Car rental in Romania

National roads in the country can only be used after paying the toll. Since 2010, after payment a vignette is issued to the driver, which can be purchased at UNTRR offices, post offices, petrol stations, major shopping centres or online via Roviniete. You can pay for the vignette by bank transfer, credit card or cash. The cost of the vignette is given below, depending on the type of vehicle and the period of validity:

Use of national roads is monitored by security cameras and by staff of the National Roads authority and Romanian traffic police officers. Ferries between Nikopol, Silistra, Magurele and Calarasi, and crossings via the bridges that connect Vidin and Calafat, and Ruse and Giurgiu on the Danube are also charged. Rates depend on the type of ferry, vehicle weight and load; the amount can vary from €2 to €47.

There is plenty of parking for cars in Romania, and payment is usually collected by parking attendants. There are parking machines too, but they are much less common than in some other countries. The cost of 1 hr parking varies from €0.5 to €1.5. The easiest way to find a parking space is on the outskirts of the city or in smaller towns. Large cities cannot boast an abundance of parking spaces, especially in areas with large supermarkets and entertainment complexes.

• Violations of the rules for driving on Romanian roads are penalised with points, where one point is equal to 67 Ron.
• When driving in Romania, the driver may use a radar detector, but a car equipped with a radar jammer is strictly prohibited. Violation is punishable by a fine of 603–1340 Ron.
• When travelling on mountain roads in winter, cars must be equipped with snow chains. Also, for the period from 01.11 to 31.03 there is a ban on driving with summer tyres.
• Front and rear passengers and the driver must wear seat belts while the car is moving. If this rule is broken, you will have to pay a fine of 134 Ron.
• It is prohibited for the driver to talk on a mobile phone while driving if there is no hands-free device. For violation of this requirement, the driver faces a fine of 134 Ron.

• If the speed limit is exceeded by 10–20 km/h, the driver will be fined 134 Ron.
• If the speed limit is exceeded by 20–40 km/h, the driver will be fined 201–268 Ron.
• Exceeding the speed limit by 40–50 km/h will cost the driver 403 Ron.
• If the speed limit is exceeded by more than 50 km/h, the fine ranges from 602 to 1340 Ron.

If the driver violates parking rules they will have to pay 201 Ron; sums from 268 Ron to 335 Ron are the usual penalties for lack of a fire extinguisher, first-aid kit or warning triangle in the event of an accident. A similar amount is payable for driving through a red light. If a fine is paid in cash on the spot, the amount is automatically reduced by half.