Bucharest,Romania.

Nearly all international arrivals land at Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP), about 17 km north of downtown. The cheapest way into the city is the Express Bus 100, which replaced the old route 783 in December 2023 and costs just 3 lei (about €0.60) for a journey that typically takes 40-50 minutes to Piața Unirii. A faster alternative is the Henri Coandă Express train, which runs from a station beneath the terminal to Gara de Nord (Bucharest North) in roughly 25 minutes for around 4-6.5 lei, though it doesn't reach Old Town directly. For door-to-door convenience, a pre-booked private transfer runs about €25-40 and takes 25-40 minutes depending on traffic, while metered taxis and Bolt/Uber are also widely available.

Bucharest's public transport is split between the Metrorex subway and the surface STB network (bus, tram, trolleybus), which use separate ticketing systems. A single STB ride (90 minutes, unlimited transfers) costs about 3 lei, while a single metro journey costs around 7 lei following a fare increase in May 2026. Integrated passes covering both systems start at roughly 20 lei for 24 hours, and the 24pay mobile app lets visitors pay for rides with an enrolled card instead of buying a physical transport card. The metro runs roughly 05:00-23:00 daily, so night owls will need a Bolt, Uber, or one of the city's night bus lines after service ends.

Bucharest has a continental climate with hot, often muggy summers and cold, grey winters, so the sweet spots are late spring and early autumn when terraces fill up and sightseeing is comfortable. April through June brings blooming parks and mild days, while September and October offer crisp air and fewer crowds around the main sights. Winter can be atmospheric around Christmas markets but requires packing for sub-zero temperatures, and midsummer (July-August) heat can make long walking itineraries tiring.