Travel Advisory

Last update: July 18, 2011

There are no events or situations - such as diseases or unrest - threatening the personal safety or well-being of travelers to Romania.

There is no doubt that once you've visited Romania you'll want to return again and again. To save yourself the hassle of purchasing travel insurance before every trip, we would recommend purchasing an annual travel insurance policy.

The following information may be of interest to travelers:

» Money Exchange
» Bucharest Taxi
» Feedback / warnings about tour operators / travel agencies.

» Money Exchange

Romanian currency cannot be purchased or sold outside of Romania's
national borders;
Make sure that, before leaving Romania, you convert your leftover Lei
into the currency of your choice.

» Bucharest Taxi

Recently, the Romanian Tourist Office has received a few complaints regarding Bucharest taxi drivers who overcharged customers by not using the meter or employing malfunctioning meters.  Drivers approaching you at the airport or at the train station (Gara de Nord) in Bucharest are likely to inflate their rates; please be aware and try to avoid them.

Taxis can be summoned by telephone or hailed on the street. Confirming the cost of the ride with the driver, before starting the trip, is always a good idea.

Taxi tariffs can vary from company to company.
Typical Bucharest Taxi tariffs:

  Lei (RON) / km $ U.S. / mile*
Initial fee 3.00 Lei $1.20
Trips within city limits 1.90 Lei – 3 Lei / km $0.95 - $1.25 / mile
Trips outside city limits 5.50 Lei – 7 Lei / km $2.00 - $2.50 / mile
Slow traffic or waiting time 0.50 Lei – 0.85 Lei / minute $0.20 - $0.30 / minute

    * Tariffs in U.S. Dollars estimated at an exchange rate of 2.80 Lei / Dollar.

The cost of the taxi trip from Henri Coanda (Otopeni) Airport to downtown Bucharest is 60.00 Lei ($23.00).  Currently, the only taxi company licensed to pick-up passengers from the airport is Fly Taxi; telephone: 9411.

If you experienced difficulties and/if wish to send feedback about taxi service in Bucharest , please contact:

Bucharest City Hall (Primaria Municipiului Bucuresti)
Directia Transporturi, Drumuri, Sistematizarea Circulatiei
Serviciul Control Transporturi, Utilităti Publice
B-dul Regina Elisabeta nr 47; etajul 2, camera 237
050013   Bucharest 5  Romania
E-mail: valentin.voicu@bucuresti-primaria.ro
Telephone: (021) 305.55.00 x 1252    

Bucharest Bureau of Consumer Protection
(Oficiul Municipal pentru Protectia Consumatorilor)
Str. Transilvaniei  2
010798   Bucharest 1    Romania
E-mail: bucuresti@opc.ro
Telephone: (021) 310.63.75

Citizens of the USA and Canada can also send their complaints to the
Romanian Tourist Office
355 Lexington Avenue,  8th Floor
New York ,   NY   10017
E-mail: info@RomaniaTourism.com
Telephone: 212.545.8484

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» Feedback/ warnings about tour operators / travel agencies.

We love positive feedback about travel to Romania and we are getting lots of it from people who have visited recently.
However, we would like to know if your Romania experience was flawed by a company and/or its staff;
please do not hesitate to let us know if not everything went well during your trip.
Travelers like you sent us warnings about the following travel companies / possible situations:

Date of complaint: November 13, 2010 
Name of the company: Cultural RomTours 
Nature of complaint: unreliable guide, guide unable to communicate effectively.
Feedback about Cultural RomTours was received from a traveler in California - USA.

Date of complaint: September 6, 2010
Name of the company: Transylvania Trips
Contact info: www.TransylvaniaTrips.ro
Nature of complaint: Unprofessional and inappropriate behavior for a tour agency.
False advertising on their website with the quality of guides,
transportation and professionalism.
Feedback about Transylvania Trips was received from a traveler in Virginia - USA.

Date of complaint: August 8, 2010
Name of the guide: Mihai Georgescu
Nature of complaint: unprofessional guide, high price of additional services offered.
Notes: The Romanian Tourist Office will keep Mr. Georgescu on its freelance guide black-list until August 31, 2011.
(Re-evaluation of Mr. Georgescu's performance is due on September 1, 2011).
Feedback about Mihai Georgescu was received from a traveler in California - USA.

When planning a trip, please remember the following:
Romanian Tour Operators, Travel Agencies and Freelance Guides must be registered with and licensed by the Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism.
Feel free to check with us the credentials of a company you would like to book a trip with.

Be particularly cautious if:

  • the Website of a travel company or a freelance guide does
    not indicate a physical address,
  • hotel rates and prices for similar services are significantly
    lower then those offered by other companies,
  • full payment is being asked before the beginning of the trip,
    especially for services that must not be paid in advance by the
    travel company (accommodations for small groups, meals, guide
    services, ground transportation).

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