Experience crossing the Danube River to Romania
That morning, we drove north through Ruse (Bulgaria) to cross the 2-kilometer-long steel bridge over the Danube River into Giurgiu (Romania). 🚗🌉
Documents ready: passports, international driving permits, and rental car documents. ✅
The Bulgarian side was easy to check, just a few minutes with my passport. The Romanian side was a bit more strict, but it went smoothly.
🚗 Prepare before the border crossing.
We stopped at the last gas station to fill up with gas, use the restroom, and exchange any remaining Bulgarian coins, as the currency was already converted to Romanian leu (RON) as soon as we crossed the border. We had all our passports, international driving permits, and rental car documents ready.
💡 Fun fact: This bridge is called the Danube Bridge, or as locals call it, the "Friendship Bridge." It was built in 1954 to connect the two countries at the time of the Cold War.
🛂 Bulgarian border crossing
We drove into the private car lane, choosing the easy "follow the car" option. The officer checked our passports and car documents, which took only a few minutes. Everything went smoothly, like checking into a new city.
🌉 Crossing the Danube
The car moved slowly on the steel bridge, the wind howling through the windows. In the middle of the bridge stood a large "ROMANIA" sign mounted on a steel frame. There was no formality, just the structure that said, "You have indeed crossed the border."
🛂 Romanian border checkpoint (Giurgiu)
The officer scanned my passport, peered into the car, and then walked around. It looked a bit more strict, but it was done quickly. In less than 10 minutes, we were able to continue driving.
💶 Fees
• There is a bridge toll (paid before crossing the bridge).
🛣️ First impressions of Romania
As soon as we crossed the checkpoint, the roads looked more orderly. The new road markings were clean and clear. The GPS was working smoothly again. Across the bridge, we saw dozens of trucks waiting in long lines to enter Bulgaria. We felt lucky to have chosen to drive ourselves, avoiding the long queues.
☕ Black coffee at a small gas station
We stopped at a roadside gas station. No famous brands, no Starbucks, just black coffee in plastic cups and potato chips.
🚋 Entering Bucharest
The route slowly led us into the big city. Old trams still crisscrossed the streets, some using overhead wires like they used to be. The sign "Obor Market" appeared on the GPS — a large market in the heart of Bucharest, where locals lived more than tourists. And that was the beginning of a new chapter in this journey.
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