Bucharest / The verdict
Bucharest airport to the city: which way?
For most arrivals take express bus 100: the airport lists a 3 lei ticket and a bus every 15 minutes by day and 30 at night. The airport train takes 20 to 25 minutes to Gara de Nord. For a car, order at the terminal kiosk or in an app and ignore offers inside the terminal.
By The Real Traveler Experiences team. We earn a commission if you book through our links. It never changes a verdict.
The Bucharest story
Bucharest is big, loud and oddly compelling: the gargantuan Palace of Parliament, a Lipscani old town rebuilt into a nightlife district, Belle Epoque villas beside communist blocks, and Therme, Europe's biggest thermal spa, a short ride out. Prices stay low, the cafe and cocktail scene is real, and day trips reach Peles castle and Bran in Transylvania.
The verdict in 30 seconds
Our pick: Bus 100 express to Piața Unirii (runner-up: Airport train to Gara de Nord)
For most arrivals take express bus 100: the airport lists a 3 lei ticket and a bus every 15 minutes by day and 30 at night. The airport train takes 20 to 25 minutes to Gara de Nord. For a car, order at the terminal kiosk or in an app and ignore offers inside the terminal.
Go if
- You want the cheapest direct link and can pay with a contactless card or by SMS
- You are staying near Piața Unirii, Universitate or the old town
- You can accept a ride of roughly 45 minutes that depends on traffic
Skip if
- You are landing in the small hours with heavy luggage and want door-to-door service
- Your stay sits near Gara de Nord, where the airport train ends
- You would accept a ride from someone who approaches you in the arrivals hall
The options
Bus 100 express to Piața Unirii Go
You want the cheapest direct link to the old-town side of the center.
Good
- The airport lists a 3 lei ticket valid 90 minutes, payable by contactless card or SMS.
- It runs every 15 minutes by day and 30 minutes at night, per the airport.
- It ends at Piața Unirii, beside the old town.
- One forum replier put the ride to an old-town hotel at 45 minutes.
Watch out
- It shares the road with cars, so the time depends on traffic.
- The stop is at the Departures level, one floor up from Arrivals.
- The airport page lists no luggage space; expect a regular city bus.
Airport train to Gara de Nord Go
You want to avoid road traffic or your stay is near Gara de Nord.
Good
- The rail operator lists 20 to 25 minutes with no traffic risk.
- The airport lists a train every 40 minutes, 24 hours a day.
- The operator lists a 6.50 lei ticket.
- The connection is on the ground floor of the Arrivals terminal.
Watch out
- It ends at the main station, so most stays need a metro, bus or car leg.
- A missed train can mean waiting up to 40 minutes.
- A ticket bought from the conductor is listed at 13 lei, so buy before boarding.
Car: taxi kiosk, ride-hail app or pre-booked transfer It depends
You are a group, carrying lots of luggage, or landing late and want door-to-door.
Good
- Door-to-door: one forum replier took 35 minutes to an old-town hotel.
- The kiosks print an order ticket with the car's plate and the carrier's tariff.
- Authorized taxis run 2.29 to 3.50 lei per km, per the airport.
- A pre-booked transfer fixes the price before you land.
Watch out
- It costs more than the bus: one forum replier paid about 60 lei by ride-hail car.
- Traffic changes both the time and the fare.
- Ride-hail pickup is at the Departures level.
- Order only through the kiosk or an app, not from people approaching you.
Official taxi and ride-hail rulesCompare fixed transfer pricespartner site
Accepting a ride offered inside the terminal Skip
No one: the airport says soliciting passengers is sanctioned.
Good
- Nothing to book in advance.
- A car may be ready to leave at once.
Watch out
- The airport's taxi page says soliciting by drivers or intermediaries is sanctioned under Law 38/2003.
- It has none of the order-ticket protection the kiosk gives.
- A forum replier advised against taxis out of fraud concerns and suggested a ride-hail app.
| Criterion | Bus 100 express to Piața Unirii | Airport train to Gara de Nord | Car: taxi kiosk, ride-hail app or pre-booked transfer | Accepting a ride offered inside the terminal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official price | 3 lei per 90-minute ticket | 6.50 lei single | Authorized 2.29 to 3.50 lei per km | Not an authorized service |
| Journey time | About 45 minutes in one report | 20 to 25 minutes to Gara de Nord | 35 minutes in one report | Varies |
| Night coverage | Every 30 minutes at night | Every 40 minutes, 24 hours | Taxi stands; hours not stated | Not applicable |
| Booking needed | No; pay on board or by SMS | No; buy a ticket before boarding | Kiosk, app or advance booking | No |
| Where it drops you | Piața Unirii, beside the old town | Gara de Nord main station | Your address | Your address |
| Main drawback | Road traffic; Departures stop | Onward leg to most stays | Costs more than the bus | Sanctioned by the airport |
What it costs
- Airport train, single to Gara de Nord: €1.30 (official fare 6.50 lei, valid from December 14, 2025; the operator lists 13 lei if bought from the conductor, so buy before boarding; EUR is an approximate conversion of the lei fare (about 1.30 EUR)). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- City bus 90-minute ticket (bus 100 or 442): €0.60 (official fare 3 lei; pay with a transit card, a contactless bank card or SMS with text C to 7458; EUR is an approximate conversion of the lei fare (about 0.60 EUR)). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Licensed airport taxi, lowest authorized rate per km: €0.45 (authorized rates run 2.29 to 3.50 lei per km; the terminal kiosk prints an order ticket with the car's plate and the carrier's tariff; EUR is an approximate conversion of the lei fare (about 0.45 EUR)). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
What travelers report
Based on 2 traveler reports (Aug 2025 to Sep 2026) and the official sources linked on this page. 0 were negative.
What people like
- One forum replier used both a kiosk taxi and a ride-hail car from the airport and had no problems with either.
- The same replier took 35 minutes by car to an old-town hotel and put bus 100 at 45 minutes.
- The airport lists a bus every 15 minutes by day and every 30 at night, and a train every 40 minutes around the clock.
What people complain about
- News coverage says the 7 September 2026 move of pickups to the Departures zone sends arriving passengers upstairs.
- Another forum replier advised against taxis because of fraud risk, repeating what a Romanian family had told them, and suggested a ride-hail app.
How to do it right
- Follow the terminal signs toward the Departures level: the airport says buses 100 and 442 stop only at the Departures stop, and the ride-hail pickup moved there too.
- Take bus 100 if you are heading to Piața Unirii, Universitate or the old town and pay the 3 lei fare by contactless card, a transit card or SMS with C to 7458.
- Take the airport train to Gara de Nord when you want to avoid road traffic: it runs every 40 minutes around the clock and takes 20 to 25 minutes. Buy the ticket before boarding.
- For a taxi, order at the touch-screen kiosks in the Arrivals public area and keep the printed order ticket showing the plate.
- Use a ride-hail app such as Bolt, Uber or Free Now instead of accepting offers from anyone who approaches you inside the terminal.
The trap to avoid
Accepting a ride offered by someone who approaches you in the arrivals hall: the airport's own taxi page says soliciting passengers, by drivers or intermediaries, is sanctioned under Law 38/2003, and it points travelers to the touch-screen kiosks instead.
Why this verdict
The pick is bus 100, with the airport train as the runner-up. The case rests mostly on the airport’s and the rail operator’s own pages, because only two traveler sources survived checking. The airport lists a 3 lei ticket for bus 100, valid 90 minutes, with a bus every 15 minutes by day and every 30 at night. The bus ends at Piața Unirii beside the old town. One forum replier who has used the airport several ways put the bus at 45 minutes to an old-town hotel and a car at 35 minutes.
The train answers the traffic problem. The rail operator lists a 6.50 lei ticket and a journey of 20 to 25 minutes to Gara de Nord, and the airport says trains run every 40 minutes around the clock. The last leg is the catch: Gara de Nord is the main station, so most stays still need a metro, bus or car onward. The operator lists 13 lei for a ticket bought from the conductor, so buy before you board.
Cars come in two kinds. The safe route is the official one: touch-screen kiosks in the Arrivals public area print an order ticket with the car’s plate and tariff, and the airport lists authorized rates of 2.29 to 3.50 lei per km. The same forum replier had no problems with either a kiosk taxi or a ride-hail car, paying about 60 lei for the ride. The other kind is the reason the skip option exists: the airport’s own page says soliciting passengers is sanctioned under Law 38/2003, so refuse offers from anyone who approaches you.
One more wrinkle: a news report says that from 7 September 2026 pickups for taxis, ride-hail cars and buses 100 and 442 moved to the Departures zone while the Arrivals car park is closed for about six months. Follow the signs rather than older guides.
Timing and tickets
Prices were checked on October 8, 2026 on the rail operator’s page and the airport’s bus and taxi pages. Bus 100 is 3 lei, the train is 6.50 lei, and taxi rates are 2.29 to 3.50 lei per km. The airport lists the bus stop at the Departures level and the train connection on the ground floor of Arrivals.
Book or check times
CFR airport train timetable and ticketsOfficial airport bus informationOfficial taxi and ride-hail rules
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Questions
What is the cheapest way from the airport to the city?
Express bus 100 costs 3 lei for a 90-minute ticket, per the airport's official bus page. Pay with a contactless bank card or by SMS with the text C to 7458.
Is there a train from the airport?
Yes. The airport lists a train to Gara de Nord every 40 minutes, 24 hours a day, and the rail operator lists a journey of about 20 to 25 minutes and a 6.50 lei ticket. A ticket bought from the conductor is listed at 13 lei.
Where do buses, taxis and ride-hail cars pick up?
At the Departures level. The airport says buses 100 and 442 stop only at the Departures stop while works continue, and a news report says the Arrivals car park closed on 7 September 2026 for about six months.
How do I avoid being overcharged by a taxi?
Order at the official touch-screen kiosks in the Arrivals public area, which print an order ticket with the car's plate, or book in a ride-hail app. The airport says soliciting passengers is sanctioned under Law 38/2003.
How much does a taxi to the center cost?
The airport lists authorized rates of 2.29 to 3.50 lei per km. One forum replier paid about 60 lei by ride-hail car for a 35-minute ride to an old-town hotel.