Visiting Romania can be one of the most fascinating experiences anyone could have. Nevertheless, many travelers have little idea how to get here in the first place. Seeming such a distant and different place is a common misbelief and the truth is that Romania is relatively easy to visit. There are plenty of international airports in Romania to make traveling a fast and comfortable experience. For long distance flights, Bucharest International Airport is the only option, while for incoming European travelers, there are other international airports of Romania, the most important being the ones in Cluj Napoca, Timisoara, Constanta, Iasi, Sibiu, Craiova, Bacau, Suceava and Oradea. Flying to Romania for the first time, many travelers have difficult time finding information about the Romanian airports, their location and how to get into the city from the airport.
Bucharest Airport – Aeroportul InternaTional Henri CoandA
By far the largest and busiest among the airports of Romania, it is located in Otopeni, about 16 km north of the city center. It is the base of operations for the national carrier Tarom and low-cost companies Wizz Air, Blue Air and Ryanair. The international airport of Bucharest served almost 15 million passengers in 2019 and the traffic is expected to increase. It has flight connections to most destinations in Europe, but also several long-haul places like Moscow, Dubai, Doha, Amman and more. Of course, there is also the option of connecting flights with the major capitals of the world and then flying to Bucharest or other cities in Romania.
There are several options to reach the city upon arriving at the Bucharest International Airport. The easiest way is by public bus and the station can be found in front of the Arrivals Terminal, at ground floor. Passengers have to buy the tickets from the counter before boarding the buses (1 ticket costs under 1 € and a magnetic card valid for 2 trips costs under 2 €). There are several bus lines available, 780 connects the airport to the main train station (Gara de Nord), 782 connects the airport to the city center (Unity Square) and 783 runs the same route but is also available at night (every 40 minutes). Visitors can also get to the Bucharest North Railway Station by train, first boarding the shuttle that takes them to the airport train station (1 km away). The ticket of under 2 € is valid for both the shuttle and the train ride. Another option is to hail a taxi at the airport arrivals terminal and this can be done by using a touch screen terminal that prints order tickets. The taxi station is on the ground floor, in front of the arrivals terminal. Prices towards the city center and most destinations in Bucharest should be between 5 and 15 Euros, depending on the company and the destination.
Cluj Airport – Aeroportul International ”Avram Iancu” Cluj Napoca
The main airport of Transylvania is located in the city of Cluj Napoca, in the heart of the region. The airport is about 9 km east of the city center and mainly serves European destinations, most of them with low-cost flights. The most important flight connections to Cluj Airport include Bucharest, London, Paris, Barcelona, Istanbul, Madrid, Rome, Vienna, Munich, Frankfurt and many more. The airport of Cluj Napoca is linked to the city center by the no. 8 bus line (to Mihai Viteazul Square) and the trolleybus line no. 5 to the main railway station.
Timisoara Airport – Aeroportul International ”Traian Vuia” Timisoara
Timisoara is third among the airports of Romania by number of passengers, serving the west part of the country, together with the airports of Arad and Oradea. The airport of Timisoara is currently being developed further, preparing for 2021 when the city will be the European Capital of Culture. It is located about 12 km northeast of the city center and connects the city with Bucharest and major cities in Europe like London, Munich, Bergamo-Milan, Brussels, Barcelona, Paris, Rome, Frankfurt, Madrid and more. Timisoara Airport is connected to the city by the express bus line no E4, going all the way to the main railway station. The ticket price is under 1 € and the station can be found outside the domestic flights terminal.
Iasi Airport – Aeroportul InternaTional IaSi
The airport of Iasi is the most important in the historical region of Moldavia and the fourth busiest in Romania. It is located about 8 km east from the city center and has connections to several important European cities like Paris, London, Munich, Brussels, Vienna, Turin, Barcelona, Rome and more, as well as Bucharest and Timisoara. Iasi Airport has three terminals and is connected to the city center and railway station by express public bus no. 50. It is correlated with the flight traffic and a ticket costs about 0,50 €.
Sibiu Airport – Aeroportul InternaTional Sibiu
The airport of Sibiu serves the south part of Transylvania, one of the most popular travel destinations in Romania. It is located about 3 km west of the city and has connections to several major European cities, including Munich, London, Stuttgart, Dortmund, Nuremberg, Vienna and Madrid. Sibiu Airport is linked to the city center by several public bus lines (11, 112, 116, 117, 118), the bus station being located right in front of the airport. Tickets are under 0,50€ and can be bought from the station.
Craiova Airport – Aeroportul InternaTional Craiova
The airport of Craiova serves the historical region of Oltenia in southwestern Romania. It is located about 7 km east of the city and has connections to several important cities in Europe, including Barcelona, Bergamo, London, Bologna, Madrid, Rome, Cologne/Bonn and Birmingham. Craiova Airport is connected to the city by the public bus route no. 9.
Other Airports of Romania
Apart from the above, there are several other airports in Romania, although with less flights, connections and passengers. The most important are the ones in Constanta (by the Black Sea), Bacău (central Moldavia), Suceava (Bucovina region) and Oradea (western Romania). Most of them have the same connections to European cities where many Romanians live or work.