Constanta Transportation

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It is very agreeable to drive in Constanta, but also very hard. Why that?

The infrastructure of the city it became very good in the last time but the big number of cars make that the circulation into the city is very laborious.

The street are modern, large and good illuminated in the night.

The great boulevards have more and good delimitated drive roads.

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Before commencing my holiday, research said there was no bus from Constanta Romania to Varna Bulgaria, in Constanta the Tourist office said no. On strolling around the Constanta rather drab bus station i found two services. On there office shop type windows clearly stating bus to Instanbul,via Varna and Burgas. One goes at 15.00 hrs and other at 16.00 hrs. The one i took leaves from its office just on the approach to bus station at 15.00 hrs.On board with driver , is a hostess who provided free coffee. We had a slight delay at Rom/Bul border because a lady and son had passport problems. I was pleased to find this bus service, because it would have ment nearly a 24 hour journey by train via Bucharest. The name on the bus side was Ozlem Tur. Because i boarded the bus at its starting point was fine, doing the journey the other way and being picked up on a Varna street corner, i"m not so sure especally if bus was late. The trip took 3 hours should have been 2 and half, not bad ! This journey was Sept.2007, i don"t know if it runs all year round

THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CASES SO I MUST WARN YOU.WHILE YOU ARE IN A TRAIN,ESPECIALLY IN A CABINE(THERE ARE OPEN SEAT ARANGEMENTS AS WELL ESPECIALLY IN THE INTERCITY).IF SOMEONE OFFERS YOU SOMETHING TO DRINK OR EAT,KINDLY SAY NO.IT MIGHT CONTAIN SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU FALL ASLEEP AND YOU LL WAKE UP WITHOUT YOUR MONEY AND LUGGAGE.IN THE VERY VERY UNLIKELY EVENT(WORST CASE SCENARIO PEOPLE,DON T GET ALARMED,ROMANIA IS THE SAFEST COUNTRY BY FAR IN THIS REGION EVEN MORE THAN HUNGARY AND BULGARIA)THAT SOMEONE ATACAS YOU DON T BE AFRAID TO SCREAM YOUR LUNGS OUT.PEOPLE WILL HEAR YOU AND THEY WILL ALERT THE TRAIN MASTERS.BE AWARE OF GIPSIES.THEY WON T HARM YOU BUT THEY MIGHT STEAL SOMETHING WHEN YOU RE IN THE BATHROOM.THAT S WHY I RECOMEND THE INTERCITY

if you take the bucharest(the capital where the main international airport-henry coanda- is)-constanta route the best way to go is by train.choose intercity first class or second class wagon not blue arrow(SAGEATA ALBASTRA)they both cost the same 80 lei-20 euro s but the intercity is a lot more confortable and you can get a decent sleep on those seats because the trip last 4 hours-they re upgrading the rail sistem on this route to a 200 km/hour sistem so until 2008 the speed will be very slughish.also there is a restaurant cart and waiters will come from time to time with coffee.the sageata albastra is a modern looking train but it is very unconfortable and feels crampt even at first class. if you are on a budget go for the ACCELERAT class.it s cheaper by around 8-10 euros (that s why i recomend the incercity,the difference between low and high is not that big) but it s messier and stay away from the toilets.also your fellow passengers might be a bit creeppy so watch your luggage

I WOULD STAY OFF THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AREA IN THE SUMMER.IT CAN BE A BIT CONFUSING ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE GOING TO MAMAIA.BUT IN THE REST OF THE YEAR THE BUSES ARE NOT SO CROWDED AND PEOPLE ARE HELPFUL-ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO KNOW ENGLISH BETTER.REMEMBER TO BUY YOUR TICKET IN ADVANCE.YOU CAN DO THAT AT SOME STORES NEAR THE STATION OR TICKET STORES ALSO NEAR THE STATION. NOW IT IS 2,4 LEI S FOR 2 TRIPS AND REMEMBER TO PERFORATE YOUR TICKET.THERE ARE SOME RED BOXES ON THE PILLARS INSIDE THE BUS.PUT THE TICKET IN AND PRESS THE BUTTON. 40 43 AND 100 ARE THE MOST COMMON LINES AND A MAP OF WHERE THEY ARE GOING CAN BE SEEN AT THE BUS STATION NEAR THE TRAIN STATION

THERE ARE ALSO SOME SMALL BUSSES CALLED MAXY TAXY WHICH ARE VERY USEFULL BECAUSE THEY TRAVEL LONG DISTANCES AND ARE CHEAP.2 LEI PER TRIP .U BUY THE TICKET FROM THE DRIVER (USUALY THE MINI BUSSES ARE WHITE WITH GMS WRITEN IN THE UPPER PART).IF YOU WAVE TO THEM THEY LL STOP AND PICK U UP.IF THEY RE EMPTY TAKE ONE BECAUSE THEY TRAVEL TO THE END OF MAMAIA AND THE DRIVEN WILL STOP NEAR THE HOTEL U RE STAYING IF U TELL HIM.USEFUL FOR PEOPLE WHO DON T KNOW THEY RE WAY AROUND.AVOID IF CROWDED. IN THE SUMMER ALL THE MAXY TAXY S GO TO MAMAIA SO DON T WORRY.IF U WANNA SEE A BOT OF THE TOWN TAKE THE 301 MAXY TAXY WHICH TRAVELS THROUGH THE CENTER/

As a winter child , I am used to see gondolas as a mean of taking you to the top of the mountain , so I was scandalized of the uselessness of this one. Ok it takes you from one side of the resort to the other , while flying over the pedestrian area and the water park and giving you a great view to the bay and the beach, and you avoid getting jammed in a bus with people sweating around you, but still....Gondolas belong to the mountains.

I got the feeling - "there must be something terribly wrong out here"

Constanta is very good reachable by train. I used middle fast train from Buccuresti in 2h50 min (225km). There are also Train Connection to Mangalia in the south (very slow by train, better use the bus!), and to the northern Parts of Romania via Brassov. You can check out train connections online. Buy train tickets in advance, you have reservation on the trains then and can be sure to have a seating place!

If you have the chance to get a charter flight (which are rare now) to Mihail Kogalniceanu Airport near Constanta, in half an hour you are here. In case you arrive on Otopeni Airport near Bucharest, the best way to get there is by train 225 km or by car 266 km on Fetesti-Cernavoda highway.
Around Constanta you can try the public transportation if you can accept that sometimes they are crowded. There are also mini-buses owned by a private company and always a choice, taxis. But just be carefull when u read the tariffs, make sure you notice al the zeros :)