Transfagarasan Highway: Everything You Need To Know
Planning a road trip on the Transfagarsan Highway, but you don’t know where to start?
The Transfagarasan Highway was the highlight of our two-week summer road trip around Romania. Here’s a comprehensive guide to everything you need to know about driving Romania’s most beautiful road.
But first, what is the Transfagarasan Highway and is it even worth seeing?
The Transfagarasan Highway (DN7C) is a 90 km stretch of road that winds through the untouched landscape of central Romania’s Fagaras Mountains (aka the Transylvanian Alps).
In Romanian, Transfagarasan literally translates to “crossing the Fagaras Mountains”.
The Transfagarsan Highway rose to international fame in 2009 after being featured on Top Gear, a popular British TV Show, where the host dubbed it “the best road in the world”.
It’s a must-see on any Romania itinerary because of the exhilarating hairpin turns, spectacular viewpoints, natural attractions, and scenic hiking trails dotted along the route.
As you take in the stunning views along the Transfagarasan Highway, it’s important to remember the history behind how it was built. Many lives were lost during its construction in the 1970s, so take a moment to honour these victims when you visit 🪽.
How to Get to the Transfagarasan Highway
The Transfagarasan Highway runs between the town of Curtea de Arges and Cartisoara village.
Where is the best place to start the Transfagarasan Highway?
The best place to start the drive along the Transfagarsan Highway depends on your location in Romania and the direction you plan to take afterwards.
- If you’re coming from the south (e.g. Bucharest) and heading north, start from Curtea de Arges or the nearby city of Pitesti.
- If you’re coming from the north (e.g. Sibiu, Cluj-Napoca) and heading south, start from Cartisoara or Sibiu.
What is the best way to see the Transfagarasan Highway?
The best way to see the Transfagarasan Highway is to drive.
We highly recommend hiring a car.
- If you’re coming from the south, hire a car at Bucharest Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP). The drive to Curtea de Arges takes about 2 hours.
- If you’re coming from the north, hire a car at Sibiu International Airport (SBZ). The drive to Cartisoara takes about 1 hour.
👉🏼 Book your car in advance at Discover Cars. Prices start from £12 per day. You can arrange a drop-off at a different location for an extra fee.
Best Time to Visit the Transfagarasan Highway
The best time to visit the Transfagarsan is when the entire highway is open, usually between mid-June and late October. However, the exact dates vary slightly each year depending on weather conditions.
July and August are the busiest months of the year because they coincide with the European Summer holidays. Expect heavy traffic congestion around Lake Balea and Balea Waterfall.
Off-peak months (June, September, and October) are great times to visit because there are fewer crowds, but the weather can be more unpredictable.
We drove the Transfagarasan Highway on 27th July 2024. Keep reading to find out how it went.
Can you visit the Transfagarasan in Winter?
During Winter (November – early June), the section between Piscu Negru (south) and Balea Waterfall (north) is closed due to heavy snow, making it too dangerous to drive.
However, visiting other parts of the Transfagarasan Highway is still possible.
- If you’re starting from Cartisoara or Sibiu, you can drive to Balea Waterfall Visitor Car Park and catch the cable car to see the highway’s top attraction: Lake Balea. The cable car runs daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and costs 100 RON return.
- If you’re starting from Curtea de Arges or Pitesti, you can drive up to the Chalet Bear Manor before the alpine zone. DO NOT attempt to cross this area when it’s closed. Not only will you get a fine, but it’s actually dangerous due to avalanche risk and any accidents will not be covered by insurance.
Is it better to visit the Transfagarasan Highway during Summer or Winter?
Based on our experience, the best part is the alpine zone, so if you’re after the scenic viewpoints that the Transfagarasan is famous for, visit in summer.
The advantage of visiting in winter is that accommodation prices might be cheaper in the low season. But you will need a car with winter tires because the road is prone to freezing after dusk.
You can check the opening schedule for the highway and weather conditions on Transfagarasan Travel.
Top Attractions along the Transfagarasan Highway
Lake Balea
Lake Balea is the crown jewel of the Transfagarasan Highway. It’s a glacial lake near the highest point of the road: 2034 m. It’s a stunning place to photograph because of the reflections of the mountains in the water – with or without fog (more on this later).
From here, you can access the iconic viewpoint overlooking the hairpin turns paved into the Transylvanian Alps and several hiking trails.
There’s also the cable car station to Balea Waterfall, a couple of restaurants and hotels, public toilets and market stalls selling souvenirs and street food, so it tends to be very crowded in the afternoons.
⚡️ TIP: If you want to avoid the crowds and traffic congestion around Lake Balea, we recommend staying near Sibiu so that you can get there early in the morning. If you have time to stay near Lake Balea overnight, even better.
Balea Waterfall
The Balea Waterfall is a 60-metre cascade of water flowing down the rugged cliffs of Balea Valley in the Fagaras Mountains. It’s about 13 km (20-minute drive) from Lake Balea, at a lower altitude of 1234 m.
To get to the waterfall, park at the free Balea Waterfall Visitor Parking and walk towards the Balea Waterfall Chalet, where the trailhead is marked by a red dot.
Follow the path for about 45 minutes to reach the waterfall. Be prepared for a gradual ascent across rocky terrain.
Once you’ve reach Balea Waterfall, you can either catch the cable car or hike to Lake Balea. The hike takes about 2 hours.
⚡️ TIP: Visit on a weekday, especially during Winter, because the cable car queue can be as long as four hours! If you’re looking for somewhere to grab lunch, there are a couple of restaurants and food stalls at both Balea Waterfall and Lake Balea (however, we recommend packing a picnic!).
Other Attractions and Landmarks
The attractions and landmarks listed below are all located south of Lake Balea:
Capra Tunnel
The Capra Tunnel is the longest (887 m) and highest (1420 m) tunnel in Romania. It connects Lake Balea & the alpine zone to the lower sections of the Transfagarasan Highway.
Capra Waterfall
Capra Waterfall is a small waterfall on the side of the Transfagarasan Highway, about a 10-minute drive from the Capra Tunnel.
There’s no dedicated carpark, and we saw people just pullover on the side of the road.
While Balea Waterfall is much more impressive, stop here to hike to Capra Lake. The trail is marked by a blue stripe.
Vidraru Dam & Lake
A small part of the Transfagarasan Highway runs along the top of Vidraru Dam which is 166 m deep and 307 m long.
If you’re coming from the south (i.e. Bucharest), you’ll reach a tunnel just before the dam. There’s a small car park before the tunnel and another slightly bigger car park after the tunnel with a few kiosks to buy snacks and souvenirs.
You can walk along the road on top of the dam. On one side, you have a lovely view of Vidraru Lake, and on the other, you can see how steep the dam is!
⚡️ TIP: During Summer, you can catch a 30-minute boat ride on the lake for 30 RON. If you’re feeling extra brave, you can even bungee jump off the side of the dam.
Poenari Castle Ruins
Poenari Castle are ruins from the 14th Century. It’s where Vlad the Impaler – aka ‘the real Dracula’ – lived in the 1500s.
The ruins are located on a steep hill about a 30-minute drive from the Curtea de Arges starting point.
To access the ruins, drive to the Dracula Campsite along the Transfagarsan Highway. Next to the campsite, you’ll find a staircase with 1480 steps leading to the ruins and the view from the top is impressive.
⚡️ TIP: When we visited in July 2024, the ruins were closed for renovation, but you can still catch a glimpse of them from the highway. I suggest calling the Dracula Campsite or the nearby Cabana La Cetate to confirm opening times before you visit.
Viewpoints
There are so many viewpoints along the Transfagarasan Highway – many easily reachable by simply pulling over on the side of the road, while some require hiking.
The higher the elevation, the better the view, so we stopped a lot for photos, especially when we reached the alpine zone between Piscu Negru (south) and Balea Waterfall (north).
Here are a couple of notable viewpoints that you might like to add to your Romanian road trip itinerary:
- Panorama Transfagarasan is located next to Lake Balea. It’s a small glass pointy dome with a cross at the top. We didn’t bother paying 5 RON to visit inside. Instead, we found a spot next to the dome for unobstructed views of the dramatic hairpin turns and Fagaras Mountains.
- This viewpoint is located just below Lake Balea towards the north end of the highway. It’s a closer-up view of the hairpin turns. We stopped here for a picnic lunch with a view. There’s a decent sized car park.
Hikes
There are many hiking trails off the Transfagarasan Highway, ranging from one-hour hikes to longer multi-day hikes.
The most popular hiking trails are:
Driving the Transfagarasan Highway: Our Experience
We tackled the Transfagarasan Highway on Saturday 27th July 2024. Here’s a rundown of how it went.
The Night Before – Curtea de Arges
We started our two-week road trip in Bucharest, where we hired a car.
On Friday, July 26th, 2024, we drove from Brasov to Curtea de Arges. Even though Brasov is closer to the Sibiu starting point, we had planned to stay in Sibiu for a couple of nights, and this made the most sense for our itinerary. The journey took us about three hours.
We read online that the Transfagarasan Highway gets extremely busy on weekends during Summer (exactly when we planned to go 🤦🏻♀️) so we decided to stay in Curtea de Arges so that we could start the drive early and avoid traffic congestion.
👉🏼 We stayed in this charming and cosy cabin in Curtea de Arges, which has secure car parking and the loveliest host: Old Court Holiday Home.
There’s not much to do in Curtea de Arges other than see a few historical landmarks: the Curtea de Arges Monastery, the Royal Court, and the San Nicoara Church ruins.
We didn’t explore and instead, opted for takeaway pizza at Proper Pizza & Pasta and an early night so that we would be well-rested for the big day ahead.
The Big Day (with time stamps)
Below is a detailed account of our drive along the Transfagarsan, including accurate timestamps and Google Map locations. Use it as a guide to help with planning, but add your own travel preferences and the flexibility to explore new things.
8:30 am
We checked out of our accommodation at 8:00 am and it took us half an hour to drive to the official starting point for the Transfagarsan.
For reference, it’s right next to the Capataneni Post Office on Google Maps. Across the road, there’s a John Market Kiosk where you can buy drinks and snacks for your drive.
8:38 am
It didn’t take long for us to see our first bear sighting near Valea Lui Stan. We just slowed down and stopped to let it pass (with windows up of course!).
Apparently many of the bears have learnt to beg on the side of the road because some tourists have been feeding them, unaware that this is actually doing more harm to the bears than good. Do NOT feed the bears – here’s why.
8:46 am
We stopped at Vidraru Dam for about 10 minutes.
9:01 am
We saw four more bears patiently waiting roadside between Forest House Grill and Transfagarasan Waterfall.
9:15 am
We saw outdoor tables and chairs at Valea cu Pesti and pulled over, hoping we would find coffee there. However, it was closed at this time of day. We walked down to the pontoon, where we got a beautiful view of Vidraru Lake. There was also a kayak rental place here.
9:40 am
We stopped by Transfagarasan Tree House Village for coffee. This place was AMAZING!!! They had a huge terrace in the middle of a beautiful forest – it was so peaceful and the perfect place to enjoy our morning coffee.
⚡️ TIP: The Transfagarasan Tree House Village also offer accommodation. Bridges connect the restaurant to several tree house cabins. If we had known about this place earlier, we would have loved to stay there for a few nights.
10:26 am
We stopped by this Vidraru Lake viewpoint but the view was so much better at the pontoon by Valea cu Pesti. If I were you, I would skip it.
11:09 am
We reached Hotel Capra – this is where the road transitions from forest to mountains. We saw some wild donkeys on the road!
⚡️ TIP: You can hike to Capra Lake from Hotel Capra. The trail takes 3 hours and is marked with a blue stripe.
12:08 pm
We stumbled upon an abandoned house near Salvamont Cota 2000 Arges. There was no signage, so we had no idea what it was. It took about 10 minutes to climb to the top and the view of the winding road through the Alpine Valley was lovely, but they were about to get even better …
12:20 pm
We finally arrived at Capra Tunnel.
We were stuck in a traffic jam at the end of the tunnel because Lake Balea was super busy!
When we reached the other end, it felt like we had teleported to a completely different place. Before we entered the tunnel, the sky was sunny and clear. As soon as we reached the other side, it was completely covered in fog!
There was a line to get into the car park, but it was full.
After 10 minutes, we gave up on the queue and found a spare space to park on the side of the road between Cabana Paltnu and Lake Balea Meteorological Station for free (or maybe it was just our lucky day?).
⚡️ TIP: There are toilets at the Lake Balea cable car station – they costs 3 RON to use so make sure you have some cash with you.
We ended up staying at Lake Balea until 1:40 p.m. During this time, the fog eventually cleared up, and we got some nice photos of the lake and hairpin turns next to the Panorama Transfagarsan viewpoint.
This is the advantage of hiring your own car as opposed to going with a tour – you are not limited by the tour’s schedule and can wait it out until the fog clears.
There are a couple of restaurants at Lake Balea but we were keen to escape the busy crowd, because the traffic was getting worse.
2:00 pm
We drove down to the Transfagarasan Panoramic View where we stopped for a picnic lunch with a view. There are several places to park along this section, so don’t worry if the first car park you see is full, there’ll be another one close by.
2:38 pm
We drove past the Balea Waterfall Car Park but it was packed. Clearly done with the crowds we saw at Lake Balea, we continued our journey to Sibiu.
2:58 pm
We reached the end of the Transfagarsan road at Caritsoara.
3:42 pm
Our journey ended in Cisnadie, a small town 10 km from Sibiu, where we would be staying for the next couple of nights (it was cheaper to stay here than in Sibiu city centre).
For inspiration on how to spend a few days in Sibiu, read my 10 Things To Do In Sibiu, Romania’s Capital of Culture guide.
What we would do differently
We hadn’t expected to see so many restaurants and accommodation along the Transfagarsan Highway! From what we had read online, we thought it was just a road with great views 🤦🏻♀️.
If we had to do it again, we would stay at Transfagarasan Tree House Village for a few nights.
It’s in such a central location along the Transfagarasan Highway that we could easily do water sports at Lake Vidraru, have time to do a couple of hikes in the Fagaras Mountains and explore all the attractions along the road – plus waking up in the middle of a forest is right up my alley.
Transfagarasan Road Trip Travel Tips
Based on our experience, here are our top tips to help you plan the perfect road trip along the famous Transfagarsan Highway:
- Romanians drive on the right side of the road. Here’s a summary of the Romanian Road Rules and Safety in English.
- Visit Lake Balea on a weekday and as early as possible to guarantee a car park and avoid the crowds. Tour buses from Sibiu and Brasov start trickling in at around 11:00 am.
- Fill up your car in Cartisoara or Curtea de Arges before you go, as there are no petrol stations along the highway.
- Check weather conditions on the Transfagarasan Live Cam of Lake Balea before you go.
- Be prepared for all weather conditions. At the start of our journey, I was fine in a sleeveless linen jumpsuit, but by the time we got to Lake Balea, the weather changed very quickly, and I was very happy to have my windproof jacket.
- Bring cash with you. Our accommodation in Curtea Arges only accepted cash as payment. We also needed cash to use the toilets at the Lake Balea cable car station, and a lot of the kiosks and market stalls along the highway accept cash only.
- Pack a picnic because the views are epic and it’ll save you money!
- Read up on bear safety before you go. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. And DO NOT feed the bears.
How to Hire A Car in Romania
Car Rental Essentials
- Minimum 21 years of age
- Valid Driver’s License or International Drivers Permit
- Credit card
- Car insurance
Where to rent a car
Whether you’re coming from the south or north, the airport is the easiest place to rent a car.
Bucharest Airport (OTP), Sibiu Airport (SBZ), and Brasov Airport (GHV) are the closest airports to the Transfagarsan Highway. The Arrivals Terminal has several car rental booths.
We recommend booking at least one month in advance, especially if you drive an automatic transmission. Europeans tend to drive with manual transmissions, so automatic rental vehicles are limited.
The earlier you book, the cheaper the car rental will be, and more car options will be available. We recommend Discover Cars.
Car Rental Costs
We found that renting a car in Romania is relatively cheap compared to other European destinations.
Our total spend on car expenses for 14 days in Romania was £615:
- Car rental: £140.98 (£10.07 per day)
- One-way rent fee: £124.83
- Early morning drop-off fee: £8.32
- Full Car Insurance: £236.75 (£16.91 per day)
- Petrol: £93.33
- Parking: £9.13
Klass Wagen Car Rental Review
We hired a car using Klass Wagen at Bucharest Airport and our experience was good.
We had no issues with the car. They even dropped us off at the departure gates for free after we returned it at 6:00 am in the morning!
What we didn’t like about Klass Wagen was that their Bucharest office was not within walking distance from the airport – we still had to catch a short Uber ride there.
They also made us take out full insurance because the name on our credit card didn’t match our exact full name. For example, if your name is John Smith, then J. Smith won’t be accepted.
In the end, although the full insurance cost more, it gave us peace of mind knowing we were covered for any damage.
Do we recommend Klass Wagen? If you’re happy to pay extra for the full insurance, then yes.
Otherwise, check out Discover Cars for other options.
Transfagarsan Highway Day Trip Tours
Don’t have a car or don’t feel confident driving in a foreign country? That’s totally understandable!
There are plenty of companies offering day tours to the Transfagarasan Highway.
Sibiu is the best and most convenient place to do a guided tour. It’s closer to Lake Balea and the most scenic parts of the road (about a 1.5 hour drive).
Less time in the car, means more time to explore!
Here’s a couple of highly rated tour that you might like to consider:
👉🏼 From Bucharest: Top Gear Road Transfagarasan Day Trip
👉🏼 From Sibiu: Transfagarasan Wonders Journey through Balea Lake
Where to Stay on the Transfagarsan Highway
We stopped at Transfagarasan Tree House Village for coffee and wished we had stayed here for a couple of nights. It was in the perfect location to explore the attractions and hikes along the highway, and surrounded by forest. The hotel is protected from bears and other wild animals by an electric fence for peace of mind.
For a deeper dive into accommodation, check out my Best Places To Stay Along The Transfagarasan Highway guide – Coming Soon!
Transfagarsan Highway: FAQs
Can you visit Transfagarsan Highway by public transport?
While it’s possible to get to the starting points (e.g. Pitesti, Curtea de Arges, Sibiu, or Cartisoara) by public bus or train, no public transport runs along the Transfagarasan Highway.
The best way to visit the Transfagarasan Highway is to drive or with a guided tour.
From Sibiu, you can also book a Balea Bus transfer to the Balea Waterfall and then catch the cable car to Lake Balea. Day Passes cost 65 euros.
Which direction is better to drive the Transfagarasan Highway?
We drove from South to North (Curtea de Arges to Cartisoara), and the views got better and better as the landscape transitioned from forest to mountains. When we finally reached Lake Balea – the pièce de résistance – the reveal felt super dramatic, especially with the dream-like fog rolling in as we came out of the Balea tunnel.
The advantage of starting from the North is that you’ll be able to reach Balea Waterfall and Lake Balea early before it gets too crowded.
How long does it take to drive the Transfagarasan Highway?
Without stopping, driving the entire Transfagarasan Highway will take about 2 hours depending on traffic.
But let’s face it – you’re going to want to stop A LOT.
Give yourself a whole day to explore the different attractions and viewpoints and have lunch at your own pace. Start early, and you may even have time to fit in a short hike.
Even better, stay a few nights along the highway so that you can really take your time.
What are the road conditions like at Transfagarasan Highway?
The Transfagarasan Highway is well-maintained – we had no issues driving.
Be prepared for very sudden changes in weather though, especially at the highest altitude sections. There tends to be fog around Lake Balea which reduces visibility.
There are also no street lamps so avoid driving at night if you don’t feel comfortable.
In Winter, the Transfagarasan Highway is partially closed between Piscu Negru (south) and Balea Waterfall (north). For the rest of the road that remains open, hiring a car with winter tires is highly recommended as the road tends to freeze over after dusk.
We checked road conditions using Transfagarasan Travel or Transfagarasan Live Cam.
What is the speed limit along the Transfagarasan Highway?
The maximum speed limit along the Transfagarasan Highway is 40 km/hour (25 miles/hour).
Final Thoughts: Transfagarasan Highway
The Transfagarsan Highway was the top highlight of our two-week Romanian road trip. I still can’t believe we saw bears!
There’s so much more to see and do along the road than we thought. Please don’t be like us and actually stay a few nights along the highway. It was our only regret.
This is the guide I wish I had when I was researching the Transfagarsan Highway for my own road trip last year. I hope you find it helpful too!
Read my Two-Week Romania Itinerary: 13 Places To Visit guide to find out where else we went during our road trip around Romania.