Bucharest, Romania’s capital city, sits on a flat plain. While this terrain makes it ideal for exploring on foot or bicycle, the locals seem to prefer their cars. If you’re visiting Bucharest, navigating transportation options can be confusing. This article explores the various ways to get around in Bucharest, providing you with the best choices for a smooth and efficient visit.
Discover Bucharest on foot
My recommendation is to explore Bucharest by walking as much as you can. Many of the areas you’ll want to see are central and within walking distance of each other.
The Old Town (Centrul Vechi) is a neighbourhood in the city centre where cars are not permitted on its narrow streets, making walking the ideal mode of transportation. From here, you can easily stroll to attractions like the Palace of Parliament, Cismigiu Gardens, Athenee Palace, or University Square, enjoying the architecture along the way.
From the Old Town, you can continue your walk along Victory Avenue (Calea Victoriei) towards the northern part of the city. This avenue is renowned as one of the most beautiful streets in Bucharest and it’s always full of people, especially on the weekends when it becomes pedestrian-only. At the northern end of the avenue, you’ll reach Victoriei Square, where you can visit the Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Geology, and the Museum of the Romanian Peasant. From there, you can extend your walk to the Dorobanti and Primaverii neighbourhoods, where you can see Ceausescu’s former residence.
Bucharest’s boulevards feature wide sidewalks, which can make walking quite enjoyable, especially when the weather is pleasant. However, please note that we still have issues with sidewalks blocked by parked cars, particularly in residential areas and smaller streets, which could be challenging for those with mobility issues.
If you want to get around Bucharest on foot but would like some guidance, I recommend joining a walking tour.
Get around in Bucharest by using the local public transportation
Bucharest has a metro network and a comprehensive surface public transportation system with buses, trams, and trolleys. Public transportation is inexpensive, costing 3 lei (around €0.60) per trip on surface and 5 lei (€1) underground.
The metro has 5 lines but does not cover all neighbourhoods. However, as a tourist, you probably won’t need to go to those areas anyway. The metro is the preferred mode of public transportation for locals because it’s clean, safe, and, most importantly, fast.
The Universitate metro station is situated exactly at km 0 of Bucharest. From there or from Piata Unirii, you can easily reach the Old Town. The Izvor station is closest to the Palace of Parliament. Aviatorilor station is your starting point for exploring the northern part of the city, including the Spring Palace and Village Museum (a short walk or bus ride away, in the opposite direction). For museums, go to Piata Victoriei. For National Arena, exit the subway at Piata Muncii and walk for around 15 minutes or take a bus.
Surface transportation is more complex, with frequent stops, although it isn’t as reliable as underground transportation. On most routes, buses and trolleys share lanes with other traffic, leading to delays, especially during rush hour. Other issues are related to the old trolleys and trams on certain routes and unmaintained tram lines. However, local authorities are actively working to address these issues.
You can use the InfoTB app or Google Maps to plan your trips.
Read more: Public transport in Bucharest: trams, buses, metro system and more.
How to use taxis in Bucharest
Taxis in Bucharest may seem a convenient way to navigate the city, especially at night or when carrying luggage. However, there are reasons to exercise caution when using taxis in Bucharest due to instances of drivers overcharging tourists. This may happen especially at popular spots like airports and railway stations.
Taxi fares in Bucharest are relatively low for a European capital, starting at 2.59 lei per kilometre. This means you can traverse Bucharest for no more than 15 euros.
Additional Tips:
- Ensure the taxi driver has visible authorization with their name and photo displayed in the car. If these are not present, consider it a red flag.
- If a driver tries to negotiate the fare, it’s best to decline and find another taxi to avoid potential scams.
- Avoid accepting taxi services from individuals approaching you at the airport.
- Once in the taxi, ensure that the driver starts the meter at the beginning of the ride to prevent getting overcharged.
- Keep smaller bills handy, as taxi drivers may not always have change for larger denominations.
Use ride-hailing apps
In my opinion, ride-hailing services offer distinct advantages over traditional taxis. The most popular services like this in Romania are Uber and Bolt. Both have similar fare structures, so your choice may come down to availability. In some cases, you might find that Bolt tends to have shorter wait times for a ride.
Both Uber and Bolt operate on dynamic pricing, meaning that the final cost of a ride is influenced by the level of demand at that moment. However, during periods of low demand, ridesharing services are typically only slightly more expensive than regular taxis.
Get around in Bucharest on bikes and scooters
As mentioned earlier, Bucharest’s flat terrain makes it suitable for biking and scootering. However, I don’t recommend it, especially if you’re not accustomed to Bucharest traffic. Although more people use alternative transportation modes to get around Bucharest, biking and scootering still aren’t ingrained in our culture.
The lack of dedicated infrastructure contributes to the danger; only a few boulevards have designated bike lanes. In the absence of these lanes, cyclists share the road with cars. Biking and scootering on the sidewalk are illegal, as well as annoying and dangerous for pedestrians.
If you’re considering renting an electric scooter, popular options include Bolt, Uber, Splash, Wolf-e, and Lime, each with its app. Prices typically start at 2 lei for starting the ride and 0.5 lei per minute. Bolt and Uber’s prices are dynamic.
For bike rentals, the most popular service is I’Velo, offering rates of 4 lei per hour or 15 lei for the whole day.
Visit Bucharest by car
First, be aware of Bucharest traffic—it’s crowded, slow, and aggressive. I don’t recommend driving within the city, as you’ll likely spend most of your trip stuck in traffic jams. On top of that, finding parking, especially near landmarks, can be a major challenge. Most of the landmarks you’ll visit do not offer parking facilities. It’s better to avoid these issues during your holiday.
However, exploring the surrounding areas of Bucharest by car can provide flexibility and convenience, allowing you to explore at your own pace. If you plan to rent a car in Bucharest, you’ll be glad to know that major car rental companies have offices in Bucharest, including at Henri Coanda International Airport.
Read more on Tips to rent a car in Romania.
