Getting There

By Plane

Many national airlines, including Romania's official carrier, Tarom (www.tarom.ro) have direct flights from London and other major western European centers, including Amsterdam (KLM only), Athens, Bologna (Alitalia only), Düsseldorf (Lufthansa only), Frankfurt, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Paris, Rome, Vienna, and Zurich. Eastern European capitals that are connected by air include Budapest, Prague, Sofia, and Warsaw. Where possible, if you're traveling from North America, Australia, or New Zealand, you should shop around for an airline that offers direct connections from your country of origin through one of the European capitals; many of the bigger airlines have code-share agreements with Tarom, which means that times between connecting flights are reduced. If you're traveling from New York or Sydney, you are able to book your entire journey through Tarom, but departure dates are limited by the availability of partner airlines. For these ultralong-haul journeys, you are best off with British Airways (www.british-airways.com) via London, Air France (www.airfrance.com) via Paris, Swiss (www.swiss.com) via Zurich, or KLM (www.klm.com), via Amsterdam.

Most international flights arrive at Bucharest's Henri Coanda International Airport (generally known by its pre-2006 name, Otopeni); however, Romania does have a number of other international airports receiving a few flights from a handful of European national and regional airlines. These airports are small and hassle-free and located in tourist-friendly destinations such as Timisoara, Cluj-Napoca, Iasi, and Constanta.

By Train

Trains are viable, but not necessarily cheap or speedy. Romania's National Railway service (www.infofer.ro) operates services, many of which include overnight sleepers in first- and second-class carriages. Visit www.raileurope.com for details of schedules and reservations.

By Bus

The size of the country along with the condition of most Romanian roads makes the thought of traveling overland in a large vehicle nothing short of nightmarish. Nevertheless, Romania's principal cities are connected by bus services to most important European centers, including London, Paris, Rome, Frankfurt, Berlin, Budapest, Sofia, Vienna, Milan, Istanbul, and Athens.

By Car

If you drive a rental car into Romania, you will require a RoVinieta road toll license; these are available at border crossings, and can also be purchased at many gas stations. Expect to pay $5 for a 7-day license or $8 for a 30-day version. You will require proof that you have insurance for the car and you must carry all the vehicle registration documentation with you. U.S., Canadian, and E.U. driver's licenses are acceptable for driving in Romania. Note that Romanian roads are often in a very dismal condition and driving is not recommended unless you have off-road capability.