Getting around · Bucharest, Romania
Getting Around Bucharest: Airport, Metro, Taxis, Trains & Onward Travel
Everything you need to get around Bucharest: from Henri Coandă airport into town, the metro and buses, ride hailing, the trains from Gara de Nord, and onward travel to Belgrade and Istanbul.
Updated October 2026
What's onThis week in Bucharest
Browse by type
Insiders' picks
Three of our favourites from this list, vetted by people who know and love Bucharest.
-
About 20 minutes
Airport train to Gara de Nord
Trains from the airport station to Gara de Nord, Bucharest’s main railway station, in about 20 minutes, with a connection to the metro.
-
Five lines
Metrorex metro
Bucharest’s metro: five lines linking the centre with the stations, the north and the suburbs. Pay by contactless card at the gates.
-
Easy and inexpensive
Uber and Bolt
Both Uber and Bolt work well in Bucharest and are inexpensive, and they are the easiest way to avoid unlicensed taxis.
The full list: Getting around, A–Z
From the airport 3
Into town from Henri Coandă.
-
About 20 minutes
Airport train to Gara de Nord
Trains from the airport station to Gara de Nord, Bucharest’s main railway station, in about 20 minutes, with a connection to the metro.
-
Formerly bus 783
Express bus 100
The express bus from the airport to the city centre, via Piața Victoriei and Piața Romană, formerly numbered 783.
-
OTP
Henri Coandă International Airport
Bucharest’s main airport at Otopeni, about 17 kilometres north of the centre, with a train station and express buses.
In the city 3
Metro, buses and ride hailing.
-
Five lines
Metrorex metro
Bucharest’s metro: five lines linking the centre with the stations, the north and the suburbs. Pay by contactless card at the gates.
-
The surface network
STB buses, trams and trolleybuses
The city’s large network of buses, trams and trolleybuses, run by STB, with contactless payment on board.
-
Easy and inexpensive
Uber and Bolt
Both Uber and Bolt work well in Bucharest and are inexpensive, and they are the easiest way to avoid unlicensed taxis.
Trains 1
Romania’s railway hub.
-
Trains across Romania
Gara de Nord
Bucharest’s main railway station, with trains across Romania, to the Carpathians and abroad, and connections to the metro.
Piața Gării de Nord 1Explore View on map
Onward travel 3
Heading west to Belgrade or south-east to Istanbul.
-
Heading west
To Belgrade: flights and road
Direct Air Serbia flights link Bucharest and Belgrade in about an hour and a half; by road, the journey takes most of a day.
-
Heading south-east
To Istanbul: by train or coach
In summer, a direct overnight train with sleeping carriages runs from Gara de Nord to Istanbul (Halkalı); coaches run all year.
-
Heading south
To Sofia: across the Danube
Sofia is around five to six hours by road, across the Danube on the Friendship Bridge between Giurgiu and Ruse; in summer a direct train also runs.
Fares and timetables change; check with each operator before you travel.
Explore more of Bucharest
46 of the best Restaurants
33 of the best Cafés
27 of the best Bars
16 of the best Nightlife
21 of the best Shopping
25 of the best Hotels30 of the best Sights40 of the best Art & music9 of the best Cinema
9 of the best Parks6 of the best Walks
6 of the best Wellness & spasHealth HealthReal estate Real estate
4 of the best Cars