Trip readiness checklist for Romania
Romania is Latin in language, Balkan in food and Transylvanian in scenery, with a hospitality that starts pouring before you have sat down. Here's the trip-readiness checklist for Romania: what to pack, when to go, entry rules for your passport, and the official sources to confirm before you fly.
Build my checklistEntry rules for a US passport
Visa-free up to 90 days
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counted across every Schengen country together, not per country.
- US passport issued within the last 10 years and valid at least 3 months beyond the day you leave the Schengen Area
- Proof of onward or return travel — a booking on your phone is enough
- Where you're staying — a hotel confirmation or your host's address; officers can ask
- ETIAS (the EU's online pre-travel authorization) once it's live for your dates: tied to your passport, expected to start in late 2026. Check the official ETIAS site before you fly
Source: U.S. Department of State, checked September 14, 2026. Other passports get their own answer in the app. Confirm at the official source before you book.
What to pack
Romania is castles, painted monasteries, and the wild Carpathians. Pack layers and a rain jacket, comfortable shoes for cobbled towns, and warm gear for the mountains.
Layers and a rain jacket
Changeable weather; warm summers, cold and snowy winters.
Comfortable walking shoes
Brașov, Sibiu, and Bucharest's old quarters are cobbled.
Warm gear for the mountains/winter
The Carpathians are cold; winter needs a proper coat and boots.
Some cash in lei
Cards are common in cities, but rural areas and small spots like cash.
When to go
Summer (Jun–Aug) is warmest and busiest (and best for the mountains); winter draws skiers and Dracula-castle crowds. Spring and autumn are pleasant and quieter. Romania is excellent value.
Money & getting around
Romania uses the leu (RON), not the euro. Cards and contactless are widely accepted in cities; carry some cash for rural areas and markets. Decline 'dynamic currency conversion' and pay in lei. Tipping ~10%.
Local quirks worth knowing
Romania is Latin in language, Balkan in food and Transylvanian in scenery, with a hospitality that starts pouring before you have sat down.
Take the țuică
Homemade plum brandy appears at any welcome. One small glass, drunk slowly, honours the host; declining outright is harder than it sounds.
Card is fine in cities, not villages
Bucharest and Cluj tap for everything. Rural guesthouses, markets and monastery gates want lei in cash.
Shoes off indoors
Homes and many guesthouses expect it; slippers will be offered. Watch your host and copy.
Trains are slow, buses fill up
Intercity trains are scenic and unhurried; minibuses between towns are faster and leave when full. Book the night train to Transylvania ahead.
Flowers in odd numbers
Bringing flowers to a home? Odd numbers only; even numbers are for funerals.
A week in Romania, the list starts here
Quantities scale with your dates, the weather groups arrive once we have your travel days, and your own plans add their gear on Trip Pass.
- Passport & travel documents1
- Phone charger & adapter1
- Wallet, cards & some local cash1
- Toiletries bag1
- Any daily medicationsenough for the trip
- Underwear7
- Socks7
- T-shirts / tops5
What am I forgetting?
A real answer from Trip Happens for a sample week in Romania, departing in five weeks with a checked bag and nothing packed yet. Yours is built from your own trip.
Five weeks out, a week in Romania. Three gaps.
- 1.
ETIAS status for your dates
The entry guide says ETIAS is expected to start in late 2026, and you fly in late October. Check the official ETIAS site before you book anything else around the trip.
- 2.
Lei in your pocket
Romania uses the leu, not the euro, and rural stops and markets still run on cash. Plan to withdraw lei on arrival and decline the machine's offer to charge you in dollars.
- 3.
Layers and a rain jacket
Late October in Romania means cold mornings, cobbles, and possible mountain weather, and nothing is packed yet. Start with the rain jacket, warm mid-layers, and shoes that handle wet stone.
Entry, advisories & health
These change. Confirm at the official source before you book.
Entry and visa requirements depend on your nationality. Confirm the current rules for Romania with the official source below before you book.
U.S. State Department travel advisory for Romania — check the current level and any alerts before you go.
CDC traveler health page for Romania — recommended vaccines, health notices, and a packing checklist.
Get the full Romania checklist
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