Self-Drive Romania: Everything You Need to Know Before You Rent a Car

Self-driving is one of the best ways to see Romania — the country rewards travelers who can stop at a roadside monastery or a mountain overlook on a whim, rather than sticking to a coach schedule. It also raises questions that don’t come up in more familiar driving destinations like France or Italy. Here’s what you actually need to know.

Which Side Do They Drive On?

The right-hand side, same as the rest of continental Europe and North America — no adjustment needed if you’re coming from the US, Canada, or mainland Europe. UK and Australian travelers will need to adjust to driving on the right, which most people find manageable within the first hour.

What Are the Roads Actually Like?

Mixed, and it’s worth knowing where the good and less-good stretches are:

• Highways (autostrăzi) connecting major cities are modern and well-maintained, though the highway network is less extensive than in Western Europe — expect to spend time on well-paved but slower national roads (drumuri naționale) between smaller towns.
• Mountain roads in the Carpathians are scenic but can be slow, with switchbacks and occasional slower-moving agricultural vehicles. The Transfăgărășan and Transalpina — two of the most famous scenic routes — are seasonal, typically open only from late June to October due to snow.
• Rural roads in regions like Maramureș can be narrower and shared with horse-drawn carts, which is part of the charm but means lower average speeds than a GPS estimate might suggest.

Build in more time than your map app suggests, especially for mountain and rural routes.

Do You Need a Vignette (Road Tax)?

Yes. Romania requires a “rovinietă” (road vignette) for driving on national roads and highways — this is separate from any tolls in other European countries and needs to be purchased before you drive (available online at rovinieta.ro, at border crossings, and at most gas stations). Rental cars sometimes include this, but always confirm with your rental company rather than assuming.

Renting a Car: What to Know

• International Driving Permit: Not required for most nationalities if your license is in the Latin alphabet, but it’s a cheap, easy safeguard to get before you travel, and some rental companies request it regardless.
• Automatic vs. manual: Manual transmission is still the default in most rental fleets — if you specifically need an automatic, book well in advance and confirm it explicitly, as availability is more limited than in North America.
• Cross-border rentals: If your itinerary includes Bulgaria, Hungary, or Moldova, confirm with your rental company that cross-border travel is permitted — some contracts restrict this or charge an additional fee.
• Fuel: Diesel and petrol are both widely available; fuel stations are well distributed even in rural areas, though it’s sensible to fill up before heading into remote mountain regions.

Parking in Cities

Historic town centers (Sibiu, Sighișoara, Brașov) often restrict car access in the old town core — plan to park just outside and walk in, which is usually only a 5–10 minute walk and avoids the headache of navigating narrow medieval streets. Most hotels in these towns either have parking or can direct you to the nearest lot.

GPS and Navigation

Google Maps and Waze both work reliably in Romania, including in rural areas, and are the simplest options. A physical backup (offline maps downloaded in advance) is worth having for genuinely remote stretches of Maramureș or the mountains, where signal can drop.

Is Self-Driving Actually the Right Choice for You?

Self-driving suits travelers who want flexibility — stopping for photos, adjusting the pace, or lingering somewhere unexpectedly good. It’s less appealing if you’d rather not deal with unfamiliar road signs, an unfamiliar rental process, or navigation in a foreign language — in which case a guided tour with a driver covers the same highlights without any of the logistics.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it hard to drive in Romania as a foreigner? Not particularly — road signage follows standard European conventions, and English is common enough in cities that renting and navigating isn’t a major hurdle. The main adjustment is pace: driving is slower here than GPS estimates suggest, especially in mountain and rural areas.

How many days should a Romania self-drive trip be? A week comfortably covers Transylvania’s highlights. Ten to twelve days allows for a wider loop including Bucovina’s painted monasteries or the Danube Delta.

Can I do a one-way rental (pick up in one city, drop off in another)? Yes, most major rental companies in Romania offer this, though it usually comes with an additional fee — worth factoring in if your route doesn’t loop back to your starting point.

Prefer a self-drive route that’s already mapped out for you — with hotels, must-see stops, and daily driving distances pre-planned? Our self-drive itineraries cover everything from a focused week in Transylvania to a full loop through Bucovina and the Danube Delta. See our self-drive tours →