Public Transport in Bucharest

·         Buses & Trams (STB SA)

Most services are very crowded and you should keep your wits about you, as well as your hand on your wallet (beware of pickpockets!), at all times. In fact, if you can avoid using buses and trams, do so.

Buses and trams run at infrequent intervals from very early in the morning (around 04:30) to around 22:50 (earlier at weekends), after which the night buses takeover. These serve all areas of the capital throughout the night, with all routes departing from Piata Unirii. Most night bus services run at hourly intervals.

In order to ride Bucharest’s buses, trolleybuses or trams, you need to buy an Activ or Multiplu card in advance. Both are available at the little RATB kiosks which can be found next to major bus and tram stops.

The Multiplu card (which is blue and white) costs 1.60 lei and needs to be loaded (when purchasing) with two to ten journeys (which each cost 1.30 lei). You can also choose to load it with a pass valid for one day’s unlimited travel on all buses, trolleybuses and trams for 8 lei. After the initial purchase, the Multiplu card cannot be topped-up. The green and white Activ card costs 3.70 lei but can be topped-up with anything from 2.60 to 50 lei at a time.

When boarding buses, trolleybuses and trams you need to validate your Multiplu or Activ card at one of the orange machines dotted around the vehicles. Just wave the card next to the machine until you here the beep: the screen will tell you how many journeys or how much credit you have left.

If you are caught without a validiated Multiplu or Activ card you will be fined 50 lei. And trust us, the controllers are annoying.On all forms of public transport in Bucharest children under seven ride for free. After that they have to pay full price.

Price/ticket
City routes	Expres routes
1.3 lei/1 Journey	3.5 lei/1 Journey

·         Metro (Metrorex)

The metro runs from 05:00 in the morning to around 23:00.

Tickets for the metro can be purchased at all metro stations.

 

   * Within 60 minutes, the traveler can validate the unique ticket valid on Metrorex – S.T.B. S.A. for any of transport of Metrorex and S.T.B. S.A. (with the exception of express routes, outside the city routes, and those with special tariff, the last validation being valid until the end of the transport line (bus, trolleybus, tram, subway).

UNIQUE TICKET 60 minutes(valid on the S.T.B. S.A. and Metrorex S.A. urban lines)	5,00 LEI
TICKET WITH 10 JOURNEYS of 60 minutes for each trip(valid on the S.T.B. S.A. and Metrorex S.A. urban lines)	34,00 LEI
One Day Subscription – with 15 minutes delay before you can use the card again to enter the Metro(valid on the R.A.T.B. and Metrorex S.A. urban lines)	17,00 LEI

·         Taxis & Ridesharing

Ride-sharing apps Taxify and Uber are well-established in Bucharest and present a good alternative to the city‘s often unreliable, dirty, and rip-off taxis. Prices (around 1.39 lei per kilometre) are about the same as for standard yellow cabs, while standards are far higher. If you do not have either app on your phone it is well worth downloading at least one, in order to spare yourself running the gauntlet of taking a normal taxi. It is better to simply ignore any taxi drivers who might approach you.