Bucharest – Journey – Communication
Plane
Romanian state airline, TAROM, they have two main offices in Bucharest. The country branch is located next to the Emond Gallery on the fifth Victoriei, and international over the CFR headquarters on the strada of Domnija Anastasia. A few times a week, throughout the year, Tarom planes fly from Bucharest to Arad, Closed, Iasi, Oradei, One Mar, Sibiu, Suceava and Timisoara. In summer, there are also flights to Constana and Tulcea. Prices are listed in Communication ; there is no need to count on bargain rates.
International airline offices can be found on the bulevardul Nicolae Balcescu and bulevardul Magheru, m.in. LOT-u (tel.6592575). Several representative offices are located on the Batista street near the American consulate, np. Air Moldova (tel.3121258) i Balkan Air (tel.3120711).
Information about flights at Otopeni airport (for example about delays) tel.2120138, at the Baneasa airport, tel. 6330030. The shops and restaurants at Otopeni Airport are ridiculously expensive and only accept dollars, keep this in mind, before handing over the luggage and going through passport control.
Bus
Various travel agencies in the square between the North Railway Station and Hotel Cerna offer tickets for daily connections to Istanbul (804 km, 14-22 time., 30 $ one way), Sofia (512 km, 8-14 time., 11 $ one way), Of Budapest (873 km, 18-26 time., 18 $), Aten (1374 km, 28-35 time., 45 $), Chisinau, Moldova (for rum. Chisinau; 591 km, 15-18 time., 12 $), Of Warsaw (1650 km, 2 days, 28 $) and to other cities. Before buying a ticket, it's a good idea to compare prices (or haggle!). You have to remember, of course, to take a sufficient supply of provisions on your trip.
You should also find out, what formalities are required for entry into a given country, because the carrier's representative will certainly not inform about it without being asked. A trip to Istanbul will no doubt be exhausting, as Romanians and Turks cannot do without a cigarette and drown out everything with their favorite music; in addition, buses are not always heated in winter. Half of the time is spent in lines at the border or on a stopover.
Train
Almost all fast and passenger trains pass through the North Station (North Station) or finish running on it. Na Gara Besarab (a long building to the northwest of the North Railway Station) Only a few passenger trains arrive, not included in the reservation: from Brasov, Domestic, Pitejti, Sibiu, Suceava, Timijoary i in. (they also leave this station).
Some national trains from Fetesti and Constana arrive at Bucuresti-Obor station, located east of the center. Sometimes Gar Baneas, in the northern part of the city, handles passenger connections from Snagov and some seasonal fast ones from Mangalia. All passenger trains from Giurgiu arrive at Gara Progresul, on the southern tip of Bucharest (tram #12 runs to Gara Bessarab).
At the North Railway Station, you should pay attention to the small signs next to the cash desks – places are marked on the plates, for which tickets can be purchased at a given box office. First class tickets are sold by different ticket offices than second class tickets. Express tickets on the day of departure can only be purchased one hour before departure, provided, that there are still vacancies.
By purchasing your ticket in advance at the CFR office, avoiding standing in long queues at stations. Office located on the north side of Unirii fifth, I ask for Bratianu Boulevard, sells tickets for international connections (pn.-pt. 7.30-17.30, sb. 8.00-12.00). The prices are: Ruse 7 $, Sofia 16 $, Budapest 48 $. A seat reservation costs 1-3 $; Inter-Rail ticket holders must also purchase it.
You pay in lees, though it happens, that agencies insist on marks or dollars. You should not succumb to them.
CFR National Office at Domnija Anastasia Strada, from the Central Hotel to the Kogalniceanu boulevard, is open from Monday to Friday from. 7.30-18.00. It's best to buy tickets for internal lines and sleeping places here.
Domestic tickets are also sold at the CFR office near the Hotel Nord in calea Grivitei 139, south of the North Railway Station.
COMMUNICATION
Airports
Co 30 minutes in hours. 6.30-21.00 buses depart from Unirii fifth to the airports in Baneasa and Otopeni #783, stopping at numerous stops on the eastern side of Bratianu bulevardul, (0,20 $, payable to the driver). The journey to Baneas continues 20 minutes (it is not entirely clear, where to get off, better ask someone), and you go to Otopeni 30 minutes (last station). Line buses #783 depart to the center from the main exit, in Baneasa you have to go to the other side of the busy Bucharest-Pitesti road.
Taxi drivers should not be trusted, who maintain, that this line no longer works or does not exist at all. A taxi ride shouldn't cost more than 9-10 $ z Otopeni i 8-10 $ z Baneasa.
Public transport
Bus tickets, You can buy trams and trolleybuses at kiosks with the inscription casa de ticket or simply a ticket. Just like in Poland, tickets are validated immediately after entry – only on one side, because they are all double-sided, valid for two runs. Controllers ("Canners”) they dutifully fulfill their duty; free riding costs money 6 $. Public transport has been in operation since 5.00 do 24.00, except Sundays, when there are fewer courses.
Metro
Bucharest metro, open in 1985 r., has three lines. Just like in other big cities, you travel quickly by metro, which doesn't mean, that's convenient. Trains run every 5-7 minutes and are usually overloaded. You can buy double-travel tickets with a magnetic stripe at station kiosks (0,20 $).
The line Ml crosses the southern part of the city from the east (Republic) west (Industry). At Eroilor, some turn north to the North Railway Station, so urgent attention must be paid to the marking on the front of the train. Part of the trains going from Eroilor to the North Railway Station, continues east to Dristor via Victoriei fifth (M3). Another north-south line connects Piper with Depou.
The M3 is long and goes around the western districts, so if someone goes downtown, it will be more convenient for him to change to the fifth Victoriei. In Unirii Square, Victoriei and Dristor's fifth you can change lines without buying a new ticket.
The stations are not well marked, that's why it's worth taking a seat somewhere in the front, to spot the name in time. On the platforms, the name of a given station is framed. The remaining inscriptions refer to the direction of travel.
Taxis
Government taxis have a radio-taxi number on the side 953. If there is no taximeter, better to set a stake, even before getting into the car. When this article was written, the official tariff was 0,30 $ for 1 km.