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Voykit pocket guide · Romania
Petroșani
Spend a single day for a ski or mountain outing; add a night only if you stay at a ski‑resort lodge.
Petroșani sits at the Jiu Valley gateway to the Retezat and Parâng mountains. A day covers the ski area or a short hike; overnight stays are only worthwhile for ski‑season lodging.
- Country
- Romania
- Best months
- Dec–Feb for ski, May–Oct for hiking
- Avoid
- Jan extreme cold may limit mountain access
- Stay
- 1 night
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 250–400 lei excl. bed · High 400 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
- Police, ambulance, fire 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.
Get in
By air
- SBZ · Sibiu International Airport
- about 130 km (81 mi) north, ~2 h by car via DN66about 81 mi (130 km) north, ~2 h by car via DN66
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Mini‑bus (maxi‑taxi) runs frequently between Jiu Valley towns; no city bus network. Walk or taxi for short trips.
See and do
Known for
- Parâng ski resort
- Retezat National Park access
- Mining Museum
- Church of St. Barbara
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Parâng ski resort | Local bus or taxi 12 km (7.5 mi) SE, about 20 minLocal bus or taxi 7.5 mi (12 km) SE, about 20 min | ≈30 min each way |
| Retezat National Park trailhead | Taxi 15 km (9.3 mi), ~25 minTaxi 9.3 mi (15 km), ~25 min | ≈1 h total |
| Dacian fortress of Bănița | Taxi 20 km (12 mi), ~30 minTaxi 12 mi (20 km), ~30 min | ≈1 h total |
Sleep
- Hotel Rusu
- Close to ski area, spa and restaurant
- Pensiunea Bujor de Munte
- Budget lodge near ski slopes, 190 lei per night
- La Belle Époque
- Historic resort, 222 lei per night
Language
Romanian is a Romance language, closer to Italian than to its Slavic neighbours, so Italian, Spanish or French speakers catch signs and menus quickly. English is common among younger people and in tourism; in Transylvania, Hungarian is the first language in Székely areas (Harghita, Covasna) and German still helps with older people in Saxon towns. A few words of Romanian are warmly received.
- Key words: bună ziua (good day), mulțumesc (thank you), vă rog (please), da / nu (yes / no), cât costă? (how much?), nota, vă rog (the bill, please).
- Diacritics matter for search: ș and ț (Brașov, Timișoara); signs and apps also spell them without, as Brasov and Timisoara.
- Use the polite 'dumneavoastră' form and titles (doamna, domnul) with older people and officials.
- Moldovans speak the same language; in Moldova more people also speak Russian.
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
- Mini‑bus tickets are cheap (1.5–2.5 lei) but check schedules; service may be sparse on weekends.
- Ski area opening depends on snowfall; verify conditions before travel.
Petroșani is generally safe; keep an eye on belongings on minibusses and in ski areas, and watch for icy sidewalks in winter.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Petroșani yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Parâng ski resort
- Retezat National Park access
- Mining Museum
- Church of St. Barbara
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Petroșani, revision 4986725 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4986725
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Petroșani
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, ambulance, fire112
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/petrosani). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.