Romania's road network is a study in contrast and you should plan around it. As of May 2026 the country has roughly 1,418 km of motorway and expressway open — only 146 km were inaugurated in 2025 against an initial promise of 280 km, and the long-running A1 Sibiu–Pitești is still incomplete, with full continuity now targeted for 2028.
The A2 Bucharest–Constanța (the "Soarelui" motorway), the A3 Transylvania segments, and the A4 Constanța bypass are the most reliable high-speed corridors; everywhere else expect drumuri naționale (DN) of variable quality, where slow trucks, farm vehicles and occasional horse-drawn carts in the east and south mean overtaking is the dominant cause of head-on crashes.
The non-negotiables are the rovinietă and the alcohol rule. The electronic vignette is mandatory on all national roads (DN) and motorways — Category A passenger cars under 3.5 t pay 17.85 RON for one day, 30.60 RON for 10 days, 48.45 RON for 30 days, 76.51 RON for 60 days, or 255.02 RON for 12 months (CNAIR tariffs in force May 2026).
There is no 7-day option. The A2 Fetești–Cernavodă bridge carries a separate 13 RON per-crossing toll for cars on top of the vignette, and crossings of the Danube into Bulgaria (Giurgiu–Ruse, Calafat–Vidin) charge an additional bridge fee.
Romania operates zero tolerance for alcohol: any breath value of 0.01–0.40 mg/l is a contravention (9–20 fine points plus licence suspension); above 0.40 mg/l breath or 0.80 g/l blood the offence becomes criminal under Art. 336 of the Penal Code, with 1–5 years' prison and a 1–10 year driving ban.
Two recent changes matter. Romania's full Schengen accession took effect on 1 January 2025, so land border checks with Hungary and Bulgaria are now lifted (the March 2024 step covered air and sea only).
And the punct de amendă — the unit that scales every fine to the minimum wage — sits at 202.5 RON until 30 June 2026, then climbs to 216.25 RON from 1 July when the minimum gross salary rises to 4,325 RON; every fine in this guide scales accordingly. Mountain passes are seasonal: the Transfăgărășan (DN7C) typically opens late June or early July and closes in mid-to-late October (in 2025: opened 6 June, closed 20 October), with daytime-only access; the Transalpina (DN67C) follows the same rhythm.
Reviewed by Pawan Priyadarshi
Founder of AutoviaTest · About the editor
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