Ski Resorts Near Brașov: Predeal, Sinaia, Azuga and Four More

Why look beyond Poiana

Poiana Brașov is the obvious base, but it is not the only mountain in reach. Within an hour of the old town there are seven other ski areas, from tiny local slopes to Sinaia's high, wide bowls. They are useful in three situations: when Poiana is crowded on a Saturday, when you have skied everything and want a change, and when you want a lit slope in the evening.

Drive times below were calculated from Piața Sfatului without traffic (September 2026). On the DN1 through the Prahova Valley, weekend winter traffic can double them, and the worst bottlenecks are exactly where the resorts are — Azuga, Bușteni and Sinaia. Saturday mornings northbound and Sunday afternoons southbound are the peaks. All four Prahova resorts — Predeal, Azuga, Bușteni and Sinaia — are also on the main Brașov–Bucharest railway, and the train is often the calmer choice; see our train station page.

Prices are last winter's published rates, checked September 2026; the 2026/27 lists appear in November and December. Each resort also has its own fact page in our ski section: Bunloc, Predeal – Clăbucet, Azuga, Bușteni – Kalinderu, Sinaia, Fundata and Cheile Grădiștei and Harghita Mădăraș.

Bunloc (Săcele) — 9 km, about 15 minutes

The closest slope to the city, on the edge of Săcele. A two-seat chairlift about 1.6 km long climbs from around 600 m to 1,170 m, with roughly 3 km of runs in total. It is small and simple, but perfect for an afternoon when you do not want to face Poiana's parking. Prices we found were around 130 lei for an adult day on listings whose year we could not confirm; the lower slope was lit about twice a week last winter, announced on the operator's social media.

Predeal — Clăbucet: 27 km, about 36 minutes

The most complete alternative and the easiest to reach, just over the pass on the road to Bucharest. A four-seat chairlift climbs to around 1,580 m and serves a small network of pistes from the base at about 1,060 m:

• Clăbucet — about 2,100 m, red
• Cocoșul — about 2,250 m, red
• Subteleferic — about 1,200 m, black
• Clăbucet Sosire and Clăbucet Variantă — about 800 m each, blue, with night lighting on Sosire
• Clăbucet Școală — a 200 m school slope, also lit

The operator, Genetrix, listed a one-day adult pass at 250 lei and a child's at 125 lei for 2026 (checked September 2026), with 4-hour and 2-hour options. Predeal is a pleasant small town, and the best place near Brașov for evening skiing. See Predeal and the Clăbucet ski area.

Pârâul Rece — about 31 km, about 40 minutes

A single red slope of about 520 m with a drag lift, in the hamlet near Predeal. We could not confirm whether it operated in 2025/26 or at what price; treat it as a curiosity and check locally.

Azuga — 37 km, about 48 minutes

A small but modern resort with an eight-seat gondola and around 7 km of pistes between roughly 980 and 1,540 m:

• Cazacu — about 2,000 m, intermediate with steeper sections
• Sorica — about 2,100 m, intermediate, with night skiing
• Sorica Sud — about 1,100 m, easy
• La Stână — about 800 m, easy

A day cost roughly 200–220 lei for adults in 2025/26 according to secondary listings; the resort posts its official prices on its own site (azugaresort.ro) and social pages. Good for families and intermediates, and quieter than Sinaia on weekdays — but it sits right in the Prahova traffic.

Bușteni — Kalinderu: 39 km, about 48 minutes

One main piste of about 1,300 m, intermediate, 370 m of vertical, served by a four-seat chairlift, with snowmaking, night skiing and a fun park with tubing and a mountain coaster. In 2025/26 the operator opened 09:00–16:00 on most weekdays and until 18:00 on Saturdays with night skiing. We could not find its published ski-pass prices. The view of the Bucegi cliffs above Bușteni is spectacular. See Sinaia and Bușteni.

Sinaia — Cota 1400 and Cota 2000: 48 km, about 1 hour

The biggest and highest ski area near Brașov: lifts from about 1,000 m to 2,090 m, around 20 km of pistes and a dozen lifts, including two gondolas (from town to Cota 1400, and from Cota 1400 to Cota 2000), a cable car in two sections and chairlifts in the Valea Soarelui and Valea Dorului bowls. Highlights:

• Drumul de Vară — over 3 km, the long cruiser
• Carp and Târle — the steep blacks
• Valea Soarelui and Valea Dorului — high, open bowls above the tree line, best on a clear day

The local operator charged 210 lei on weekdays and 230 lei at weekends for an adult day in 2025/26 (sinaiago.ro, checked September 2026), with the lifts running 09:30–16:30. Note that the town gondola was closed Monday to Wednesday for maintenance last winter. Sinaia is also home to Peleș Castle, closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and from 2 November to 1 December 2026 — a ski day and a castle visit do not always combine.

Fundata and Cheile Grădiștei — 44 km, about 1 hour

On the high pass beyond Bran, three short slopes of 270–570 m with drag lifts and snowmaking at around 1,300 m. Charming, uncrowded and ideal for small children; the Cheile Grădiștei centre is also a venue for the European Youth Olympic Festival in February 2027. Points cards and rental are sold on site. See Bran and Moeciu.

Not really ski resorts

• Râșnov, Valea Cărbunării — Romania's Olympic ski-jumping complex, a venue for the 2027 festival. Impressive to see; there is no alpine skiing with a lift pass. See Râșnov.
• Harghita Mădăraș — a pleasant high plateau resort, but about 131 km and two and three-quarter hours away: not a day trip from Brașov.

Which one, then?

• Beginners and families: Predeal or Azuga; Fundata for very small children.
• Strong skiers: Sinaia on a weekday.
• An evening session: Predeal first, then Kalinderu or Azuga — see night skiing.
• An hour to spare after work: Bunloc.

Compare with Poiana's prices in our ski pass prices guide, check the weather on both sides of the pass, and follow the season on our ski page.