Practical Information for visiting Romania

The currency is the Romanian leu (RON, plural lei). Romania is in the EU but not the eurozone, and the euro is not accepted for ordinary purchases.

Cards and contactless are accepted widely in cities, hotels, supermarkets and petrol stations. Cash matters in the countryside, at village guesthouses, markets, small monasteries and for boatmen in the delta — carry more than you expect to need when leaving the cities.

ATMs are common in towns and absent in villages. Use bank machines rather than the independent ones in tourist areas, and always decline the conversion offer — choose to be charged in lei.

Tipping is customary: around ten per cent in restaurants, rounding up for taxis, and a note for guides. Leave it in cash even when paying by card.

Romania has unusually good internet — fixed broadband speeds are among the fastest in Europe, a legacy of neighbourhood networks built in the 2000s, and it is cheap.

Coverage for mobile networks from Orange Romania, Vodafone, Digi and Telekom is strong in towns and along main roads, with 4G nearly everywhere and 5G in the cities. It thins in the mountains and in parts of the Danube Delta, where you should not count on a signal.

EU and EEA roaming applies at domestic rates. Prepaid SIMs from Digi are inexpensive for everyone else.

Wi-Fi is free and fast in hotels, cafes and restaurants, and often available in village guesthouses.

Romania is a safe country with low violent crime, and visitors are rarely troubled. The main risks are on the road and in the forest.

• Driving is the real danger. Romania has one of the highest road fatality rates in the EU: fast overtaking on two-lane roads, poor lighting, unlit horse carts and pedestrians at night, and stray dogs.
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• Bears. Roadside feeding has taught bears to approach cars, particularly on the Transfagarasan and around Brasov, and there have been fatal attacks. Never stop, feed or approach. Make noise when walking in forest, and store food properly when camping.
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• Stray dogs are less of a problem than they were but still form packs in some areas.
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• Taxi overcharging at Bucharest airport and stations — use Bolt or the airport’s official rank and check the posted per-kilometre rate on the door.
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• Pickpocketing on Bucharest public transport and in crowded markets.
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• Mountain weather changes fast and the Fagaras ridge is serious terrain.

Public healthcare is uneven and underfunded; private clinics in Bucharest, Cluj and the larger cities are good. EU and EEA visitors are covered by the European Health Insurance Card for state care, but private treatment and repatriation need insurance.

Vaccinations: routine cover, plus hepatitis A for rural travel and rabies if you will be around animals or caving — Romania has both bat and terrestrial rabies, and stray dogs are a route.

Ticks carry Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis in forested areas; the TBE vaccine is worth considering for a walking trip. Check yourself daily.

Mosquitoes in the Danube Delta between June and September are ferocious. Bring repellent and long sleeves; there is no malaria.

Tap water is generally safe in cities and towns; in villages people drink from wells and it is better to use bottled.

Pharmacies — farmacie — are well stocked and some open around the clock.

Monasteries and churches matter here. Cover shoulders and knees, women are often expected to cover their heads in monasteries and scarves are lent at the door, and men remove hats. Do not photograph during services or turn your back on the altar when leaving.

Hospitality is insistent. A village visit brings out tuica, bread and whatever is in the house, and refusing outright causes offence — accept a little.

Greetings: buna ziua formally, handshakes with everyone in a group including on leaving. Older men may still kiss a woman’s hand.

Toasting: noroc or sanatate, with eye contact.

Driving has a zero alcohol limit, enforced strictly, and headlights are required outside built-up areas by day.

Photography: ask before photographing people, especially in villages and particularly Roma communities.

Smoking is banned in all indoor public spaces.

Emergency number: 112 for police, ambulance and fire, with English-speaking operators.

Medical. In an emergency the state system treats you; for anything else, private hospitals such as Regina Maria and MedLife in the cities are the better option and expect payment or an insurance guarantee. Carry your EHIC if you have one.

Mountain rescue — Salvamont — is reached on 112 or the dedicated 0725 826 668, and covers the Carpathians. Tell someone your route; the high ridges are remote and phone coverage is patchy.

Breakdown: hire companies provide a number, and the ACR motoring club assists. On mountain roads, recovery can take hours.

Keep offline copies of documents. Embassies are in Bucharest, with some consulates in Cluj, Timisoara and Constanta.