How to Get to Bran Castle from Brașov

Option	One way	Journey	Best for
Bus from Autogara 2	15 lei	about 55 min	Solo travellers and couples on a budget
Car on the DN73	Fuel + parking	about 35 min	Adding Râșnov, families, early starts
Taxi or Bolt	about 150 lei	about 35 min	Groups of three or four who split the fare
Organised tour	Set by the operator	Half or full day	Short stays, no planning
Train	–	–	Not possible: no railway reaches Bran

We checked bus times and fares against the Transbus timetable on 10 October 2026. This guide is part of our day trips from Brașov. For what’s inside the castle, see the Bran Castle guide.

By bus from Autogara 2

Most visitors take the bus, and it’s also the cheapest way to go. It’s an ordinary intercity coach run by Transbus Codreanu, and timetables list it as Brașov – Moieciu de Jos. Bran is the main stop on the way.

Where it leaves from

The bus leaves from Autogara 2, at Strada Avram Iancu 114 in the Bartolomeu area, north-west of the Old Town. Don’t confuse it with Autogara 1, the main bus station next to the railway station.

That said, the timetable shows the same buses starting from Autogara 1 (Bulevardul Gării 1A, by the railway station). They leave there at quarter to the hour, 15 minutes before they call at Autogara 2. So if you’re staying near the station or arriving by train, you can get on there.

Timetable and fare

• Departures from Autogara 2: every hour on the hour, 07:00 to 21:00, seven days a week, with the same timetable on weekdays and at weekends. Some sites, including the castle’s own, still say there’s a bus every 30 minutes on weekdays, but the current Transbus timetable shows one an hour.
• Departures from Autogara 1: at :45 past each hour, from 06:45 to 20:45.
• Journey time: the timetable gives 54 minutes from Autogara 2 to Bran Centru.
• Fare: 15 lei one way. You can buy tickets online through Autogari.ro.
• Faster minibuses: Transmontana also lists two direct minibuses from Autogara 2, at 08:30 and 14:00. They take 20–30 minutes and cost 25 lei. There are only two a day, so treat them as a bonus, not a plan.

Where to get off in Bran

Get off at Bran Centru (listed as “Bran Centru Castel”). The stop is in the middle of the village, near the castle’s main entrance at Strada General Traian Moșoiu 24. If you stay on, the bus carries on to Moieciu.

Getting to Autogara 2 from the centre

• City bus 41 goes from Livada Poștei, at the edge of the Old Town, to Autogara 2, via Dramatic, Iuliu Maniu, Spital Mârzescu, Opera Brașov and Morii. It isn’t frequent, with a bus about every 35–45 minutes on weekdays and about every 70 minutes at weekends, so check the RATBV timetable before you go.
• City bus 22 also stops at Autogara 2 and runs much more often, but it comes from the Saturn and Gemenii side of town, via Spital Mârzescu.
• Fare: a single city ticket costs 5 lei and lasts 90 minutes. You can tap a contactless bank card on the validator, and line 41 is one of the few lines where you can also buy a ticket from the driver.
• On foot: Autogara 2 is about 3 km from Piața Sfatului, roughly a 35–40 minute walk.
• Taxi or Bolt: it’s a short ride from the Old Town, and the easiest way to make an early bus.

For more on city tickets and apps, see our guide to getting around Brașov.

Photo: Diana

The return trip

Work out how you’ll get back before you set off.

• Buses from Bran Centru to Brașov leave roughly every hour at :38, from 05:38 until the last one at 19:38. The timetable gives about 40 minutes to Autogara 2, and some buses carry on to Autogara 1 by the railway station.
• In summer, timing is tight. From April to 1 November, last entry to the castle is 19:00, close to the last bus. Aim for the 16:38 or 17:38, so that if you miss it there’s still a later bus.
• If you miss the last bus, you’ll need a taxi or a ride-hailing car, and those are harder to find in Bran than in Brașov (see below).

By car

• Route: take the DN73 (E574) south-west out of Brașov, through Cristian and Râșnov, to Bran. It’s 30 km, about 35 minutes in normal traffic. The road goes right through both towns, so allow extra time on summer weekends.
• Parking: the castle doesn’t have its own car park. Instead, there are several paid car parks, run by others, around Strada General Traian Moșoiu near the entrance. Each one sets its own prices, and they aren’t published anywhere central.
• Why drive: you can stop at Râșnov on the way, carry on to the Libearty bear sanctuary in Zărnești, or start early enough to be at the gate when it opens.

Flying in? Our Brașov airport guide covers the options at Brașov-Ghimbav.

Photo: Shubham Singh on Unsplash

By taxi or Bolt

• Price: expect about 150 lei (about €30) one way from Brașov by taxi or ride-hailing. Local taxi firms include Martax, Tod Taxi and Ro Taxi, and both Bolt and Uber work in Brașov.
• When it pays off: split between three or four people, the fare comes to roughly 40–50 lei each. That’s two to three times the bus fare, but you skip the trip out to Autogara 2.
• The return problem: getting to Bran is easy, getting back isn’t. Bran is a village, so a ride-hailing request may take a long time to find a driver, especially in the evening. Before you’re dropped off, agree a pick-up time and price with your driver, or plan to take the bus back.

Organised tours

Day tours from Brașov usually pair Bran with Râșnov, and sometimes add Peleș Castle in Sinaia. Peleș is in a different direction, so that makes for a long day. Before you book, check:

• whether the castle ticket (100 lei per adult for the Standard Tour) is included, or just the transport;
• whether the guide goes into the castle with you or waits outside;
• what the Râșnov stop includes, as the citadel itself is closed for restoration (see below).

Add Râșnov on the way

Râșnov is on the same road, about 16 km from Brașov and 13 km before Bran, so it’s easy to fit in.

• The citadel itself is closed for restoration. You can still visit the citadel garden and the Báthory Tower at its entrance, which has temporary exhibitions and a view over the mountains. The town hall’s latest notice (August 2025) sets entry at 10 lei for visitors over 12, and under-12s go free. Tickets are sold only on site, and only by card. The garden is open 09:00–19:00 in June, July and August, and 09:00–17:00 the rest of the year.
• Inclined lift: it leaves from behind the Casa de Cultură in town. Adults pay 30 lei return (20 lei one way), and children 20 lei return (10 lei one way).
• By public transport: RATBV metropolitan bus 130 runs from Stadionul Municipal in Brașov to Râșnov for 7 lei. Regional trains on the Brașov–Zărnești line also stop at Râșnov, about 20 minutes from Brașov. The published Transbus timetable doesn’t list a Râșnov stop for the Bran bus, so ask the driver before you rely on it.

Bran Castle tickets and hours

You’ll need these to time your trip. We checked the prices on the castle’s website on 10 October 2026.

Ticket	Price
Standard Tour, adult	100 lei
Student (with student card)	60 lei
Senior 65+	70 lei
Child 5–17	40 lei
Child under 5	Free
Time Tunnel or Torture Rooms (add-on)	30 lei each
Royal Tour + Fast Pass, adult (includes both add-ons)	170 lei
Guided Royal Tour + Fast Pass, adult	210 lei

• Hours: from 1 April to 1 November, Tuesday to Sunday 09:00–19:00 and Monday 12:00–19:00. From 2 November to 31 March, 09:00–18:00 (Monday from 12:00). The castle gives these as last-entry times.
• Book ahead in summer: the castle warns that tickets often sell out well in advance, especially in the summer months.
• Halloween: from 24 October to 1 November 2026 the castle runs a themed programme with different prices. See the notice at the top of this page.

For the rooms, the Time Tunnel and whether the add-ons are worth it, read our Bran Castle guide. And for what the castle has to do with Vlad the Impaler (very little), see Vlad Țepeș and Brașov.

Photo: Diana

Our pick

• On a budget or travelling solo: take the bus. Catch the 09:00 or 10:00 from Autogara 2, and come back on the 15:38 or 16:38.
• With a car or with children: drive, and stop at Râșnov on the way out.
• Three or four people: take a taxi there, then the bus back, or agree a return pick-up in advance.
• Only one free day in Brașov: a tour that includes the castle ticket saves you the planning, but check what you’re paying for.

FAQ

Is there a train from Brașov to Bran?

No. The railway from Brașov goes to Râșnov and Zărnești, but not to Bran. The nearest station is Râșnov, about 13 km before Bran, so the bus is your public transport option.

How much is the bus from Brașov to Bran?

15 lei one way on the Transbus service from Autogara 2. The Transmontana minibus costs 25 lei, but it only runs twice a day.

Where does the bus to Bran leave from?

From Autogara 2 on Strada Avram Iancu, on the hour. The same buses start 15 minutes earlier from Autogara 1, next to the railway station.

What time is the last bus from Bran back to Brașov?

The current Transbus timetable has the last bus leaving Bran Centru at 19:38. Before that, there’s one roughly every hour at :38.

How long does it take to get from Brașov to Bran Castle?

About 55 minutes by bus from Autogara 2, or about 35 minutes by car or taxi. Allow half a day in all, including 1–2 hours at the castle.

Can I visit Bran and Râșnov in one day?

Yes. Râșnov is on the same road. By car it’s an easy stop, and by public transport you can take bus 130 or the train to Râșnov. Just remember that while the citadel is being restored, only its garden and the Báthory Tower are open.

Can I do Bran Castle and Peleș Castle in one day?

Only with a car or a tour, and even then it’s a long day. Peleș is in Sinaia on the DN1 and Bran is on the DN73, two different roads out of Brașov. By public transport, give each castle its own day. Our Bran and Peleș in one day guide has a timed plan.

Sources

• Transbus timetable and fares, via Autogari.ro: Brașov–Bran and Bran–Brașov (timetable updated by Transbus in July 2026)
• Bran Castle: plan your visit (prices, hours, access, parking, taxi estimate) and tickets
• RATBV: routes and timetables (lines 22, 41 and 130) and fares
• Râșnov Citadel: visitor information; Râșnov town hall: notice on garden and Báthory Tower tickets (August 2025)