Auto tour : Romania, Bucharest by car

Travelling by car or coach is the easiest way and a vast majority, over 60 percent of foreign tourists use this way of transport. The steering wheel is on the left and European driver's licences are recognized by police. Some national roads have 4 lanes, some are motorways. Usually national roads, connecting major cities are in good shape, alltough Romania has only 2 motorways. For some strange reasons, roads are much better in Wallachia and Moldova than in Tranyslvania.

Romanian drivers are very temperamental, they break every possible rule of circulation. There are often 3 cars per lane of traffic - one in the left side of the first lane, one in the middle of the first lane and one in the right side of the first lane.

The traffic in the centre of Bucharest is infernal. You might be caught in a traffic jam and waste a lot of time. Don't contribute to the pollution of the city and take a walk or choose subway, that has also recently started a process of upgrading. The subway fare is still very cheap.

If you have a good car and you also like speeding be aware that Romanian police have recently bought very modern radars and a police filter will stop you right away. Speed limits are generally 100 outside of a city and 50 within a village. The Police cars are modern, sometimes highway patrols have BMW bikes and the highways and national roads are discretely watched by Police Puma helicopters, produced also in Romania.

There is quite a high rate of accidents, the death toll is quite high every year, despite the efforts of the Romanian police force in trying to decrease this rate through prevention. The increase in horse power and the decrease of the driver's age has produced many problems lately.

There is just one fully functional motorway, Piteşti - Bucharest, and a second one partially in operation, from Bucharest to Constanţa, to be completed in 2007. The Bors - Brasov motorway, also called the Transylvania Motorway, is currently the largest road project in Europe; it will connect the Hungarian / Romanian border with Oradea, Zalau, Cluj-Napoca, Targu Mures, Sighisoara and Brasov.

Most roads are just paved wagon trails and as such go straight through the center of many villages. Passing while driving is the norm rather than the exception as slow moving trucks, slower moving horse drawn carts, and non-moving herds of cows often frequent the major roads. If you haven't experienced a possible head on collision you haven't been driving in Romania.

Tooting is usual in Bucharest and flashing lights is a other common form of expression. Road closures and traffic delays occur frequently due to construction, rock slides, car accidents and the return of the cows from pasture to the villages.

The approach from Giurgiu (the point of entry from Bulgaria) on the DN5 is less inspiring, with a long run through suburbs until Bulevardul Dimitrie Cantemir finally reaches the Piata Unirii; likewise, the A1 motorway from Pitesti and the west brings you in through serried ranks of apartment blocks before reaching the Cotroceni Palace. The DN3 from the coast leads through the modern suburb of Pantelimon before reaching the older districts along Bulevardul Carol I.

Border crossing between Romania and its western neighbors is just a formality. When renting a car in Europe please check with the car rental company about its policy regarding taking the car across national borders. Insurance can be purchased at any Romanian border crossing point. Documents required by Romanian Customs are the vehicle's registration, proof of insurance and a valid driver's license from the driver's home country.

Customs

Romanian Customs regulations are in line with those of most European countries. A traveler can enter and leave Romania with up to $10,000 in cash or traveler's checks. Amounts over $10,000 have to be declared at Customs.

Car rental in Romania

Car is the best way to visit Romania as this allows visitors to admire the unique scenery and take advantage of the innumerable photo opportunities that they will encounter even during short drives. A hired car will save you a lot of time when visiting some remote attractions as the Painted Monasteries in Bucovina and the traditional villages in Maramures. Most major international auto rental companies and several local companies offer cars in the major cities and airports. Renters must be over 21 and have a valid driver's license and an internationally valid credit card. Romania's major roads are safe and well maintained. As they pass through main cities and towns gas stations, food stores and hotels are easy to find. Road congestion is not an issue in Romania except in Bucharest.