I have always come to Cluj via Budapest, Hungary.  I live in the United States and it is faster and easier to fly to Budapest first, and then cross the border via train or bus into Romania.  Though I have never flown into Otopeni airport in Bucharest, I would not advise this if your goal is to reach Cluj or Transilvania.  It will be cheaper and faster to fly to Budapest and then make your way to Cluj. 

There are now direct flights from JFK to Budapest.  I have tried many times to save money by flying to London or Germany first and then taking a discount small carrier.  I can’t advise this.  Until recently, it was usually necessary to stop off in London or Paris and change flights.  Now you can fly direct to Ferihegy airport from JFK. 

Trains

From Budapest to Cluj

Let’s assume you are at Ferihegy.  You will arrive in the international terminal at the airport.  Ferihegy is very small and easy to find things in.  Once you clear customs you will see the information desk.  They can help you find the correct train to Cluj.  Do not make the mistake of walking out the door and hailing the first taxi you see to take you to the train station.  Ferihegy’s taxis are overpriced.  This is due to the fact that through the machinations of one taxi company, they are the only ones that are allowed to loiter in front of the terminal.  However, any taxi can come and get you from the airport.  The information desk person can not call the other taxis for you, but they can give you the number.  There is a bank of pay phones where you can call them and they will arrive in five to ten minutes, since many are stationed just outside of the airport property.  You will probably be going to Nyugati or Keleti train station.  This should cost around 5000-6000 forints or about fifteen dollars.  It takes about twenty minutes to get to the train station in moderate traffic, via taxi.  I have never taken the subway since you have to make several changes, and I have usually been very tired by the time I arrived in Budapest. 

As regards to train travel. Buy a first class ticket.  Trust me on this.  The trip from Budapest to Cluj is seven to eight hours.  You will probably be tired from flying, and this is not the time to get aquainted with second class train compartments in Eastern Europe.  Buy a round-trip ticket if possible, with the understanding that round-trip tickets cost exactly the same as one-way tickets, but they are only valid for two months.  There is a strategy to save money here, but I recommend it only to those who can speak a little Hungarian or Romanian.  If you buy a round-trip ticket you might be approached by a conductor who will offer to make a deal.  I gave the second half of my round trip ticket to the conductor for the pleasure of having an entire cabin to myself, and with assurances that I could smoke and drink or do whatever I wanted in there.  Since I couldn’t use the other portion anyway, because I was staying over two months, it was free to me.  But I would not recommend trying this unless you are approached or can speak one of the languages.

The train ride is not very scenic through eastern Hungary.  But hopefully you are lucky enough to be crossing the border into Romania during daylight.  The mountains rising out of the Hungarian Plain are a sight to see and a great introduction to the country. 

A note for those who like to smoke.  I am a smoker and Romania is a smoker’s paradise.  Almost everyone smokes, and you will not feel like an outcast for doing it.  The train from Budapest to Cluj is largely non-smoking, but there will be a compartment that is smoking on most wagons.  If it is not full you can slip in there and have a cigarette.  The other alternative is to smoke between the wagons, which technically you are not supposed to do, but no one cares at all.  At the most someone might say put the cigarette out, but you have the choice of complying or just smiling and saying something in English and pretending like you don’t understand.  On domestic trains that are not Rapid, you can usually just smoke in the hallway or in the compartment itself.  For non-smokers you shouldn’t worry, because the cabins themselves are generally non-smoking and you can close the door to the hallway. You can also open the windows on some of the trains in the compartments themselves.

A word on passport control into Romania.  I have never had a problem.  I have never been searched. 

Romanian Trains

Save yourself: buy First-Class.

Let me illustrate why it is important to buy a first-class ticket by relating a personal story.  It was January, and I was leaving Romania to go back to Budapest to catch a plane.  Technically, I was an illegal immigrant since I had stayed over 90 days in Romania without a visa.  I was traveling with two friends, and one thought that it would be a good idea to save seven dollars by buying a second-class ticket. The other agreed since he could use his student discount only for second-class.  I reluctantly participated.

We got on the train at eleven at night.  The second-class cabins hold eight people.  There were eight people or more in our cabin, luggage stacked to the ceiling with no place for ours.  The inhabitants were Ukrainians and Moldovans en route to make some money labouring in Budapest.  They were drinking cheap vodka that smelled like windshield fluid.  I realized immediately that this was not going to work.  One of the drunken men pushed my friend, but his buddies broke up the fight.  I got off the train and headed for the Nasul.

Who is the Nasul? The Nasul is what you call the train conductor when you bribe him.  This should only be attempted by those who speak a smattering of Romanian or who can understand the system.  You should never have to deal with the Nasul because you shouldn’t be stupid enough to buy the second-class train ticket for any but the shortest of voyages. 

So, the Nasul understood the situation, and for 100,000 lei each, about three and a half dollars, we were moved to the first-class area of the train.  Ahhhhh, quiet, repose, victory!!!!  Not quite.  You see, the Nasul becomes the buerocrat when you cross the border into Hungary, or if the Nasul’s boss happens to board the train for an inspection.  We were ejected from first-class in the middle of the night by a miffed Hungarian with a splendid moustache. We had to make our way past the mainly unconscious Ukrainians with all our baggage, and we had to hope to find an empty carriage.  We made it, but the second-class wagons are not heated in the winter.  I spent the next four hours shaking from the cold, with one eye open, waiting to get to Budapest.  Was that worth seven dollars? No.

Let me explain the train classes in Romania.

Rapid: These are the fast, modern trains.  They are equivalent to trains you will find in Western Europe.  They don’t stop much and they move fast.  These are not the norm.

Accelerate: You should always shoot for taking at least an Accelerate train.  These are moderately fast and do not make frequent stops.  This is fine if you are going to medium or large cities, but not if you are trying to get to villages.  Buy a first-class ticket.

Personal: These are the worst, the slowest train you can ride.  I have been in rural China and the train was faster and more comfortable than these.  You may need to take one to get to a village, though I would recommend hitchhiking over taking these trains.  They stop at every stop.  They go at about four miles an hour. They are often without running water or seemingly any kind of personnel responsible for cleaning out the old beer bottles, half-gnawed pears, used tissue, and other assorted filth. 

Let’s review. 

1. Go first-class.
2. Stay on the fast trains.    
3. Don’t put yourself in the position to have to deal with the Nasul. 

Taxis

Let’s stick with the idea that you are arriving in Cluj for the first time.  You will disembark at the Cluj station.  Technically, there are two Cluj stations, but Cluj-Est is not generally used, and the international train will probably not stop there. 

You get out of your train, mindful of the narrow stairs and the impending broken bones that you will face if you fall between the platform and the tracks. You look around and see stairs leading down.  Descend.

Downstairs you will come upon a kiosk selling bottled water, cigarettes, and potato chips.  You should probably grab a drink here, if you are planning on heading straight to a hotel.  Room service is pretty non-existent in cheap to mid-priced hotels after eleven. 

Turn left and take the staircase that is clearly marked, and you will arrive on the other side of the platform.  Walk inside the foyer and there is an ATM.  This will probably be the first time you get Romanian money out.  I would advise you take quite a bit out since transaction fees can be hefty.  Now, you walk outside and you will see a host of taxis.  You have to make a choice here:

Either probably get overcharged if you can’t speak Romanian and you don’t have small bills, or walk about fifteen minutes into town and get a cheaper taxi.

Sharks

No, these are not actually vicious sea creatures bent on your destruction. Sharks are people who make a living waiting on the outskirts of town and ferrying people to and fro. They are kind of like taxis but unofficial; you can spot them by their beaten up Dacias (a kind of car made in Romania) pointing towards the highway. The drivers usually don't speak English, though some might speak French. They make the bulk of their money going between cities, or from cities to small villages that don't have a lot of bus service. In Cluj you can find them on the outskirts of town.

Hitchhiking

I have done a lot of travelling in Romania by hitchiking. It is not perceived as dangerous to hitchhike in Romania like it is in America. In fact, it is pretty common given the cost of a car for the average Romanian citizen.

You can hitchhike from anywhere, but the following tips will help:

1. The people who will pick you up are not going to be driving a Mercedes.

2. Some people will expect money, usually just to help out with gas. You can go very far on just a couple of dollars, but it is best to ask if they want money before you get in the car. Some just want someone to talk to on their journey, and some just want to help out.

3. Stick your thumb out like you would in America, but instead of pointing it upwards, point it in the direction you wish to go.

4. Look around. If others are hitchiking then you have found a good spot. Be courteous. Don't cut in the hitchiking line. If there is not room in the first car that stops then just wait a little longer. You are probably in a good spot.

5. While travelling out in the country, try to find a place where you are visible, but where you won't cause a wreck if a driver tries to stop. In other words, try to place yourself in front of a place where someone has time to stop and turn off the road safely.

6. If you are in the countryside and you are going somewhere fairly far away, you can draw a little sign with the name of the city or village you are trying to reach.