Brașov to Râșnov: Bus 130, Car and Taxi to the Citadel, Dino Parc and Valea Cetății Cave

The short version

Râșnov is the closest of the castle towns: about 17 km west of Brașov, 25 minutes by car without traffic on the DN73. Three things bring people here — the peasant citadel on its hill, Dino Parc at the foot of that hill, and the Valea Cetății cave in the forest a few kilometres away. You can reach the town by RATBV metropolitan bus 130, by the Bran buses from Autogara 2, by car or by taxi. It is also the natural first stop on the way to Bran.

All fares, timetables and distances below were checked in September 2026; road distances are calculated with an open routing service, without traffic. For the citadel's history and what is open during the restoration, read our Râșnov Citadel guide.

By city-region bus: RATBV line 130

The most regular public link is RATBV line 130, Stadionul Municipal – Râșnov, on the timetable valid from 20 August 2026. It leaves from the Stadionul Municipal terminus in Brașov (reach it by city bus; getting around Brașov explains the network), crosses Cristian and enters Râșnov through the Liceul Tehnologic, Florilor, Mihai Viteazul, Primăria Veche and Biserica stops before the terminus.

From Brașov (Stadionul Municipal):

• Monday–Friday: 04:50, 05:50, 06:20, 07:10, 07:40, 09:00, 10:20, 11:40, 13:00, 13:40, 14:20, 15:00, 15:40, 16:20, 17:00, 17:40, 18:20, 19:40, 21:00, 22:20.
• Saturday–Sunday: 06:40, 08:10, 09:40, 11:10, 12:40, 14:10, 15:40, 17:20, 18:50, 21:50.

From Râșnov back to Brașov:

• Monday–Friday: 05:25, 06:30, 07:00, 07:55, 08:20, 09:40, 11:00, 12:20, 13:40, 14:20, 15:00, 15:40, 16:20, 17:00, 17:40, 18:20, 19:00, 20:20, 21:40, 23:00.
• Saturday–Sunday: 07:20, 08:50, 10:20, 11:50, 13:20, 14:50, 16:20, 18:00, 19:30, 22:30.

RATBV warns that traffic can shift these times. Fare: a Brașov–Râșnov ticket costs 7 lei and is valid 90 minutes on lines 130 and 131 and on the city lines — so the connecting city bus to the terminus is included (RATBV tariff grid, checked September 2026). Pay by contactless card at the validator or with the 24pay app. Note that the free-transport Fridays in Brașov do not extend to the Râșnov lines.

By the Bran buses from Autogara 2

The Transbus buses to Bran and Moieciu, which leave roughly every hour from Autogara 2 (Strada Avram Iancu 114), run along the main road through Râșnov. The full Bran fare is 15 lei according to the operator's published timetable (checked September 2026); ask the driver for the Râșnov stop and the fare to it. Several private minibuses also link Autogara 2 with Râșnov; fares around 10 lei are listed on the autogari.ro aggregator, but confirm on board. See Brașov to Bran for the full Bran timetable.

By car

Leave Brașov west towards Cristian and follow the DN73: about 17 km and 25 minutes to the town. The citadel sits on the hill above the centre, with Dino Parc at its foot; leave the car in town or near the park if there is space. On summer weekends the road can be slow at Cristian; outside those hours it is an easy drive.

By taxi or ride-hailing

Uber and Bolt both work in Brașov. From published rates — around 2 lei per kilometre for Uber and about 3.10 lei per kilometre plus a starting fee for metered taxis (checked September 2026) — our estimate for the 17 km is roughly 35–55 lei one way, before surge pricing. It is a calculation, not a quote. For the cave, which is outside town in the forest, arrange the return before you go in.

The citadel: what you can see in 2026

Râșnov's citadel is a Saxon refuge built for the villagers rather than for a lord — a ring of walls, towers and small houses on a steep hill. It has been under restoration since February 2020, with completion estimated for 2027; the inner citadel is not visitable, but the Citadel Garden and the Báthory Tower are open. The ticket is 10 lei for visitors aged 12 and over, free under 12, payable by card only, on site, and the site is reported open daily 09:00–19:00 (checked September 2026 from a regularly updated independent guide). Details on the Râșnov Citadel page.

The inclined lift. Instead of the climb, you can ride the Asaltul Cetății inclined lift from Piața Unirii, behind the House of Culture. Its own site lists daily hours of 09:00–19:00, a return ticket at 40 lei for adults (14+) and 30 lei for children (3–13), and one way at 25 / 20 lei (checked September 2026). On foot, the path up from the town is short but steep in places.

Dino Parc

At the foot of the citadel hill, Dino Parc spreads more than 130 life-size dinosaurs over about 4 hectares of forest. Its 2026 prices, from the park's own site (checked September 2026): adults 60 lei, children 3–18 40 lei, under 3 free. From April to October it opens 10:00–18:00 on weekdays (Friday until 18:30, Saturday 19:00, Sunday 18:30); from November to March, 10:00–17:00 on weekdays (Friday 17:30, Saturday 18:00, Sunday 17:30). It is the easiest win in the region with children aged four to ten. See Dino Parc Râșnov and our Brașov with kids guide.

Valea Cetății cave

A few kilometres from Râșnov, off the main road towards Brașov (about 19 km and half an hour's drive from the city), Peștera Valea Cetății is a show cave with a main gallery of about 958 m and a great hall some 20 m high, lit and fitted with walkways. The cave's official site gives the hours: 1 April – 30 September, daily 10:00–20:00 (last entry 19:30); 1 October – 31 March, daily 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30). An independent travel guide reports a 20 lei ticket, guided entry in groups of 15–20 people and a visit of about 30 minutes; we could not confirm the price on the official site in September 2026, so check at the entrance. From the roadside car park it is roughly 500 m through the forest, with some steep sections — wear proper shoes. The cave also hosts occasional concerts. More on the Valea Cetății cave page.

A sensible half-day

• 09:30 Leave Brașov by car.
• 10:00 The cave, at opening, before the groups.
• 11:15 The citadel by the inclined lift, then down on foot.
• 12:30 Lunch in Râșnov.
• 14:00 Dino Parc with children — or continue 14 km to Bran.

Without children, Râșnov and Bran fill a relaxed day; add the Zărnești bear sanctuary only if you can make its morning tours — see Brașov to Zărnești and Libearty. The Râșnov area page and our castles page help you plan the rest, and where to stay covers nights in the valley.

Our advice

For the citadel alone, line 130 is cheap and frequent enough on weekdays; at weekends, check the thinner timetable before you set off. For the cave, a car or a pre-arranged taxi makes life easier. And if you are here in winter for Poiana, Râșnov is an ideal half-day off the slopes — see what a ski day in Poiana costs for the other half of the budget.