Brașov International Airport: Everything You Need to Know
Brașov-Ghimbav International Airport is Romania’s first airport built from scratch in 50 years. Here’s how its digital tower, growing route map, and shuttle connections make it easier to reach Transylvania.
Brașov’s newest gateway
Brașov-Ghimbav International Airport (GHV) opened on 15 June 2023 as Romania’s first new airport in five decades, finally giving central Transylvania its own runway instead of routing every trip through Bucharest. Passenger traffic has already doubled year over year, with 56,897 travellers processed in the first quarter of 2025 alone, according to Romania Insider.
Wizz Air keeps expanding the schedule from Brașov, and tour operators now book weekly charters to the Mediterranean. Whether you are planning a weekend in the city or a ski break in Poiana Brașov, the airport is now a practical entry point into the Carpathians.
Fast facts & timeline
The terminal sits in Ghimbav, roughly 12 km (20 minutes by car) northwest of Brașov’s Council Square, according to the official airport guide. Keep these headline details in mind when planning:
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Codes
IATA GHV / ICAO LRBV
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Opening date
15 June 2023 (first new Romanian airport in 50 years)
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Control tower
Fully digital, operated remotely from Arad (~450 km away)
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Passenger trend
56,897 passengers in Q1 2025
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Terminal layout
Two-storey terminal with 10 check-in desks (AirMundo)
Sources: AirMundo and Romania Insider.
Digital tower & operations
Brașov hosts Romania’s first fully functional virtual air traffic control tower. The entire airside operation is directed in real time from ROMATSA’s center in Arad, 450 kilometers away, using high-definition cameras, meteorological feeds, and 30× zoom sensors that can spot wildlife on the runway, per Romania Insider. That means controllers benefit from augmented views even during fog or snow, and maintenance crews can remotely clean the cameras without halting operations.
Aviation analysts at Global Airspace Radar note that Brașov now sits alongside Sweden and Norway in the club of airports that run digital towers to scale capacity cost-effectively. For travelers this translates to fewer weather-related delays, quicker responsiveness when traffic grows, and a showcase for Romania’s tech-forward infrastructure.
Airlines and 2025 routes
Wizz Air remains the anchor carrier at GHV and keeps adding non-stop links into central Europe. On 26–28 October 2025 the airline inaugurated new flights to Memmingen (Germany) and Milan Malpensa (Italy) as part of its largest winter expansion yet, according to the official announcement.
A separate May 2025 Wizz Air update confirmed that direct flights to Naples and Nuremberg will start in October 2025, rounding out a year-round schedule that already includes London Luton, Budapest, and Dortmund.
Summer leisure traffic is picking up as well. Brașov airport officials shared that AnimaWings will operate weekly charters to Monastir, Antalya, and Heraklion, while Aegean, Sky Express, HiSky, FlyOne, and Corendon add seasonal links to multiple Greek islands and Antalya starting late May and early June 2025 (Romania Insider).
Expect the destination board to shuffle between ski season and summer holiday demand, so book early for peak weeks and keep an eye on airlines’ direct channels for seat releases.
How to reach the terminal
The city runs the A1 express bus between Brașov CFR train station, Livada Poștei, Bartolomeu, and the airport. When the service launched, the municipality set 13 departures coordinated with flight schedules and a flat 4 lei fare for 60 minutes of travel (Romania Insider).
Today the timetable remains easy to remember: Moovit’s transit feed shows departures every 60 minutes from 07:00 to 19:20 daily, covering the 16-stop route in about 35 minutes. (Moovit). If you land outside those hours, pre-book a taxi or use Uber/Bolt—the ride usually takes 20 minutes into the old town thanks to the short 12-km distance.
Drivers can follow the E68 and use the airport parking lot; rental car desks and ride-hailing pick-up zones sit just outside arrivals.
Inside the terminal
GHV’s compact, two-storey terminal keeps walking distances short: arrivals sit on the ground floor alongside the 10 check-in desks, while international security is upstairs. AirMundo notes that food and retail options are still limited, so grab coffee or snacks in the city before heading out and expect only essential services once you clear security.
You’ll find rental car counters, ATMs, and an information desk before security, plus free Wi-Fi throughout the building. Plan to arrive 90 minutes before departure (two hours for charter groups) so ground staff can process documents without rushing—especially because the airport’s single runway can pause movements during bad weather.
Trip planning tips
Landing at Brașov is only step one. Build the rest of your itinerary with these local guides:
- Navigate city buses, taxis, and cable cars with our transportation playbook.
- Continuing to or from the capital? Read the Bucharest ↔ Brașov transport comparison for trains, buses, and private transfers.
- Track every new route announced from GHV inside our Wizz Air expansion recap.
