How to Get There & Getting Around

How to get from Otopeni Airport to downtown Bucharest

Henri Coanda International Airport / Otopeni (OTP)
Website
Distance from Bucharest airport to downtown: 18 km

1) By public transport

There’s only one public airport in Bucharest: Otopeni – Henri Coandă International Airport, which is connected to downtown Bucharest through two bus lines: 780 (terminus at North Railway Station – Gara de Nord in Romanian) and 783 (terminus at Union Square / Piața Unirii), both operated by the Bucharest Transport Company. To get to the buses, look for the sign “Bus to Bucharest”, which is located in front of the door of international arrivals as you exit the customs area. Under the sign, there is an escalator on the right side. Go one level down and you should find the bus stop there. There’s a 24-hour-a-day ticket kiosk.

If you wish to buy only one trip, select “Metropolitan travel tickets” (option in the middle), then “Metropolitan 90 minutes tickets valid 60 days” (the last, fourth option), then “purchase 2 trips”. You will not be able to buy only one trip since the minimum for purchasing the ticket, which is a sort of card, is 6 RON (approx. 1.21 euro), exactly the price of 2 trips. You can use the other trip for your return to the airport. You can pay by credit card. You should validate your ticket in the bus.

To get to the conference venue, take the bus 783 and get off at Piata Romana. The walking distance from the bus stop to the venue is 800 meters.

2) By taxi

Make sure you only take a cab ordered from the touch screen terminals for taxi requests, situated to your left as you exit with your luggage (fares between 1.89 lei/km and 3.5 lei/km; good prices should be no more than 2.9 lei/km). Getting a taxi requires to prebook a ticket at the taxi machine outside the arrivals hall. Your booked taxi will arrive according to the waiting time on the ticket with the corresponding number on the side of the vehicle. Very few take credit cards, so make sure you have cash (and exact change). These cars will be situated on the ground floor, in front of the Arrivals terminal. In most cases the rate from Bucharest airport to the centre of the city should range around 15€. Time of the day does not affect the charging rate.

3) Using ride sharing apps

A handy way to get around town is to install some apps which can order taxis and ride sharing vehicles: we recommend the Star Taxi App and Free Now App, both allow ordering taxis from all the companies, you can pay from the app once registered with your payment card in the app – even the tip is allowed. These 2 apps aggregate also some ride-sharing cars, you can choose before the order. You have also the traditional ride sharing apps Uber and Bold. There are also a lot of electric scooters, through the apps Lime, Bolt, Splash, iVelo.

Getting Around

1) Public transportation

Bucharest’s public transportation network includes bus, tram, trolley-bus and subway.

Bucharest Public Transport Tourist Card (“Card Călătorie Turist”) is available to visitors and residents.
This ‘combo ticket’ offers unlimited rides for:
~ the train from Bucharest International Airport to Gara de Nord Terminal
~ bus 783 from Bucharest International Airport to Downtown
~ all urban, above-ground, transport: bus, tram and trolleybus
~ Bucharest Metro (subway)
Cost: 20 lei / 24-hours card and 40 lei / 72-hours card. 

Buses, trams and trolley buses operate – between 5 a.m. and 11:55 p.m. The subway operates – from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m.

There are five subway lines (Metrou) in operation: M1, M2, M3, M4 and M5.
Subway stations are indicated with the letter “M” (blue, on a white board).

Subway fares: one-trip metro card: 3 Lei (approx. €0.6). Tickets or passes can be purchased at any kiosk displaying the STB logo.

2) Taxi companies

Several taxi companies operate in the city

Alfa – 9488
As – 9435
Cristaxi – 9461
Cobalcescu – 9451
Fly – 9440
Leone – 9425
Meridian – 9444
Mondial- 9423
Perozzi – 9631
Prof Taxi – 9422
Speed – 9477
Taxi 2000 – 9494