Bucharest to Brașov by car

The road from Bucharest to Brașov runs through Ploiești and the Prahova Valley. There is no motorway between Ploiești and Brașov yet, so whichever way you start, the last part of the drive is on the DN1.

As far as Ploiești you have two options:

• The DN1 through Otopeni. From central Bucharest, head out on Șoseaua București–Ploiești past Băneasa Airport, then through Otopeni past Henri Coandă Airport. From the airport, this is the shorter option. A metro line is being built next to the airport, and some stretches of the DN1 have fewer lanes open.
• The A3 Bucharest–Ploiești motorway. It is about 60 km long and bypasses the towns on the DN1 between Bucharest and Ploiești. From the city you join the A3 in north-east Bucharest; from Otopeni Airport you reach it on the A0 ring motorway. This way is about 15–25 km longer than the DN1.

The two options meet on Ploiești's western bypass. From there you continue on the DN1 towards Comarnic and climb the Prahova Valley through Sinaia, Bușteni and Predeal. After Predeal the road descends to Brașov.

From central Bucharest (Piața Victoriei), add about 15 km. Using the A3, it is about 180–185 km to Brașov. Distances are measured on the map to the centre of each town.

There are no separate road tolls on the DN1 or the A3: you only need the Romanian road vignette (rovinietă), and the Rental Conditions of the company that hands you the car say whether it is included in the price. The rule is summarised below, under “What the rental company’s conditions say”.

When the DN1 is congested, the Romanian Police's Infotrafic alerts recommend alternative routes, among them the DN1A Brașov – Cheia – Ploiești, then the A3 to Bucharest, and the DN71 Sinaia – Târgoviște – Bucharest. Both are longer, and the DN1A crosses the mountains.

• In light traffic: about 3 hours from central Bucharest, and a little less from Otopeni Airport.
• At weekends and on public holidays: the Romanian Police often report slow-moving queues on the DN1, especially between Comarnic, Sinaia, Bușteni and Predeal: towards the mountains when a weekend or holiday starts, towards Bucharest when it ends. On those days, allow 4 hours or more.
• When to leave: if you can, avoid Friday afternoons towards Brașov and Sunday afternoons towards Bucharest.
• Before you set off: check the Romanian Police's Infotrafic alerts and CNAIR's dispatch platform, which lists closed and restricted roads (both in Romanian).

Keep to the speed limits: 50 km/h in built-up areas; outside them, 130 km/h on motorways, 100 km/h on European national roads and 90 km/h on other roads, unless signs show another limit. If you have held your licence for less than a year, drive 20 km/h below these limits outside built-up areas. The DN1 passes through many towns, so the 50 km/h limit applies often. Dipped headlights (or daytime running lights) must be on during the day as well, on all roads (OUG 195/2002, art. 44, 49 and 50).

• Sinaia (about 110 km from Otopeni Airport). Home to Peleș Castle, built for King Carol I as his summer residence, lived in from 1883, with building work continuing until 1914; today it is the Peleș National Museum. According to the schedule published in October 2026, the castle is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The museum does not run any visitor parking: from the car park it is about 800 m on foot to the castle, up a sloping path through the Royal Park.
• Bușteni (about 9 km after Sinaia), at the foot of the Bucegi Mountains. On Caraiman Peak, at 2,291 m, stands the memorial cross to the Romanian heroes of the First World War, inaugurated in 1928. The town is also home to the Bucegi Natural Park visitor centre.
• Predeal (about 13 km after Bușteni), a mountain resort in Brașov County. From here the DN1 descends about 28 km to central Brașov.

Bear in mind that Sinaia and Bușteni are exactly where queues form on busy days, so stopping there can make the trip longer.

Between Comarnic and Predeal, the DN1 climbs the Prahova Valley, with bends and many stretches through towns. In winter, conditions here can differ from those in Bucharest.

• Winter tyres. On roads covered with snow, ice or frost, winter tyres are compulsory. OUG 195/2002 ties the obligation to the state of the road, not to a calendar period (art. 102).
• The car's equipment. The rental company's conditions do not say whether its cars have winter tyres. If you travel in the cold season, ask the rental company before your trip; you can ask through the assistance form on the Support page or, once you have booked, on the rental company's number in your voucher. Snow chains appear as an option in the booking form when the company offers them.
• Braking. The Brașov County Police point out that on ice, braking distances can be up to four times longer: slow down, use engine braking, avoid sudden braking and acceleration, and keep a longer distance from the car in front.
• Road conditions. Closed and restricted roads are listed on CNAIR's dispatch platform; CNAIR's dispatch centre also answers on 021 9360 (Romanian number).
• Roadside assistance. If the car breaks down, the rental company provides roadside assistance in Romania. Repairing a punctured tyre and topping up fluids are not its responsibility; the terms of the assistance are summarised below. In an emergency, call 112.

• The old town, around Piața Sfatului, has been gradually pedestrianised and has few access roads for cars, on Strada Mureșenilor and Strada Castelului. At weekends and on holidays the area gets busy, and finding a parking space takes time.
• Car access to parts of the old town is restricted. Follow the signs at the entrances and, if you are staying in the old town, ask your accommodation how to get there by car and where to park.
• Paid public car parks are divided into tariff zones, and the old town has a tariff zone of its own. Pay as the sign at the car park shows (at the machine, by SMS or otherwise) and follow its instructions, for example on whether the ticket must be left on display.
• Residents' spaces are reserved for residents; do not use them unless they are marked for visitors. Illegally parked cars can be towed away.
• Costs: parking charges and fines during the rental are yours to pay, under the rental company's conditions summarised below.

You do not have to drive back to Bucharest: Brașov is one of the return cities the booking form offers for pick-ups in Bucharest, at Henri Coandă Airport (Otopeni) and at Băneasa Airport.

1. In the booking form, choose your pick-up location ("Bucharest", "Henri Coandă Airport" or "Bucharest Baneasa Airport") and "Brasov" as the return location.
2. The search results show whether a one-way rental to Brașov works for your dates. Any one-way fee appears in the price details, as "One-way fee", before you send the booking.
3. In your booking confirmation, under "Where to collect and return the car", you will find the return location and, when the rental company provides them, the address and instructions. You can reopen the confirmation at any time on the Check reservation page.

Also worth knowing for a Bucharest–Brașov rental:

• Handovers and returns take place within the rental company's opening hours. If you reach Brașov after closing time, the return is possible only on request and for an extra fee, so plan around the driving time. The hours and the fee are listed below, under “What the rental company’s conditions say”.
• Check the rental company's mileage limit, especially if you are renting the car for only a few days; the rule is summarised below. A Bucharest–Brașov round trip is about 340–370 km.
• If you want to change the return location after pick-up, tell the rental company in writing or by phone: the change needs its consent. The rental company's number is in your rental voucher and in the booking confirmation e-mail, and you can reopen your booking at any time on the Check reservation page.

Would you rather collect the car in the city than at the airport? See car rental in Bucharest. The rental company's rules are summarised below, with clause references; the full text is in the Rental Conditions.