Travel Tips

The vacation season brings fun, joy and relaxation to millions of travelers every year. Traveling is easy today, isn’t it? But traveling can also be stressful. To minimize stress on vacation one should first and foremost be prepared and plan ahead so that unexpected things don’t negatively affect the vacation trip. This does not mean that you can not be spontaneous.

Travel tips : Be prepared and plan beforehand!

• What are the main goals of your trip? Are recreation, relaxation, sports or culture most important to you, or should several factors be fulfilled at once? Where exactly should the trip go!
• For example, can you communicate adequately? Do you speak the language of the country or is English enough as an international language to communicate in the destination country? For the most part, I got along fine with English in Romania. In some places in Transylvania, people also speak German.
• The respective climate at the travel destination is also very important. On the one hand, travelers must adapt their wardrobe to the respective climatic conditions and on the other hand, travel sometimes poses great challenges to the body of the traveler. The weather in Transylvania varies greatly depending on the season. Winters are sometimes very cold and in summer there are hot days above 30 degrees Celsius.

• Important documents: The destination has a great influence on the travel planning! Since Romania is in the EU, you need an identity card or passport. Check the validity of your documents (passport/ID card) Always take care of your tickets, passports and other important documents during the trip. A copy of the most important documents is also recommended. You should also have a vaccination card with you, not only because of Corona. The status of the tetanus vaccination is also important.

Travel Tips: How can you pay at the destination?

Cash, credit card, traveler’s checks? How much money can be imported and exported? You should not rely on one means of payment. What currency is valid at the destination? Where can you change cash? In Romania or Transylvania the currency is Lei (Leu). You can change money in banks, or at exchange offices (they usually had a better rate). In Romania, cashless payment is usually not a problem. Whether credit card or Handypay, in most stores and many restaurants it is possible. In some villages, however, only cash is accepted. When using credit cards, the well-known safety instructions should be followed at all times, even though the Romanians themselves are very relaxed about using credit cards, and were surprised that I had covered the keyboard with one hand.

Travel Tips: Health & Precaution

Are vaccinations required for the trip? Talk to your doctor.
A first aid kit can be helpful!
If you need medication, make sure you have a sufficient supply. For some medications, a doctor’s certificate is also useful or absolutely necessary.
If you are limited in health, find out whether there are any aids available at the vacation destination.
In most cases, travel health insurance is recommended when traveling abroad. In Romania there are many public hospitals but also private clinics. I did not have to pay anything for my treatment in an emergency room because it was an accident that led to the injury. Nevertheless, it is always best to stay healthy.

Other Travel Tips:

I myself did not have any negative experiences during my trip through Romania. Nevertheless, pay attention to the travel advice on Romania. Caution is advised in many large cities. With a cell phone you are able to call for help almost everywhere in case of an emergency.

Note emergency numbers in advance

Emergency: 112

Fire department:       981

Accident rescue: 961

Guide for city tours and more:

You can also find private guides at: https://www.showaround.com

Map of Romania

How to get to Transylvania,​

if you come by plane, you can land in Sibiu or also in Bucharest or Cluj and soon also from Brasov (2022). From Bucharest you can take the train, the bus or a shuttle service (https://direct-aeroport.ro/). Many hotels and apartment providers take care of the booking for the shuttle service or even offer their own service. A rental car is another alternative.

If you come by train, book a seat reservation. Trains go for example from Austria or Hungary directly to Romania. Night trains bring you among others to: BB nightjet NJ491 Hamburg – Vienna / ÖBB nightjet NJ40421 Düsseldorf – Vienna / EN 40457 Berlin – Budapest / EN 463 Munich – Budapest => from there you can connect to direct trains to Romania

If you travel by car, remember the Romanian vignette, which you can get at gas stations and also online. https://www.roviniete.ro

Suggested tour:

Bucharest (Flight) => Brasov => Sighisoara => Sibiu (Flight)

Sibiu (Flight) => Brasov => Sighisoara => Bucharest (Flight)

Cluj Napoca (Flight) => Sibiu => Brasov =>Bucharest (Flight)

Brasov (Flight) => Sighisoara => Sibiu => Deva =>Arad => Timisoara (Flight)