Help: Romania public transport

chrissym

Hey guys,

I'm looking for some advice on public transport. I'm flying to Bucharest and am then heading straight to Galati.

I'm planning on getting the bus/train.

Any suggestions on how to get from the airport to the city centre and then which bus/train companies or routes to take?

Any approximate prices would be good too as I'm finding limited stuff online and most of it is poorly translated.

Thanks!

whomitconcerns

Get a speed taxi from the airport. Request with the machine from the right hand side when you come out of arrivals. About 30ron to gare du Nord. Train from there to Galați Well be about 30/40 Ron.

CFR.ro has an English version for train tickets

whomitconcerns

But why Galați? Not exactly a major hub? (I watched man utd beat them in Bucharest about 5 years ago and have a few friends there)

Fred Swanson

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whomitconcerns

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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Why waste 30+ RON on a taxi when you can get the public bus number 780 from the Airport to Gara du Nord? Cost is only 3.5 RON.
Although a trip in a Bucharest taxi is something else. Driver constantly updating his facebook whilst hurtling down the road at 110 km/h. Great times.

I would only bother with a taxi when it is very late at night or you have a lot of luggage.[/quote]
It's only €6/7 and a lot less messing about. I'm there about once a month, the novelty of a bus wears off verrrrrry fast when your stuck in traffic and it's the guts of 40 degrees

chrissym

My flight will land at 21:30 so both options are good. Thanks for the help!

Doltanian

Install Uber and use it, make sure you have data roaming and grab an Uber from outside the terminal, my driver was parked in the car park like a civilian as Uber can't use the taxi rank. then get an Uber from there to your destination. I went to Romania in May and the few times I needed a taxi I used Uber and never actually took a taxi as they have a woeful reputation in Bucharest for scamming and ripping off tourists including a few murders also.

whomitconcerns

Doltanian wrote: »

Install Uber and use it, make sure you have data roaming and grab an Uber from outside the terminal, my driver was parked in the car park like a civilian as Uber can't use the taxi rank. then get an Uber from there to your destination. I went to Romania in May and the few times I needed a taxi I used Uber and never actually took a taxi as they have a woeful reputation in Bucharest for scamming and ripping off tourists including a few murders also.

Woh there.... Use unofficial taxis and you may get ripped off. Hence I said use speed taxi from the airport. And I do not know where you heard the murder thing. That's nonsense. Romania is one of the safest countries in Europe and Bucharest the safest capital I have ever been in. (I lived there for 2 years and go there regularly for the last 10 so I know what I'm saying).

Op if your arriving at 9.30 pm you will be very late getting into Galați, maybe consider staying in Bucharest for the night unless you are meeting friends there, as it won't be hugely accommodating in Galați arriving at midnight

Fred Swanson

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mahamageehad

Just back from Bucharest and locals recommend the black cabs app. You can't pay with the app just yet though. Taxis are pretty cheap. The heat is intense at the moment, was 36-39 all weekend.

chrissym

Fred Swanson wrote: »

There is a train at 2330 but that won't have you in Galați till 6 the next morning. That involves changing in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night.

Yeah I noticed that just yesterday... I'm going to be staying with my friend so she said she will book a bus for me which takes 4 hours instead.

She's been very busy organising her wedding so I had to sort it out myself until I went to her out of desperation over the train time!

chrissym

How can you tell an unofficial taxi from the outside?

Fred Swanson

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whomitconcerns

chrissym wrote: »

How can you tell an unofficial taxi from the outside?

The biggest companies are speed taxi, cris taxi, taxi 2000. They are all fine. Speed taxi has an app in English also. Black cab app works but it's expensive. Uber is fine also.

Doltanian

There is a big difference between Uber and unofficial taxis, we all know that even official taxis will rip you off even in Ireland and getting an unofficial taxi is extremely unwise especially in a country notorious for scams like Romania.

Uber involves no payment as it is all done through the app paying them by Credit Card and in my experience was a much safer and pleasant option in Bucharest as you have a good idea of the price as it is estimated beforehand, you enter your destination so no trouble to find the place and the driver finds you based on your GPS location and you know the driver based on his car and licence Plate, e.g. Skoda Octavia 171-D-12345 etc.

Forewarned is forearmed
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Bucharest+Taxi+scam

whomitconcerns

Doltanian wrote: »

There is a big difference between Uber and unofficial taxis, we all know that even official taxis will rip you off even in Ireland and getting an unofficial taxi is extremely unwise especially in a country notorious for scams like Romania.

Forewarned is forearmed
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Bucharest+Taxi+scam

The posts that are on the link you have are 5 years old. No problems if you stick to the main taxi companies at all. And notorious for scams..I don't think so... im afraid You have been misinformed

Fred Swanson

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whomitconcerns

Fred Swanson wrote: »

I shall be heading to Otopeni airport in a few weeks and shall see what is going on. I am arriving in own private taxi, fare agreed in advance.

I have heard that the taxi mafia had retaken control of arrivals. It has been over a year since I used OTP.

https://www.inyourpocket.com/bucharest/The-Definitive-Guide-to-Finding-a-Taxi-at-Bucharest-Airport_74243f?&page=1

For the first time ever, passengers arriving at Otopeni were allowed to call the taxi of their choice and have it collect them directly outside the airport terminal. All you had to do was order a taxi via one six machines stationed within the arrivals hall. These machines dispensed tickets which contained the taxi's details (number plate etc.), and which had to be handed over to the driver of the corresponding taxi. The machines offered taxis from almost all major Bucharest taxi companies, most of which charged the standard Bucharest rate of just 1.39 lei per kilometre. Those wanting a bit more luxury could order a more expensive taxi.

The system worked perfectly, and everyone - from arriving passengers to taxi drivers - was happy. As this is Romania however, and we are not allowed nice, efficient things, the airport's management last year decided to do away with it and reintroduce the taxi Mafia.

In August 2015, the airport announced new regulations regarding which taxis could access the arrivals terminal. In brief, only taxis with boots larger than 500 litres and which have been pre-approved by the airport could access the airport. This at a stroke meant that hundreds of Bucharest's taxis which do not have that kind of boot space (either because of the fact that they have LPG tanks installed or simply because they are small cars) were expelled from the airport.

Bucharest's association of taxi drivers cried foul, and the airport backed down. Unfortunately, this turned out to be only a temporary move: the new regulations (announced last August) came into force on April 1st last year.
The Current Situation
Since then, finding a cheap taxi has become a total lottery. While the ticket dispensing machines still theoretically function, the pitifully small number of cheap taxis which have access to the airport means that in practice, most of the time they fail to find an available car. It usually takes at least 20 minutes - often far longer - to find one. Queues at the machines are therefore long, and all told it can take anything up to an hour to find a cheap taxi if you are reliant solely on the machines. (We should add that if you are willing to pay over the odds (3.50 lei per kilometre) you will find a taxi immediately: either at the machines or outside, where for reasons only the airport's management will know, some rip-off taxis - usually from a company called Class Taxi - are allowed to wait.

Hi Fred, I was there a month ago. The machines still function and I waited 5 mins for a Cris taxi. The speed taxi machine was a bit slower. The rip off taxis are back parked outside but they clearly have their 3,50/km showing on their doors. Definitely use the machines on the right as you come out of the arrivals to request cris or speed.

As regards queues at the machines, I have been there 4 times this year so far and have never waited more than a minute or two to use them.

chrissym

What about coaches? They would be quicker than the train?

(thought the train would be quicker tbh but now I think not)

whomitconcerns

The minibuses or "maxi taxis" are probably the fastest. But without speaking any Romanian would be a pita for you especially at night.

Fred Swanson

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chrissym

whomitconcerns wrote: »

But without speaking any Romanian would be a pita for you especially at night.

You mean it would be dangerous, or just awkward?

whomitconcerns

Really awkward firstly as Fred said, to find the right depot and bus and after that just being on the bus and general making sure you get where you want. Best advice get a cheap hotel for the night and a 10am train next morning. You'll be there mid afternoon