000 lei. We spent about three weeks in Romania in October and November 2022, from Oradea and Cluj-Napoca through Sibiu, Sighișoara, Brașov and Sinaia to Bucharest. The rules and prices below come from official and current sources.
1. Romania is fully in Schengen now. Air and sea border checks with other Schengen states ended on 31 March 2024 and land checks on 1 January 2025, after a Council decision of December 2024. That means time in Romania counts toward the same 90 days in 180 as Italy or Hungary. The UK government says passports must be under 10 years old on arrival and valid 3 months beyond your departure from Schengen. US details are in do I need a visa to visit Romania.
2. EES yes, ETIAS not yet. Flying in from outside Schengen, you register fingerprints and a photo under the Entry/Exit System, free, with a record valid for 3 years. ETIAS is not in operation as of October 2026 and the EU will announce its start months ahead; see our ETIAS and EES explainer. Carry your passport even inside Schengen; the UK Foreign Office says border guards still check at land crossings into Hungary and Bulgaria.
3. Pay in lei. The leu is the only currency in daily use, and prices are in RON. Cards are accepted widely in cities; keep some lei for markets and small rural guesthouses. Always choose to be charged in lei when a terminal offers your home currency.
4. Tip about 10% at sit-down restaurants. Round up at cafés and bars. Our Romania tipping guide explains the details.
5. Use ride apps in Bucharest. The UK Foreign Office says legitimate Bucharest taxis show prices on the side and a company name, that drivers sometimes overcharge foreigners, and that Uber and Bolt are generally reliable. It also flags petty theft around exchange offices, main stations, airport terminals and public transport, and card copying in some bars.
6. Trains are cheap and slow. Rail is fine for the classic Bucharest to Brașov run, covered in our Bucharest to Brașov transfer guide, but budget time for longer cross-country trips. Many day trips are easier by bus or car; see day trips from Bucharest.
7. Drivers need a rovinieta. Every car on national roads needs this electronic vignette; from 1 October 2026 it costs 22 to 29 lei a day depending on the car's Euro class (our rovinieta guide). The UK Foreign Office says any alcohol in your system can lead to a fine, cars must carry a first aid kit, extinguisher, warning triangle and vest, and winter tyres are required in snow and ice, commonly November to March.
8. Never feed or approach a bear. Romania's environment ministry estimates 10,000 to 13,000 brown bears in the country, according to Reuters. Romania Insider reported that the maximum fine for feeding bears was raised to 30,000 lei, and that by June 2026 nine people had been attacked that year, eight of them foreign tourists. On mountain roads, stay in the car, do not stop for bears at the roadside, and keep food sealed when hiking.
9. The Transfăgărășan has a short season. The high road reopened on 12 June 2026 and runs 07:00 to 21:00 only; our Transfăgărășan guide covers the winter closure and the Bâlea tunnel.
10. Romania is seismically active. The UK Foreign Office notes regular tremors, with the last major earthquake in 1977. The government's RO-Alert system sends emergency messages to phones in Romanian and English; follow them.
11. Dress for Orthodox churches and monasteries. Cover shoulders and knees; at the painted monasteries of Bucovina, tour operators report that shorts and sleeveless tops are refused and that skirts and scarves are lent at the gate. Women may be asked to cover their hair at some monasteries. Speak quietly during services and look for signs about photography inside.
12. Check castle days and book slots. Peleș Castle in Sinaia closes on Mondays and uses timed tickets with capped daily numbers, so book on bilete.peles.ro in summer (Peleș guide). Bran Castle costs 100 lei for adults (Bran guide), and Corvin Castle is an easy stop from Deva (Corvin guide).
13. Easter 2027 is late. Orthodox Easter falls on 2 May 2027, with Good Friday (30 April) and Easter Monday (3 May) as public holidays and 1 May in between, so expect busy roads and booked mountain hotels that weekend. Christmas traditions and market dates are in our Romania Christmas guide.
14. Phones, plugs and emergencies. EU SIMs roam at home prices; other visitors usually buy an eSIM or local SIM (eSIM or local SIM). Sockets are type C and F at 230 V and 50 Hz. Call 112 for police, ambulance or fire.
15. Tap water and language. Bucharest's tap water is treated and authorities say it is safe, but the network is old and many visitors drink bottled or filtered water. Romanian is a Romance language, so Spanish, Italian or French speakers will recognise words on signs; in parts of Transylvania, including Oradea and Cluj-Napoca, you will also see Hungarian.
16. Costs and timing. Our daily budget roundup puts Romania at about $35 to $50 a day on a budget and $75 to $140 mid-range, with castle tickets and car hire the big items (Romania trip cost calculator). For Transylvania and Bucharest, May to June and September are the sweet spot; see best time to visit Romania and our Sibiu guide.
Yes. Air and sea checks ended on 31 March 2024 and land border checks on 1 January 2025, so days in Romania count toward the Schengen 90-in-180 limit and the Entry/Exit System applies at external borders.
No. Romania uses the leu (RON), about 4.8 to the US dollar in late October 2026. Pay in lei and decline offers to charge your card in your home currency.
They can be. Romania has an estimated 10,000 to 13,000 brown bears, and by June 2026 nine people had been attacked that year, eight of them foreign tourists. Never feed or approach one; feeding can be fined up to 30,000 lei.
Use Bolt or Uber, which the UK Foreign Office calls generally reliable. Legitimate street taxis display prices and a company name on the side, but some drivers overcharge foreigners.
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