Before and during
Brașov essentials
The practical answers, written out properly: lei and cards, bus tickets, tipping, the tourist tax, the public holidays that jam the valley, what to do about bears, and who to call when something goes wrong — 112, or Salvamont on 0725 826 668.
Money, cards and paying in leiRomania uses the leu, not the euro. Cards work almost everywhere in Brașov; the one expensive mistake is letting a machine charge you in your own currency.RATBV bus tickets and passes5 lei for 90 minutes on every city line, Poiana included; tap a contactless card on board. Fridays are free, and SMS tickets are gone.Tipping in BrașovAround 10% in restaurants, 15% for service that earned it. Since 2023 a tip must go on the receipt, so you may be asked how much to add before the card is charged.Safety in BrașovBrașov is a safe city by European standards. The real risks are ordinary: pickpockets in crowds, unlicensed taxis, the mountain after dark — and bears on the edge of town.Bears: what to know and what to doBrown bears live in the forests around Brașov and sometimes walk into Tâmpa, Răcădău, Noua and Poiana. Never feed them, keep your distance, and call 112 if one is in town.Mountain safety and SalvamontSalvamont Brașov answers on 0725 826 668, or through 112. Tâmpa, Postăvarul and Piatra Craiului are real mountains: start early, come down before dark, dress for winter from October.Emergencies, health and pharmacies112 for everything, free from any phone. Pharmacies are everywhere in the centre; EU visitors should bring their EHIC, everyone else travel insurance.The tourist tax and hotel practicalitiesFrom 2026, 12 lei per person per night in Brașov and Poiana Brașov — a fixed amount, collected by the hotel, often not included in the price a booking site shows.Romanian public holidaysSeventeen days a year, with Orthodox Easter and Pentecost moving each spring. Long weekends fill Brașov and jam the Prahova Valley — plan around them.When to visit BrașovWinter for Poiana and the Christmas market, May for the Junii and the green hills, September for warm days without the crowds. July and August are warm, busy and stormy in the afternoons.Plugs, language and everyday practicalitiesEuropean two-pin plugs at 230 V, Romanian as the language with English widely understood by younger people, EU roaming, and shops open on Sundays.The tourist information centreInside the Council House on Piața Sfatului: free maps, event listings and help with buses, museums and the mountain.
Where to stay nearby
Live prices and availability on a map centred on this exact spot — hotels, apartments and hostels, so you can judge the walk from here rather than guess from an address.
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Before you go
Flights to Brașov & BucharestCompare fares into Brașov-Ghimbav (GHV), 15 minutes from town, and into Bucharest Otopeni (OTP), which has far more routes but is three hours away.Search flights →Flight compensation, second opinionA second service for the same thing — if a claim was refused once, it is worth trying the other.Check eligibility →
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