Getting Around Ploiești
Ploiești is a compact city and a major national transport hub, sitting at the junction of the A3 motorway from Bucharest and the planned A7 motorway toward Moldavia. For a visitor, that means the city itself is easy to cover, and it also works well as a base or a stopover for the wider region, including the Prahova Valley resorts.
On Foot
The central area is the easiest part of Ploiești to explore on foot. Most of the attractions a visitor is likely to want to see are concentrated there, and the city's compact layout makes walking a genuinely practical option rather than an afterthought.
Public Transport: Buses, Trams and Trolleybuses
The city's public transport network is operated by Transport Călători Express Ploiești (TCE). It covers all districts of the city using a combination of bus routes, trolleybus lines and tram lines.
For navigation, Google Maps includes the public transport network, which makes planning a journey straightforward. Two practical caveats are worth knowing: timetable timings are often unreliable, and some routes run less frequently than you might expect. Treat the map as a guide to which lines exist and roughly where they go, and build in some slack in your timing.
- Buying tickets: a single fare can be paid directly on board with a contactless bank card. Paper tickets are also available from kiosks near major stops.
- Buses 1 and 30 cross the city from south to north via the southern train station.
- Bus 2 links the southern and western train stations via the city centre, which makes it useful for transferring between the two.
- Tram 101 runs from the southern train station to the main regional hospital on the northern side of the city, passing through the city centre and the northern bus station.
- Tram 102 follows the ring road from the western train station to the north of the city and the main regional hospital, via the northern bus station.
- Trolleybus 202 connects the southern train station to the western minibus station via the city centre.
Trains and the City's Rail Stations
Ploiești is one of Romania's most important railway hubs, and the train is the fastest way to reach the city both from Bucharest and from Brașov. Numerous trains link it with every major city in the country.
The city has three train stations, each serving a different set of destinations:
- Gara de Vest (Western train station) — serves connections between Bucharest and the whole of Transylvania, crossing the Carpathian Mountains into Brașov via the Prahova Valley and its resorts such as Sinaia and Predeal. Some international trains to Budapest and Vienna also stop here.
- Gara de Sud (Southern train station) — serves connections between Bucharest and the whole of Moldavia through Buzău. International trains to Chișinău and Kyiv stop here.
- Gara de Nord (Northern train station) — used only by local commuter trains heading to Măneciu, a small town at the foot of the Ciucaș Mountains.
If you need to move between Gara de Sud and Gara de Vest, there are two easy options. A number of trains a day connect the two stations directly, and the journey takes only a few minutes. As a rule of thumb, any train at Gara de Sud with a destination in Transylvania will stop at Gara de Vest, and any train at Gara de Vest with a destination in Moldavia or Măneciu will stop at Gara de Sud. Alternatively, bus line 2 connects the two stations, and a taxi is a quick and inexpensive option.
Buses and Minibuses for Regional Travel
Ploiești has two official bus stations and one minibus station. Regional bus travel is generally not recommended except in specific cases — for example reaching Târgoviște, taking a Flixbus, or getting to local places that lack train connections. Schedules can be a mystery even to locals, and online information may or may not be up to date. On top of that, various other spots around the city are used as ad-hoc pick-up and drop-off points for transport services, which makes the system hard to navigate for a visitor.
- Ploiești South Bus Station (Autogara Ploiești Sud) — the most important bus station, located near the southern train station. It serves regional lines to nearby cities such as Târgoviște and Buzău, some inter-city lines to Constanța, Cluj-Napoca and Sibiu, and international coaches to cities in Western Europe.
- Ploiești North Bus Station (Autogara Ploiești Nord) — tends to be used for local transport within the county.
- Ploiești West Minibus Station (Statie microbuze Podul Înalt) — more of a spot than a station, where local minibuses can be picked up.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis and ride-hailing services such as Uber and Bolt are widely available at all hours, and a trip across the city is inexpensive. Most drivers are honest, but a few may try to overcharge a visitor by claiming the meter is broken or by taking a longer route. To avoid surprises, confirm that the meter is running before you set off, or use a ride-hailing app where the fare is set in advance.
Getting In from the Airport
Ploiești is served by the same airport as Bucharest: Henri Coandă International Airport. There are two main ways to reach the city from there.
- By train: a rail line connects the airport with the main train station of Bucharest, where you can easily hop on a train to Ploiești at any time before 22:30. Expect a modest fare for the combined journey.
- By taxi or ride-hailing: taxis, Uber and Bolt can all make the journey from the airport to Ploiești, but at a significantly higher cost than the train.
Arriving by Car
Ploiești is very well connected to other Romanian cities, sitting close to Bucharest and roughly midway between the capital and Brașov. From Bucharest you can reach it either via the old DN1 national road or the A3 motorway. The drive from the airport takes around 40 minutes. From Bucharest itself, the drive can take anywhere between 50 minutes and two hours depending on congestion and where in the city you start.
There is ample parking in the city centre, though the best bet is to use one of the two multi-story car parks. Parking is inexpensive by the hour.