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Voykit pocket guide · Romania
Sinaia
Spend 1–2 days in Sinaia: visit Peleș Castle, explore the monastery, hike or ski, stay central for easy day‑trips to Brașov or Bucegi.
Sinaia is a mountain resort town in the Carpathians, famous for Peleș Castle and winter sports. The centre is walkable, with good train links from Bucharest and Brașov, making it a convenient base for a short stay.
- Country
- Romania
- Best months
- May–Oct, Dec–Feb (ski)
- Avoid
- July–Aug (heat, occasional thunderstorms)
- 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 120–180 lei excl. bed · Mid 250–400 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
- 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.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | 5–8 lei |
| Pizza (large) | 15 lei |
| Ski‑pass (day) | 120–180 lei |
| Local bus ride | 3 lei |
| Peleș Castle entry | 30 lei adult |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- OTP · Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport
- about 120 km (75 mi) by road, 2 h drive or trainabout 75 mi (120 km) by road, 2 h drive or train
Typical fares
- Bucharest → Sinaia, CFR train
- about 30 lei per person, 1 h (check)
- Local bus town centre
- 3 lei per ride
- Ski‑lift (3‑day pass)
- ≈150 lei per person (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town centre is walkable. Local buses run along Bulevardul Carol I to the monastery and gondola stations; buy tickets at kiosks or via the Sinaia Transport app. The railway station offers frequent CFR trains from Bucharest (≈1 h) and Brașov (≈30 min).
See and do
Known for
- Peleș Castle
- Sinaia Monastery
- Winter sports (ski & snowboard)
- Hiking in Bucegi Mountains
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bucegi Natural Park | Local bus from town centre (≈15 min) or hike from the gondola base | ≈30 min total |
| Brașov | CFR train from Sinaia station, about 30 min | ≈45 min total |
| Bran Castle | Train to Brașov (30 min) then bus or taxi 20 min | ≈1 h |
Sleep
- Hotel Regal Sinaia
- central, rooms from €68, good for short stays
- Hotel Stavilar
- budget option, rooms from €25, near train station
- Palace Hotel
- historic building, rooms from €70, central location
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Scuzaţi-măskuˈzə.t͡sə mə |
| Thank you | Mulțumescmulˈt͡su.mesk |
| How much is it? | Cât costă?kət ˈkoste |
| Can I pay by card? | Pot plăti cu cardul?pot ˈplə.t͡si ku ˈkar.dul |
| Where is the toilet? | Unde este toaleta?ˈunde ˈeste ˈto.a.le.ta |
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
- Pickpockets in crowded tourist spots.
- Stray dogs, especially near the Zamora neighbourhood.
Sinaia is generally safe. Watch for pickpockets in crowded areas and stray dogs in the Zamora neighbourhood (other side of the tracks).
One and two days
No timed day plan for Sinaia yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Peleș Castle
- Sinaia Monastery
- Winter sports (ski & snowboard)
- Hiking in Bucegi Mountains
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Sinaia official town website: www.primaria-sinaia.ro
- Wikivoyage: Sinaia, revision 5257722 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5257722
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Sinaia
La această adresă, vă rog
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police / ambulance / fire112
US consulate in Bucharest (check address); other embassies in Bucharest.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/sinaia). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.