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Bucharest Basics

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Time

Time: Local time is GMT +2 (GMT +3 between the last Sunday in March to the Saturday before the last Sunday in October).

Electricity: Electrical current is 220 volts, 50Hz. Two-pin European-style plugs are standard.

Money: The Leu (RON) is the official currency, which is divided into 100 bani. Money may be exchanged at banks, international airports, hotels or authorised exchange offices called 'casa de schimb' or 'birou de schimb valutar'. ATMs are available at large banks, airports and shopping centres in cities. American Express, MasterCard and Visa are accepted in the main cities. Travellers cheques, preferably in Euros, can be cashed in large banks, some hotels and certain exchange offices in Bucharest but commission is high. It is recommended to travel with some Euros in cash in case of difficulty using credit cards or travellers cheques. US Dollars are also accepted fairly widely.

Currency Exchange Rates
RON 1.00 = A$ 0.45 C$ 0.44 IRR 4,043.69 NZ$ 0.57 £ 0.22 US$ 0.43 R 3.37

Note: These currency exchange rates are not updated daily and should be used as a guideline only.


Language: Romanian is the official language, but English will be understood in Bucharest and other tourist areas.

Entry requirements:

Entry requirements for Americans: United States nationals require a valid passport, but no visa for stays of up to 90 days.
Entry requirements for UK nationals: UK nationals require a valid passport but no visa for stays of up to 90 days.
Entry requirements for Canadians: Canadian nationals require a valid passport, but no visa for stays of up to 90 days.
Entry requirements for Australians: Australian nationals require a valid passport, but no visa for stays of up to 90 days.
Entry requirements for South Africans: South Africans require a valid passport and a visa to enter Romania.
Entry requirements for Irish nationals: Irish nationals require a valid passport, but no visa for stays of up to 90 days.
Entry requirements for New Zealand nationals: New Zealand nationals require a valid passport, but no visa for stays of up to 90 days.

Passport/Visa Note: All passports must be valid for period of intended stay. Visitors must hold all documents required for further travel, onward or return tickets, sufficient funds for period of stay, and proof of reserved accommodation.

Health: Medical facilities in Bucharest are good, but poor in the smaller towns and basic medical supplies are often in short supply. There is a reciprocal health agreement with the UK and most EU countries, whose citizens are entitled to free or low-cost emergency medical treatment on presentation of a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), but health insurance is strongly advised. There have been a number of Hepatitis A cases in Romania and visitors are advised to seek medical advice about inoculations before travelling. Visitors should drink only bottled water. Stray dogs carry rabies and should be avoided. Cases of Avian bird flu have been reported in the country, but no human incidences have been reported. The risk for travellers is very low, but visitors should avoid any contact with domestic, caged or wild birds and ensure that eggs and poultry dishes are well cooked.

Tipping: Tipping is not common in Romania, except in large hotels and restaurants frequented by tourists. A service charge is included in restaurant bills but a further 5 to 10% tip is expected. Though it is not always necessary to tip them, taxi drivers can be rewarded for good service.

Safety: Visitors should take normal precautions to keep their valuables safe and should be aware of pickpockets and scam artists in major cities. Corruption is rife and visitors should be cautious of policemen demanding fines for spurious offences, or asking to see documents as a way of stealing cash; if approached in this way visitors should offer to go with them to the nearest police station before handing over any money or documents. Valuables, including passports, should not be left in hotel rooms.

Customs: Homosexuality, although legal, is frowned upon. A small and still largely closeted gay scene exists in the Romania's largest cities, particularly in Bucharest, which has a few gay clubs. Photography at airports is forbidden.

Business: Business can be quite bureaucratic and old-fashioned. The country adheres to an imbedded hierarchical structure and often it is the eldest who receive the most respect in business and social meetings. It is important to address each person according to their title followed by their surname; 'Domnul' for Mr. and 'Doamna' for Mrs. Romanians prefer a face-to-face approach and like to strengthen personal relationships. Appointments should be made in advance and confirmed. Although the visitor is expected to be punctual the host may be late to arrive. Meetings are often quite formal and a general 'Western' set of old-world manners applies. Business suits are appropriate for meetings. Romanians dislike an overt display of achievement or exaggerated conversation. Business hours are generally 9pm to 5pm Monday to Friday with an hour taken at lunch.

Communications: The direct dialling country code for Romania is +40, and the outgoing code is 00, followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the UK). There are numerous area codes applying to cities, towns and villages, for example (0)21 for Bucharest. The country is well covered with GSM 900/1800 mobile phone networks. Email and Internet are widely available in the cities and larger towns.

Duty free: Travellers to Romania do not have to pay duty on 4 litres of wine or beer, 1 litre spirits, 200 cigarettes or 200g tobacco products; perfume, medicines and souvenirs; 200g cocoa and 200g coffee; 2 cameras, 1 small movie camera, 24 cassettes, 1 portable radio, 1 TV set, 1 tape recorder, 1 pair of binoculars and 1 typewriter; and gifts to the value of €175. Jewellery and art objects should be declared on customs declaration forms. Prohibited items include uncanned goods, meat or dairy products.

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