From Bucharest Airport to City Center: Taxis & Public Transport

Are you visiting Bucharest soon? Looking for info about Otopeni Airport shuttle bus, taxi and private transfers? Want to know how to get from Bucharest airport to the city centre and Old Town area?

Stop looking somewhere else - you’ll find everything you need in this complete practical guide on Bucharest airport, how to get to the city center and public transport in Bucharest and how to use it to visit tourist sights. We're locals who live here and will give you practical info and real advice from the ground.

You may also want to check our tourist guide on what to do in Bucharest with 50+ ideas on places to visit, things to do, where to go out and tour ideas.

From Bucharest Otopeni Airport to the city center

The busiest airport in Romania is the Henri Coanda International Airport and is located North of the capital of Romania in the small town of Otopeni - that’s why the short name for the airport is Bucharest Otopeni. The airport's official website is helpful, and in the airport you'll find lots of signs to guide you around.

Our guide on how to visit Romania for the first time will be useful if you're looking for more info about visa, currency and other tips for planning your trip.

• Local tip: exchange houses in the airport offer very bad rates compared with what you can get in the Romanian capital or any other city. Change 20 Euro for taxi fare or use an ATM from a local bank (avoid Euronet!) to get some Romanian Lei.

Bucharest Otopeni Airport is about 20 km away from Bucharest city centre (Piata Universitatii or Piata Unirii). Depending on the time of day you travel, traffic and means of transport you'll need about 25-50 min to make the journey. For costs, see below.

The arrivals and departures terminals are located in separate buildings connected by a 10-min walk tunnel. So if you arrive in Bucharest but want to visit Transylvania, Maramures or a different part of the country then you should get on an internal flight. Check our guide on public transport in Romania for more info.

• Local tip: food and drinks are outrageously expensive in Otopeni Airport departures terminal (2-3x higher prices). Pick up a sandwich in the city before heading out

There are 3 ways to get from Bucharest Airport to the city center:

1. taxi or private airport transfer (moderately fast and convenient, 12-25 Euro)
2. shuttle bus (cheap but slow, ~0.60 Euro)
3. express train to North Train Station (fast, cheap, ~1.20 Euro)

Bucharest airport shuttle

STB (Bucharest’s public transport company) operates the only airport shuttle bus from Otopeni Airport to Bucharest city center (final stop in Piata Unirii) number 100 - for checking the route you can use Info TB mobile app (available in Google Play and Apple Store).

The route comes fairly close to major Bucharest hotels, metro lines station and the Old Town area.

The Bucharest airport shuttle bus leaves from the ground floor of Bucharest airport (international arrivals area is at 1st floor) as you exit the terminal building on the right every 15-20 min on a regular daily schedule (Mon-Fri 6:00-23:00) and every 20-30 min on weekends and holidays.

A ticket, which is valid for 90 minutes across all STB public transit lines, is cheap (3 RON ~0.60€) and here's how you can buy them:

1. from the automatic red ticket machine located exactly where the bus leaves
2. using your bank card for a contactless payment on the ticket machine inside the bus (easiest)
3. by SMS - text the number 7458 with the text C - more info on this page
4. using the mobile app 24pay

Please note that drivers don’t sell tickets.

The bus operates on the same express route from Bucharest city centre to Bucharest airport departures terminal.

There is also the option to take the *bus 442*, but note that this one stops at Piata Presei Libere, located in the northern part of the city.

• Local tip: as busses can get stuck in long queues of traffic especially in the afternoon rush hours (15:00 - 18:00) when going towards the airport, I wouldn’t recommend taking the airport bus if you’re on a tight schedule or not incredibly budget-conscious.

There are no other airport shuttles or express buses taking you to the city and the ones you may see are either doing a private transfer or will take you to other destinations in Romania.

Taking the train from Otopeni Airport to Bucharest North Train Station

There is a direct train connecting Bucharest Otopeni Airport with Bucharest Gara de Nord (main train station) with no other stops along the way. The airport train station is located outside the terminal building on a suspended platform with a green cover. Once you get out of the airport from the arrivals hall you'll see it.

The train runs every 40 min from either these stations and you can check the schedule here. The ride takes 25 min and the ticket costs 6.5 Lei (just over 1 Euro).

Train tickets can be bought when on the platform, in Gara de Nord from an automatic ticket machine or online here or directly on the train.

While the ride to the city is fast, Gara de Nord is relatively far from the city center or the Old Town area where most tourists choose to stay. But the train station has a metro station of its own and plenty of reliable taxi cabs waiting outside.

Most likely from there you'll have to take another means of transport or use public transportation. So if you're not in a rush and looking for affordable prices - this is a good option.

If you’re looking for info about buying train tickets and navigating Romania by train, check our guide on public transport in Romania.

Taking a taxi from Bucharest Airport to Bucharest city center

Getting an airport taxi transfer from Otopeni Airport to Bucharest city center or any part of the city is quick, convenient and reasonably priced (60 - 130 Lei or 12 - 25 Euro). It's a good option especially if you're after a long flight!

Years ago there were some problems with aggressive taxi drivers poaching unsuspecting tourists and charging more - but authorities have fixed this and it’s no longer the case.

But even today this may happen: when you exit the arrivals hall you'll see a line of taxi cabs waiting outside with 'friendly' drivers offering their services. While some may be honest, it's easy for unsuspecting tourists to fall into the trap of a pirate taxi driver. Even so, the most they can do is rip you off for an extra 10-15 Euro...

So for your peace of mind follow our advice below on how to get a reliable Bucharest airport taxi to the city center and you'll be ok!

The airport taxi scam: How to protect yourself

First, look for these yellow touch screen terminals on both sides of the door you'll exit after the baggage claim area. These are in the international arrivals hall on the 1st floor.

Use them to order a reliable taxi with a fair price from the pre-authorised local providers. I recommend Meridian and Cristaxi. You will get a ticket with the details of your transfer to Bucharest which you need to hold on to and show to your driver.

Then, walk outside the terminal building and wait for your taxi to come from the ramp on the left side.

You'll get a taxi ride to Bucharest with a fair price but the disadvantage is that you can pay only with Romanian Lei in cash (exchange a small amount, or take out from a nearby ATM, or when in the city center). Some drivers accept Euro and will give you back RON in change.

Second, a great alternative that avoids regular taxi drivers is to use the popular ride hailing apps Uber or Bolt.

1. the booking process is easy, you can enter your destination address clearly and you can see the route on the way
2. drivers are rated and you'll likely have a positive experience with them; most of time you'll get an English-speaking driver, unlike regular taxi drivers
3. cars have a designated pick up point (on the right side of the parking platform, just as you exit the airport building on the 1st floor)
4. you have the option to pay in the app via your debit or credit cards

This type of private transfer is usually at a fair price although during rush hours or when there's high demand, a fair surcharge may be applied. But even so, the most you could end up paying is around 130 lei (25 Euro).

• Local tip: as a local, I’ve always used Uber or Bolt to get to and from Bucharest airport to the city center because I've got more important things to worry about than a couple of Euros, and I value my peace of mind after flying!

Other tips for your safety:

• if anyone approaches you in the airport offering taxi services, refuse
• if a taxi driver wants to negotiate the fare, refuse
• before boarding taxi cabs make sure fare meter is working and the driver starts it; if they don't or they tell you it's not working - refuse the ride and get out
• if you can’t find a taxi you can walk 10 min to the Departures terminal (a long corridor on your left as you exit baggage claim) and get one of the taxis dropping passengers off there

Comparison table: Which option should you choose?

Tours & Day Trips in Bucharest

See tours

A note on the future: The M6 metro line

Currently, the M6 Metro line (which will connect the airport to the Bucharest metro network) is under construction.

While this project will eventually be the most efficient and reliable way to reach the city center, it is not yet operational. We are closely monitoring the construction progress and will update this guide the moment the line opens to passengers. For now, please rely on the bus, train, or rideshare options detailed above.

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I hope this guide will help you plan your trip to Bucharest and further on in Romania! Check our website for other useful info and inspiration on Romania tourist attractions, and once you're in the city, here's how to get around.

Your Romanian Friend,
Marius