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The Bușteni cable car lifts you from the Prahova Valley to Babele, on the Bucegi plateau at about 2,200 m, and Bușteni is about 50 minutes from Brașov by train. A return ticket costs 199 lei for an adult and 85 lei for a child aged 5–12 (2026 prices). It runs every day except Tuesday, from 08:30; the last ride up is at 15:00 on weekdays and 16:00 at weekends. The Babele rocks are next to the upper station and the Sphinx is about 300 m away. Strong wind stops the cable car, so check the weather before you leave Brașov.
Is it worth it?
On a clear day, yes. It is the quickest way from Brașov onto the high plateau of the Bucegi, over the cliffs above the Prahova Valley. At the top, the Babele and the Sphinx are rock formations carved by the wind, a short walk from the station. You don’t need to be a hiker.
It suits:
- Non-hikers and families who want the mountain views without the climb.
- Walkers who want to start high: the plateau paths to the Sphinx and the Caraiman Cross begin at the upper station.
- Anyone combining it with Sinaia, ten minutes further down the railway, and Peleș Castle.
Think twice:
- It is expensive. A family of two adults and one child pays 483 lei for the return trip.
- Cloud, fog or wind can ruin it. In low cloud you see nothing at the top, and in strong wind the cable car doesn’t run.
- Tuesdays are out. The line is closed all day for technical inspection.
- On a budget, the two-stage lift from Sinaia to Cota 2000 is cheaper (119 lei return), but it leaves you about 6 km from Babele.
Getting there from Brașov
By train
Bușteni is on the main Brașov–Bucharest line, just before Sinaia. On Saturday 10 October 2026, CFR Călători alone listed 19 direct trains from Brașov, taking 51 minutes to 1 hour 1 minute (CFR Călători). Private operators run more trains on the same line; the Infofer timetable lists them all.
| Regio (R) | InterRegio (IR) | |
|---|---|---|
| Journey time | 52 min – 1 h 01 | 51–54 min |
| CFR fare, 2nd class, adult | 12.50 lei | 22.50 lei |
Fares include the compulsory seat reservation and match the CFR tariff tables for 37 km. Each company sells its own tickets, so buy one for the train you actually take.
- Good morning trains: 06:20 (R, in Bușteni at 07:17), 07:40 (IR, 08:33), 08:11 (IRN, 09:02) and 09:15 (R-E, 10:07).
- Back to Brașov: 17:01, 17:38, 17:51, 18:30, 19:07, 20:02 and 20:56; the last CFR train leaves at 23:02 and arrives at 23:54.
From Bușteni station you walk uphill to the lower cable car station on Strada Telecabinei; hiking trails into the Bucegi start from the same place (Munții Noștri trail atlas).
By car
Take the DN1 south through Timișu de Jos and Predeal: about 39 km, or 50 minutes without traffic. The DN1 through the Prahova Valley is often slow at weekends, especially on the way back in the afternoon, which is when the train is the better choice.
The cable car: prices, hours and closures
The Bușteni lines are run by Genetrix (Teleferic Prahova), which also runs the Clăbucet lifts in Predeal (teleferic.ro).
Prices for 2026 (operator’s price list, checked 10 October 2026):
| Ticket | Adult | Child 5–12 |
|---|---|---|
| Bușteni → Babele (up) | 105 lei | 49 lei |
| Babele → Bușteni (down) | 105 lei | 49 lei |
| Bușteni – Babele return | 199 lei | 85 lei |
| Bușteni → Peștera, both cable cars, up | 190 lei | 90 lei |
| Bușteni – Peștera return | 249 lei | 109 lei |
- Children under 5 ride free.
- A trip with a bicycle costs 200 lei per person and bike, each way.
- Pets are allowed. Some large breeds must wear a muzzle and be on a lead.
- People with locomotor disabilities can book a slot online through the operator’s site.
Opening hours (operator’s timetable, checked 10 October 2026):
| Day | First ride up | Last ride up | Last ride down |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 08:30 | 15:00 | 16:00 |
| Tuesday | Closed (inspection) | – | – |
| Wednesday–Friday | 08:30 | 15:00 | 16:00 |
| Saturday–Sunday | 08:30 | 16:00 | 17:00 |
The ride. The line opened in 1978. It is 4,350 m long and climbs about 1,237 m to the Babele station at 2,187 m. When it opened, the trip took 11 minutes in cabins for 35 people (Adevărul, December 2025).
Wind. The cable car does not run in strong wind, and the wind can rise while you are at the top. On 31 December 2017, the cable car stopped in the afternoon and more than 130 people at Babele had to walk to Peștera with gendarmes and mountain rescuers, then go down by road (Antena 3). The operator posts a live webcam; check it and the forecast before you set off.
Queues. Summer weekends and public holidays are the busiest times. Older reports describe four-hour queues on a record August Saturday (Cotidianul, 2010) and more than 1,700 people waiting over the 15 August holiday (Știrile ProTV, 2011).
At the top: Babele, the Sphinx and beyond
- Babele (“the old women”) are the group of wind-carved rocks beside the upper station and the Babele cabin. The cabin was put up for sale in 2025 for €1.6 million (Digi24, August 2025) and Romanian Wikipedia describes it as closed, so don’t count on it for food or a bed.
- The Sphinx (Sfinxul), at about 2,200 m, is an 8 m conglomerate rock whose outline looks like a human face (Romanian Wikipedia). On OpenStreetMap it is about 300 m north-west of the Babele cabin, a few minutes on foot.
- The Heroes’ Cross (Crucea Eroilor) on Caraiman peak, above Bușteni, is about 3 km from Babele along the plateau on OpenStreetMap.
- The Babele–Peștera cable car goes down the other side of the plateau to Peștera. It runs only on Friday 11:00–15:30 and Saturday–Sunday 09:00–16:30; a return costs 149 lei and one way 90 lei.
The alternative from Sinaia: Cota 1400 and Cota 2000
Sinaia is 8–10 minutes further down the line from Bușteni. Its municipal lifts start in the town, at about 1,000 m: a cable car climbs to Cota 1400, and a second cable car or the Carp gondola continues to Cota 2000, on the southern edge of the plateau (Sinaia Go).
| Ticket (2025–26 list) | Adult | Child 5–12 |
|---|---|---|
| One section, one way | 44 lei | 34 lei |
| One section, return | 75 lei | 50 lei |
| Both sections, one way | 75 lei | 44 lei |
| Both sections, return | 119 lei | 75 lei |
Children under 5 ride free with a paying adult. The first cable car runs 09:00–17:00 and opens later on Wednesdays for its weekly inspection; the Carp gondola runs 09:30–16:30. On 10 October 2026 the operator’s morning update said the cable car to Cota 1400 and the Carp gondola were running, but not the town gondola (Sinaia–Cota 1400).
Cota 2000 is lower than Babele and about 6 km from it across the plateau, so choose Sinaia if you want the views and Peleș in one day, and Bușteni if you want the Babele and the Sphinx.
Safety at altitude
- It is much colder up there. The air cools by roughly 6°C for every 1,000 m you climb (see the weather and seasons in Brașov), and Babele is about 1,600 m higher than Brașov. Expect it to be around 10°C colder than in town, before the wind.
- Dress for the top, not the valley. Bring a windproof layer, a warm layer and proper shoes even in summer. Our what to wear today page shows the conditions in Brașov; add layers for the plateau.
- Don’t walk down on a whim. The Jepii Mari trail from the plateau to Bușteni is rated medium to difficult, with cable-protected rock steps, and it is closed in winter because of avalanche danger (Munții Noștri). If the cable car stops, wait for instructions.
- Save the mountain rescue number. Salvamont’s national dispatch is on 0725 826 668 (spelled 0SALVAMONT), or call 112 (Salvamont România). Say who you are, what happened, how many people need help and where you are.
- Watch the last ride. The last ride down is at 16:00 on weekdays and 17:00 at weekends.
Combine it with Peleș Castle
Bușteni and Sinaia are on the same railway, so the cable car and Peleș Castle fit into one day. Plan around the closures: the cable car is closed on Tuesdays, Peleș on Mondays and Tuesdays, and Peleș is shut for conservation from 2 November to 1 December 2026. That leaves Wednesday to Sunday.
A day that works:
- 07:40 InterRegio from Brașov, in Bușteni at 08:33.
- Cable car up as early as possible; two hours for Babele and the Sphinx.
- Back down by about 11:30, then the 12:00 train to Sinaia (8 minutes).
- Peleș in the afternoon; the last entry is at 16:00.
- Back to Brașov by train in the evening; the last direct train from Sinaia left at 22:53 in October 2026.
For more ideas, see our day trips from Brașov. In winter, Bușteni and Sinaia are also ski resorts: see skiing near Brașov.
Tips
- Never plan this for a Tuesday.
- Go up early. You get the most time at the top before the last ride down, and before any afternoon cloud or wind.
- Check the webcam on teleferic.ro before you buy your train ticket.
- Take water and a snack. Don’t rely on the Babele cabin being open.
- Bring sunglasses and sun cream. There are no trees on the plateau to give shade.
FAQ
How much is the Bușteni cable car?
199 lei return or 105 lei one way for an adult, and 85 lei return or 49 lei one way for a child aged 5–12, in 2026. Children under 5 ride free.
Is the Bușteni–Babele cable car open on Tuesday?
No. It is closed every Tuesday for a full day of technical inspection. It runs the other six days from 08:30.
What time is the last cable car from Babele?
The last ride down is at 16:00 from Monday to Friday and at 17:00 on Saturday and Sunday. The last ride up is an hour earlier.
How far is the Sphinx from the cable car?
About 300 m from the Babele cabin by the upper station, a walk of a few minutes on the plateau.
How do I get from Brașov to Bușteni?
By train in 51 minutes to an hour, with about 19 direct CFR Călători trains a day plus private operators; a CFR ticket costs 12.50 lei on a Regio and 22.50 lei on an InterRegio. By car it is 39 km on the DN1 through Predeal.
Can I go up to the Bucegi from Sinaia instead?
Yes. Sinaia’s cable car and gondola climb to Cota 1400 and Cota 2000; a return on both sections costs 119 lei. Cota 2000 is about 6 km from Babele, so it’s not a shortcut to the Sphinx.
What happens if it’s too windy?
The cable car doesn’t run in strong wind. If it stops while you are at the top, follow the staff’s instructions; in 2017, people stranded by wind were walked to Peștera and driven down.
Sources
- Genetrix (Teleferic Prahova): prices, timetable, live webcam, checked 10 October 2026
- Transport Urban Sinaia: Sinaia lift prices and hours, checked 10 October 2026
- CFR Călători: Brașov–Bușteni trains, Bușteni–Brașov trains, tariffs from 14 December 2025
- Munții Noștri trail atlas: Bușteni – Cabana Piatra Arsă, trail 01MN07, sheet dated April 2026
- Salvamont România: national dispatch
- Adevărul: how Romania’s cable cars were built, 28 December 2025
- Antena 3: tourists stranded at Babele by wind, 31 December 2017
- Digi24: Babele cabin for sale, 19 August 2025
