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Voykit pocket guide · Romania
Brașov
Give Brașov 3 nights: 2 for the old town and Tâmpa, 1 for Bran and Râșnov. Base inside the walls, not by the station.
Brașov is a walled Saxon old town in a Carpathian valley, 180 km from Bucharest, with the Black Church, a walkable pedestrian core and Bran and Râșnov castles within an hour. It is the best-value Transylvania base: cheaper than Sibiu for beds, better placed for day trips, and cold and wet at night even in summer. Three nights covers the town and the two castles without rushing.
- Country
- Romania
- Best months
- May–Oct, Dec
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold, icy pavements), late Jul–Aug weekends (crowded)
- Stay
- 3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- RON
- Money
- Currency is the Romanian leu (RON, plural lei); Romania does not use the euro. About 5 lei to €1 in 2026 — check the live rate.
- Daily spend
- Budget 150–250 lei excl. bed · Mid 250–450 lei excl. bed · High 450 lei+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, Vodafone and Digi sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at the airport; Digi is the cheapest. Passport ID is required to register a SIM — check.
- Emergency
- All emergencies 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European round two-pin; Schuko (F) sockets take C plugs.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: About 10%, left in cash even when paying by card.; Café or bar: Round up or leave a few lei.; Taxi or Bolt: Round up; app tips optional.; Guesthouse host or driver-guide: RON 20–50 per day for good service.; Hotel porter: RON 5–10 per bag.
- Water
- Tap water in cities is treated and generally safe; many locals prefer bottled mineral water (apă plată = still, apă minerală = sparkling). Avoid untreated wells in villages.
- Toilets
- Use cafés, malls, museums and fuel stations; some stations and parks charge RON 1–3. Village and monastery toilets can be basic — carry tissues.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | 8–15 lei |
| Soup and a main (ciorbă, mici) | 40–70 lei |
| Beer: draught / bottle at a shop | 10–18 lei / 5–8 lei |
| City bus ticket (2 × 50 min) | 5 lei |
| Taxi, 5 kmTaxi, 3.1 mi | 15–20 lei |
| Black Church entry | 10 lei adult (check) |
| Tâmpa cable car, return | 18 lei |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GHV · Brașov-Ghimbav International Airport
- Opened June 2023, about 10 km west of the centre; limited routes, no domestic flights — check the current schedule.Opened June 2023, about 6.2 mi west of the centre; limited routes, no domestic flights — check the current schedule.
- OTP · Bucharest Otopeni
- About 160 km south; direct buses to Brașov and trains from Gara de Nord roughly hourly, about 3 h.About 99 mi south; direct buses to Brașov and trains from Gara de Nord roughly hourly, about 3 h.
Typical fares
- Brașov station → old town, taxi
- about 20 lei, 10 min
- Bus 20 → Poiana Brașov
- 6 lei, about 30 min
- Train Brașov → Bucharest
- about 3 h, roughly hourly
Get around
The old town and Șchei are compact and pedestrian; walk everywhere. City buses (RATBv) run about 05:30–midnight weekdays, 06:30–23:00 weekends, no night service; pay with the 24pay app or a paper ticket (5 lei, valid 2 × 50 min with transfers). Bus 20 to Poiana Brașov costs 6 lei. Taxis about 3 lei per km; Uber works.The old town and Șchei are compact and pedestrian; walk everywhere. City buses (RATBv) run about 5:30 AM–midnight weekdays, 6:30 AM–11:00 PM weekends, no night service; pay with the 24pay app or a paper ticket (5 lei, valid 2 × 50 min with transfers). Bus 20 to Poiana Brașov costs 6 lei. Taxis about 3 lei per km; Uber works.
See and do
Known for
- Black Church
- Piața Sfatului (Council Square)
- Tâmpa cable car and B-R-A-S-O-V letters
- Bran and Râșnov castles
- Șchei district and Rope Street
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Râșnov | Bus or train toward Bran, then a short walk uphill | About 45 min |
| Bran | Bus from Autogara 2 or a taxi; about 30 kmBus from Autogara 2 or a taxi; about 19 mi | About 1 h |
| Poiana Brașov | Bus 20 from Livada Poștei, 6 lei | About 30 min |
| Predeal | Train from Brașov station | About 45 min |
| Viscri | Car or a tour; no useful direct bus | 1.5–2 h |
| Făgăraș | Train or bus west | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Old Town (Piața Sfatului and Republicii)
- Pedestrian, walk to every sight; noisier and pricier. Best for a first visit.
- Șchei
- South of the gates, around Piața Unirii; quieter, 15–20 min walk to the square, good guesthouses.
- Around the railway station
- Cheap and practical for early trains; 3 km from the old town, bus 4 or 51, or about 20 lei by taxi.Cheap and practical for early trains; 1.9 mi from the old town, bus 4 or 51, or about 20 lei by taxi.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bună ziuaBOO-nuh ZEE-wah |
| Thank you | Mulțumescmool-tsoo-MESK |
| How much is it? | Cât costă?kuht KOS-tuh |
| The bill, please | Nota, vă rogNO-tah vuh rog |
| Can I pay by card? | Pot plăti cu cardul?pot pluh-TEE koo KAR-dool |
| Where is the toilet? | Unde este toaleta?OON-deh ES-teh twa-LEH-tah |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and eye contact; 'bună ziua' by day, 'bună seara' in the evening; avoid: First names with older people before they offer them
- Visiting a home: Take shoes off at the door; bring flowers (an odd number), chocolate or wine; avoid: Even numbers of flowers — they are for funerals
- Churches: Cover shoulders and knees; women may cover their hair in monasteries; stand quietly at the back during services; avoid: Crossing in front of the altar area or photographing people praying
- Conversation: Food, football, travel in Romania and family are safe topics; avoid: Dracula as the country's identity, calling Romanians Slavs, and careless talk about Roma or Hungarians
- Hospitality: Accept at least a taste of what you are offered; thank the host by name; avoid: Refusing all food and drink outright
- Queues and transport: Give seats to older people and parents with children; avoid: Loud phone calls in train compartments
Scams and watch-outs
- Taxi touts at the railway station overcharge: use the app or a metered cab, and expect no more than about 20 lei to the old town.
- Winter tyres are required by law in this hilly region; police check and fines are steep.
- Parking in the old town is scarce — ask your accommodation before you drive in.
- Mountain weather turns fast: bring a warm layer even in July.
Brașov is safe by day and night in the centre; the real issues are taxi touts at the station, icy pavements in winter and fast-changing mountain weather on Tâmpa.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Brașov yet. Suggested stay: 3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Black Church
- Piața Sfatului (Council Square)
- Tâmpa cable car and B-R-A-S-O-V letters
- Bran and Râșnov castles
- Șchei district and Rope Street
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Brașov official city site: www.brasovcity.ro/
- Brașov-Ghimbav International Airport: brasovairport.ro/
- CFR Călători (Romanian railways): www.cfrcalatori.ro/
- Wikivoyage: Brașov, revision 5305972 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5305972
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Brașov
La această adresă, vă rog
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- All emergencies112
No embassies in Brașov; most are in Bucharest — check your country's list before you travel.
Tipping: about 10% in restaurants, in cash; round up taxis.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/brasov). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.