Cluj-Napoca to Oradea by car

The direct road from Cluj-Napoca to Oradea is the DN1, which is also the European route E60. You leave Cluj heading west through Florești and Gilău, carry on through Huedin and Ciucea, pass Aleșd and arrive in Oradea.

Both pick-up points, Cluj Airport and the rental company's office, are in Someșeni, on the eastern side of the city. From there you cross Cluj to the DN1, following signs for Florești.

Distances are measured on the map and rounded.

• Allow 3 to 3½ hours from the pick-up points to Oradea, without stops. The DN1 passes through many built-up areas, so progress is slower than on a motorway.
• Leaving Cluj. The DN1 through Florești is the busiest way out of the city to the west, and traffic crawls at rush hour. If you can, choose a pick-up time that keeps you out of Cluj's rush hour, and on the way back allow for the traffic when you plan your return time.
• In winter and in bad weather the drive takes longer (see below).
• 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). CNAIR's dispatch centre also answers on 021 9360 (Romanian number).

• Huedin is a town in Cluj County on the DN1, about 55 km from the pick-up points, roughly a third of the way. According to the Apuseni Natural Park administration, it is one of the access points to the park.
• Into the Apuseni. From Huedin a county road heads into the mountains and then splits: the branch to Beliș-Fântânele is asphalted, while the one to Răchițele, Ic Ponor and Padiș is gravel and earth. From Gilău, also on the DN1, the DJ108 county road leads to Mărișel and Beliș-Fântânele. This comes from the Apuseni Natural Park access page, which is undated, so check your route before you go.
• What the rental conditions allow. The rental company's conditions forbid driving off the road and on unpaved or unsurfaced roads, so check in advance whether the road you want to take is surfaced. The other roads and areas that are off-limits, what you pay if you break the rule, and the damage you pay in full whatever protection you chose are summarised below, under “What the rental company’s conditions say”.
• Plan any detour with the mileage limit and your return time in mind (see below).

• Winter tyres. On roads covered with snow, ice or frost, the car must have winter tyres. The road traffic code does not set a calendar period: what counts is the state of the road (art. 102).
• Between Huedin and Ciucea the DN1 climbs and descends through hilly country. In winter, check road conditions on Infotrafic or CNAIR's platform before you leave.
• The Cluj County Police's advice for winter driving: check the weather forecast before you set off; on slippery roads keep a longer distance from the car in front and slow down; steer and brake smoothly; on snow and ice use engine braking rather than the brake pedal; take breaks more often.
• The car's equipment. The rental company's conditions do not say which tyres the cars have, so if you are travelling in winter, ask when you book, through the Support page. The booking form shows snow chains as an option, “Snow chains”, when they are offered for the car you choose; how they are rented and paid for is below.
• Breakdowns and emergencies. What roadside assistance you have for a mechanical breakdown, and what it does not include, is below, under “What the rental company’s conditions say”. The emergency number for the car is on the Support page; in an emergency, 112 is the single emergency number.

• The return location is the one you choose when you book, and it is written into your contract. For pick-ups in Cluj-Napoca, the booking form does not currently offer Oradea as a return location: Oradea is a return city only for pick-ups in Bucharest. Choose “Cluj-Napoca – Airport (CLJ)” or “Cluj-Napoca” (the office) as your return location. If the form lists other return points, the search shows whether returning there works for your dates and what it costs.
• Changing the return location after pick-up needs the rental company's consent: tell them in good time, in writing or by phone. 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.
• Opening hours. The handover and return hours are set by the rental company and summarised below; outside them a return is possible only on request and for an extra fee. If you leave Oradea in the afternoon, allow for the 3 to 3½ hours back before your return time.
• Mileage. Mind the rental company's mileage limit and the cost of extra kilometres, summarised below. A round trip between the pick-up points and Oradea is about 320 km, so choose the length of your rental with the route in mind.
• Fuel and road costs. Which fuel level the car must have at return, whether the Romanian road vignette (rovinietă) is included in the rental price and what remains yours to pay (fuel, any other road charges, parking, fines) are set by the rental company's conditions, summarised below.
• The Hungarian border is close to Oradea. You may leave Romania only with the rental company's written consent. Cross-border travel cannot be booked online: when you book, write the country you want to visit in the “Observations” field; the request reaches the rental company with your booking. The countries you may visit, the deposit for trips abroad and what roadside assistance covers outside Romania are summarised below.

Book through the booking form, and find your booking details at any time on the Check reservation page. The rental company's main rules are summarised below; the full rules are in the Rental Conditions.