How to prepare for your trip to Romania

Romania sits north of Bulgaria across the Danube and offers one of the most rewarding road trips in southeastern Europe. Mountains, medieval towns and a long Black Sea coastline all sit within a single day of driving from Sofia.

This guide is part of a wider series on driving abroad from Bulgaria, and covers what a first time visitor needs to know before crossing into Romania by rental car, from documents and road rules to the destinations worth the detour.

Why Rent a Car to Explore Romania

A rental car gives you control over the itinerary in a country where public transport rarely reaches the smaller villages and mountain passes. You can stop wherever the view is worth it, adjust the route on the day and combine a city break with a rural detour without waiting for a bus or a guided tour.

Since January 2025, Bulgaria and Romania have both been full members of the Schengen area, and internal land border checks between the two countries have been removed. In practice this means a smoother crossing than many travellers expect, with no routine passport stops between the two neighbours.

Many visitors combine Romania with a wider loop through Serbia or along the Black Sea coast, using Sofia as the natural starting point.

For those who prefer not to drive the entire route themselves, SpeedyCars also offers a direct transfer service to nearby destinations, which pairs well with a self drive stage once you reach Romania and are ready to explore Transylvania at your own pace.

What to See in Romania on a Road Trip

Romania rewards travellers willing to leave the motorway. Fortified towns, mountain scenery and a different pace of life sit close together in some regions, while the capital offers a contrast worth its own day.

Three areas stand out for a first road trip, and each works well as a two or three night stop rather than a rushed afternoon.

Covering all three calls for a week or longer, so most travellers choose one or two depending on the time available. Distances between them are significant by Bulgarian standards, so it is worth checking the driving time to each region before building a route around all three.

Transylvania and Its Castles

Transylvania is the most visited region for travellers driving north from Bulgaria, and Brasov makes a natural base at the foot of the Carpathian mountains.

From there, Bran is a short drive away and holds the hilltop fortress long linked to the Dracula legend, while nearby Sinaia is home to Peles Castle, a nineteenth century royal residence built into the hillside.

Further west, Sighisoara is a fortified medieval town recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Sibiu offers a former Saxon old town with wide squares and coloured facades that reward an afternoon on foot.

Each town sits close enough to the others to combine into a single loop from Brasov over two or three days, with mountain roads that reward an unhurried pace.

Bucharest

Bucharest is worth at least a full day, whether as a stop on the way north or a base of its own. The Palace of the Parliament, among the largest administrative buildings in the world, anchors the historic centre of the city.

The Old Town area around Lipscani street is dense with cafes, restaurants and nineteenth century architecture, and makes an easy place to park the car and continue on foot for the rest of the visit.

Parking in central Bucharest can be limited during the working week, so many visitors leave the car near the centre and use the metro or walk for short trips within the city.

Maramures and the Turda Salt Mine

Maramures, in the north of the country, is known for wooden churches and a slower pace of rural life. Its best known stop is the Merry Cemetery in the village of Sapanta, known locally as Cimitirul Vesel, where brightly painted crosses carry humorous verses about the people buried beneath them.

Reaching Maramures adds significant driving time from the south, so it suits travellers with a week or more rather than a short weekend trip.

Closer to the main route back toward Transylvania, the Turda Salt Mine near Cluj has been turned into an underground amusement park inside a former mine, with a lake, a Ferris wheel and an amphitheatre carved into the rock.

Best Time of Year for a Romania Road Trip

Romania has a continental climate, with warm summers that typically reach the mid twenties and cold winters that regularly dip below freezing. Late spring through early autumn, roughly May to September, offers the most reliable driving conditions across the country.

Mountain roads through the Carpathians, including the routes toward Bran and Sinaia, can be affected by fog, sudden temperature drops and occasional snow well into April at higher altitudes. Winter tyres are advisable for anyone driving into the mountains outside the summer months.

July and August bring the busiest traffic, particularly around Brasov and along the Black Sea coast, so booking accommodation and a rental car well in advance is worth doing if you are travelling during peak season.

Practical Information for Driving in Romania

Romania shares a long land border with Bulgaria, and the crossing itself is now straightforward. Both countries have been full members of the Schengen area since January 2025, and routine checks at the internal land border between them have been removed.

Even without routine checks, it remains sensible to carry the documents that prove your identity and your right to drive the car:

• Identity document: a valid passport, or a national identity card for EU and Schengen nationals;
• Driving licence: valid for the vehicle category you plan to drive, plus an International Driving Permit if one is required for your nationality;
• Rental paperwork: the vehicle registration document together with a signed authorisation letter from SpeedyCars confirming cross border use.

Romania records one of the highest road fatality rates in the European Union, so extra caution on rural and mountain roads is worthwhile.

A road toll known as the Rovinieta applies on motorways and national roads across Romania. It can be bought online before you travel or at a petrol station near the border, and it is linked electronically to your registration plate.

Planning Your Romania Trip with SpeedyCars

Most visitors start this trip from Sofia, which makes the pickup straightforward if you are flying in from abroad. Choosing airport car rental lets you collect the vehicle as soon as you land and be on the road north within the hour.

For the mountain sections around Transylvania, a higher riding SUV such as the Volkswagen Tiguan offers more stability on winding roads and a larger boot for luggage on a longer trip.

Whichever route you take, book the car well ahead of your travel dates, especially in the summer months when demand for car rental in Sofia rises sharply among tourists and business travellers alike. SpeedyCars can prepare the cross border paperwork in advance so it is ready at collection.

If you are unsure which documents your nationality requires at the border, our FAQ page and the guide to rental documents cover the basics, and full pricing for every vehicle class is available before you book.