Bucharest Public Transport Guide: Bus, Metro – Tickets, Costs & More

Getting around Bucharest is simple and budget-friendly thanks to its extensive network of metros, buses, trams, and trolleybuses. When it comes to speed and price, the public system wins easily.

Today, I’ll share my complete guide to the Bucharest Public Transport system, ensuring you have the most useful resource for traveling around Romania’s capital with ease.

Your First Step: Arrival and Airport Transfer

If you fly to Bucharest at the Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP), you have two excellent 24/7 public transport options for transfer:

Train (CFR)

The train connection is fast and reliable, with a dedicated train that runs between the Airport and the main railway station, Gara de Nord. It runs non stop, ever 40 to 60 minutes and the trip takes around 25 minutes.

Bus 100 (Express Service)

There is also the bus option, which might be a better choice if you want to get straight to one of the lines along the way. Here are its stations in Bucharest:

• Presei Libere Square
• Victoriei Square
• Romana Square
• Universitate
• Unirii Square 4
• Unirii Square 2

In other words, this line covers most of the central stations. The best part about the bus is that it not only runs 24/7, but every 15 minutes during the day, Mon – Fri, starting 5 AM until 10:30 PM and every 20 minutes during the winter. Between 11PM and 5AM, it runs every 30 minutes each day.

Important: This route was formerly known as Bus 783. If you hear locals use the old number, know they are referring to the current Bus 100.

Note: If you arrive here by train at Gara de Nord instead, the metro is right there and you only have a couple of stations to the city center.

Why Public Transport in Bucharest is the Best Option

On most occasions – and especially during peak hours (7 AM-9 AM and 5 PM-7 PM) – traveling by metro usually beats driving in terms of speed. Trams can also be faster than driving on many occasions during this time.

So, even though the transit system in Bucharest isn’t perfect, it offers a solid and affordable option for traveling around the city. The cost savings compared to other European capitals are significant – and usually, the time saving is huge too.

Let’s find out more about all the options you have!

Getting Around Bucharest

Bucharest’s public transport network is extensive and easy to use, although it still has flaws. If you prefer staying above ground, buses, trams and trolleys are readily available throughout the city – although slower and usually crowded. For faster travel, the metro is your best bet.

The system is split between two distinct operators, which is important for ticketing (though we’ll soon see how easy it is to pay for both):

Metrorex: The company running the Metro (subway). Metro tickets, cards, or passes can be bought from any metro station.

STB: the company that runs the surface public transport network of buses, trams, and trolleys. Therefore, you can use the same ticket or card for either of these three methods of transportation.

Note: Until recently, STB was called “RATB” and you might hear most people still using the old name. They are both the same.

The Metro (Subway)

The metro is fast, clean, and very efficient, making it the preferred choice of public transportation in Bucharest (it’s my favorite, too). It serves all key areas, including the city center and main tourist attractions, and it has recently expanded to the outskirts as well.

The operating hours of the metro (and STB) are 5:00AM-11:00PM, although I recommend getting to the station at least 15 minutes before 11 to ensure you catch that last metro.

Here is a map of the metro station showing its extensive coverage. It might look a bit overwhelming, but it’s easy to navigate, trust me!

Surface Transport (Buses, Trams, Trolleys)

If you prefer staying above ground, you have plenty of options, with the mention that the buses, trolleys and trams have more stops and usually reach all areas that the metro doesn’t.

In some cases, the trams running on dedicated loops can offer speed comparable to the metros (although buses and trolleys are usually slow, ready to get stuck in traffic like personal vehicles).

Insider Tip: Many of the newer blue Otokar or hybrid Mercedes buses, as well as the new Imperio trams, are equipped with working air conditioning (AC). Some older models might not have working AC.

Night Buses (The N-Lines)

While most public transport in Bucharest stops at 11PM, there is also a network of night busses (denoted by the prefix N) that run throughout the night.

The majority of night lines converge at the major transport hub of Piata Unirii (Union Square), making late-night travel simple if you are near the city center, and they run from 11PM-4:30AM (after which the “day buses” start running).

Buying and Validating Tickets

You have multiple options for buying your tickets – from physical ones that you can buy at metro stations or dedicated kiosks to direct contactless payments. Here’s how the latter work:

On the Metro: At the entrance gate (the turnstile), look for the validator with the card logo (as seen in the photo below). Tap your contactless bank card or phone there to pay for a single trip.

Important: Some of the validators work with contactless cards you can buy from the kiosk at the metro station. You can’t pay directly with your card at those.

On Surface Transport (STB): When you board a modern bus or tram, look for the validator (the card reader). Tap your contactless credit/debit card or phone (via Apple Pay/Google Pay) to pay for a single ticket (valid for 90 minutes in that bus only).

Important: Not all buses and trams have this card validator, so it’s still safer to go for the physical card/ticket instead.

Physical Cards & Kiosks

If you do not have a contactless bank card, prefer to pay in cash, have a physical ticket or wish to purchase a monthly pass, you will need a physical public transport card.

• Metro Tickets: Available at ticket booths and vending machines in Metrorex stations. (I will have all pricing details below)
• Surface Tickets: Available from ticket kiosks found at many bus or tram stops. Not all stops have kiosks, so it’s best to load up for a few trips when you find one.

Note: You can’t buy tickets directly from bus drivers or inside vehicles (unless you use the contactless bank card method described above, if available).

When boarding, make sure to validate your ticket immediately. For the metro, this is done at the station’s entrance. On buses, trams, and trolleybuses, you’ll find card readers inside the vehicle.

The full instructions for validating your surface travel tickets can be checked out here (at the bottom of the page).

Failure to validate your ticket can result in a fine between 300-500 lei, although you can usually pay a smaller fine on the spot, called “suprataxa” which is 80 lei (€16).

Can you buy tickets online or through apps?

Fortunately, you can pay for your ticket online if you travel by bus, tram, or trolley. For metros, it is not possible to buy your ticket online at the moment; however, the contactless payment option at the gate provides a simple solution.

For the surface network, you have two options:

1. Use the mobile app and pay by any card (Download from the App Store or Google Play)
2. Pay by SMS/text message. Details here. NOT recommended as you end up overpaying!

How much do tickets cost?

Public transport in Bucharest is one of the cheapest in Europe, even though recently prices have gone up. Here’s what you can expect to pay:

Ticket Type	STB (Surface Transport)	Metro (Subway)
One-Way Ticket	3 lei (~0.60 Euros)	5 lei (~1 Euro)
10-Trip Ticket	25 lei (~5 Euros)	40 lei (~8 Euros)
Daily Pass (24h)	8 lei (~1.60 Euros)	12 lei (~2.35 Euros)
Weekly Pass (7 Days)	30 lei (~6 Euros)	45 lei (~9 Euros)
Monthly Pass	80 lei (~16 Euros)	100 lei (~20 Euros)

Note: STB tickets have a time limit of 90 minutes of travel with unlimited transfers between surface vehicles (bus, tram, trolley), while Metro tickets are valid for 1 single trip, with no time limits.

We also have a unified ticketing system, offering combined tickets and passes that provide access to both surface transport (buses, trams, trolleybuses) and the metro.

Single Journey Combined Ticket (7 lei): This ticket allows unlimited metro rides and STB rides for 120 minutes.

10-Journey Combined Ticket (59 lei): This ticket allows unlimited metro rides and STB rides for 120 minutes up to 10 times.

7-day Combined Pass (66 lei or around 13 Euros): This allows unlimited metro and STB rides for a week. If you’re spending a shorter time in Bucharest (like a weekend break or up to a week here), I recommend you to buy this pass to avoid any headaches.

Children under the age of 7 travel for free in buses, trolleys, and trams (surface transport) but have no discounts when traveling by metro.

There is also a program that offers free above-ground travel to kids that are in school (Primary school, until the end of high school), as well as retired individuals residing in Bucharest, or metro ticket discounts – but this is only for those with their residence permit for Bucharest, so I won’t get into much detail since most people reading this blog don’t fit this criteria.

IMPORTANT! Double-check if you want to buy a Bucharest Tourist card, as these include visits to attractions and DO NOT cover public transport.

This is what a metro card looks like (the image below shows a card with 10 included trips):

This is what your bus card will look like. You will charge it with the required number of trips or your pass at any surface ticket booth:

Useful app for navigation

While public transport itself is relatively easy, navigating the routes – especially when it comes to above-the-ground travel – can be very confusing. But there are a couple of apps you can use to save time and some piece of mind:

Info TB (Info Transport Bucuresti) – This is the official STB real-time tracking app, showing live location of buses and trams. Available on Google Play and the App Store.

Google Maps – This is the most reliable map app, in my opinion. Keep it open, set your destination and see your progress.

Important: Ask around if you’re unsure of anything. Most of the people using Bucharest’s public transport know the stations well and can give you solid indications. People are usually friendly and happy to help, and most (especially younger ones) speak at least some English.

Extra things to know about public transport in Bucharest

Even though extensive, the public transport system in Bucharest is not perfect – far from it.

Buses are considered the worst means of transport in the city, closely followed by trolleys – while trams and the metro are considered the better options. However, the latter have fewer stops and coverage than the former.

While buses and trolleys have improved in recent years, many still don’t have working air conditioning (this goes for the metro, too). Stations are inconsistently marked and rarely announced on the bus itself, which is usually crowded and can be late due to various traffic jams.

If you travel during the peak hours – both in the morning and the evening – expect huge crowds, no matter what type of vehicle you choose. Traveling squeezed in between tens of other travelers, sardine-style is not uncommon here.

Bucharest is generally a safe city, but as with any busy transport system, always watch your pockets in crowded vehicles and stations. Pickpocketing can occur, so better be safe than sorry.

Things are a bit better during the summer when the students are away on vacation or simply don’t have to travel as much during the peak times… but otherwise, expect huge crowds.

The metro is fast, clean, and relatively efficient, making it the preferred choice for many – myself included. It serves all key areas, including the city center and tourist attractions.

Conclusion

Bucharest’s public transport system may not be perfect, but it’s a practical way to get around. It sure gets the job done and offers a solid alternative to getting a taxi or Uber or walking…

Fortunately, if you are only visiting the city for a shorter period, the main attractions are all near a station, so easy to get to.

Also, the prices are extremely low if you are to compare them to other EU countries, so at least you have that to be happy about next time you’re squished into a window by 120 other people riding the same bus…