Driving in Romania
💡 Local Driving Tips
- →A Rovinieta vignette is mandatory — purchase online before arrival or at the border. Police check this via number plate cameras.
- →An IDP is required for US licence holders — Romanian police frequently request it alongside your US licence.
- →Romania has an extensive network of unmarked speed cameras — police use mobile units and parked cars. Treat all speed limits seriously.
- →Rural roads vary significantly in quality — potholes, horse-drawn carts, and livestock are common on secondary roads outside major cities.
- →Bucharest's ring road (A0/DN1) can be extremely congested — use Google Maps or Waze for real-time routing.
- →The Transfăgărășan Highway (DN7C) is one of Europe's most scenic roads — open only June to October due to snow.
- →When an emergency vehicle approaches, form a central corridor on motorways — pull left and right.
🗣️ Key Driving Words in Romanian
You may not speak the language, but knowing these words on road signs and at toll booths can save you from confusion — or a fine.
🚦 Speed Limits
130 km/h on motorways. 100 km/h on expressways (drum expres). 90 km/h rural. 50 km/h urban. Speed limits in urban areas can vary — watch for local signs.
💳 Toll Roads & Vignettes
The Rovinieta motorway vignette is required for all motor vehicles on Romanian motorways and national roads (drum național). Available online at roviniete.ro, at border crossings, and petrol stations. 7-day vignette costs approximately €3. Not having one results in a fine of up to RON 2,000.
Rovinieta motorway vignette plus point toll booths on some roads. e-Rovinieta can be purchased online (roviniete.ro) before travel.
🪧 Road Signs to Know
While most European road signs follow international standards, these are the signs you are most likely to encounter — and the ones that catch tourists off guard.
Must-Know Signs
Country-Specific Signs
📷 Speed Cameras
Camera Types in Romania
- 📷Fixed cameras on national roads and motorways — often unmarked
- 📷Mobile police speed checks (frequently unmarked police cars)
- 📷Average speed cameras on some motorway sections
- 📷Police laser guns (widely used)
RON 540–2,900 (~€110–600) depending on severity. Licence confiscation for excessive speeding.
Romania has some of the strictest speed enforcement in Eastern Europe. Plain-clothes officers and unmarked cars are routinely used. Fines can be collected on the spot — carry some cash. GPS speed camera alerts are legal in Romania.
🅿️ Parking Signs & Zones
Understanding parking zones and road markings can save you a fine or a tow. Here is what each colour and sign means in Romania.
Parking Zones Explained
Paid parking zones in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, and other major cities. Pay at machines (parcomat) or use the Parcapp / 24Pay apps.
Residents-only zones in inner Bucharest. Visitor parking is limited — use multi-storey car parks.
No parking zones actively enforced in Bucharest. Towing (ridicare) is common in central zones.
Road Line Colours
🗺️ Scenic Routes
- 🛣️ Transfăgărășan Highway (DN7C)
- 🛣️ Transalpina Road (DN67C)
- 🛣️ Bucovina Heritage Road