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The high section between Bâlea Cascadă and Piscu Negru has been open since 12 June 2026, daily 07:00–21:00. The first snow fell on 21–22 September, and under the rules the road can close for the winter at any time from 20 October.
The Transfăgărășan (DN7C) crosses the Făgăraș Mountains, and its high section between Bâlea Cascadă and Piscu Negru is open only in the warm months. In 2026 the national roads company CNAIR reopened it on 12 June, with traffic allowed daily from 07:00 to 21:00, and under the rules it can close for the winter at any time from 20 October. From Brașov, Bâlea Lake is about 135 km by car, 2 h 30 – 3 h each way, via the DN1 through Făgăraș. There is no public transport from Brașov. When the road is shut, the Bâlea cable car (80 lei one way) still takes you up to the lake from Bâlea Cascadă.
Is it worth it?
Yes, on a clear day and if you like driving. On the northern side the road climbs a glacial valley in tight bends to Bâlea Lake at 2,034 m, then goes through the 884 m Bâlea tunnel, the longest road tunnel in Romania, to the southern side. The highest point is at 2,042 m. The road was built between 1970 and 1974 and opened on 20 September 1974 (Wikipedia; lake altitude from Bâlea Lac).
It suits:
- Drivers with a full day, and passengers who don’t mind hairpins.
- Walkers who want easy access to the high mountains: Bâlea Lake sits right by the road.
- Anyone heading on to Sibiu, which is closer to the Transfăgărășan than Brașov is.
Think again if:
- you don’t drive. From Brașov the only options are a private driver or a tour; the tourist transfer runs from Sibiu.
- the forecast is poor. CNAIR warns that weather at altitude changes quickly and can cut visibility, and the road closes temporarily in bad weather.
- it’s late October or later. The high section may already be closed for the winter; the cable car to the lake keeps running.
When the road is open
The high section is the 26.8 km between Bâlea Cascadă (km 130+800, Sibiu county) and Piscu Negru (km 104+000, Argeș county). The road from the DN1 up to Bâlea Cascadă stays open all year (Adevărul).
Under the rules for mountain roads, the high section may be closed between 20 October and 30 June, and CNAIR sets the actual dates each year after inspecting the road (BizBrașov, September 2026). Recent years, from CNAIR’s announcements:
| Year | High section reopened | Closed for the winter |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | – | 6 November |
| 2024 | 7 June | 12 November |
| 2025 | 6 June | 20 October, after a temporary closure for snow on 8 October |
| 2026 | 12 June, at 12:00 | Not announced as of 10 October |
The 2023 closing date is from Cotidianul. When CNAIR reopened the road on 12 June 2026, it said traffic would be allowed between 07:00 and 21:00 and that the road would close temporarily in bad weather (CNAIR). The road also closes for a few hours for events, such as a three-hour closure for a car event on 29 August 2025.
Check before you go: CNAIR posts closures and reopenings in its press releases, and in autumn the first snow often comes early. In 2026 it fell on the night of 21 to 22 September, and the road crews had to clear snow at Bâlea Lake (Cotidianul, 23 September 2026).
Getting there from Brașov
By car
Take the DN1 (E68) west from Brașov through Codlea and Făgăraș, the same road as to Sibiu. The Transfăgărășan leaves the DN1 near Cârțișoara; follow the DN7C south through the village to Bâlea Cascadă, then up the bends to Bâlea Lake.
| Stage | Distance | Time without stops |
|---|---|---|
| Brașov → Făgăraș | 68 km | about 1 h 15 |
| Brașov → Cârțișoara | 105 km | about 1 h 55 |
| Cârțișoara → Bâlea Lake | 30 km | about 40 min |
| Brașov → Bâlea Lake | 135 km | about 2 h 30; allow 3 h |
Distances and times are from an OpenStreetMap route planner, checked 10 October 2026, and don’t allow for traffic or stops on the bends.
Fuel. On OpenStreetMap the last filling station on the northern side is at the DN1 junction in Cârțișoara, and the next one on the southern side is near Arefu, about 90 km of mountain road later. Fill up in Făgăraș or Cârțișoara.
Without a car
There is no bus or train from Brașov to Bâlea. The Brașov–Sibiu trains and buses run along the DN1 and stop at Făgăraș, but nothing scheduled continues up the DN7C.
From Sibiu, the Balea Bus tourist transfer, run by Carpathian Travel Center, goes to the Bâlea Cascadă cable car station on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday (Balea Bus):
- leaves Sibiu (Thalia Hall car park) at 09:00
- leaves Bâlea Cascadă for Sibiu at 18:00 from May to October, and at 16:30 in winter
- €70 for an adult day pass, €45 for children aged 6–12, €50 for ages 13–18 and over-65s, free under 6
- online booking at least 5 hours ahead; the bus stops at the cable car’s lower station, and the cable car is run separately
So without a car, the easiest plan is to travel to Sibiu the day before; our Brașov to Sibiu guide has the trains and buses. Some Brașov agencies and private drivers also offer the trip.
Bâlea Cascadă and the waterfall
Bâlea Cascadă is the cable car’s lower station and a mountain cabin, at about 1,200 m. From the cabin’s yard, a trail marked with a red dot leads to Bâlea waterfall, which drops about 60 m. Allow 40–50 minutes each way at an easy pace; the first part is gravel and boulders and the last stretch is steeper (Adevărul, December 2023). Mountain rescuers advise against the trail in winter because of avalanche risk; you can see the waterfall from the cable car instead.
The Bâlea cable car
The cable car runs from Bâlea Cascadă to Bâlea Lake: 3,700 m in about 15 minutes. It is the only way to the lake when the high section is closed (Bâlea Lac, checked 10 October 2026).
| Ticket | Adult (over 12) | Child 2–12 |
|---|---|---|
| Up | 80 lei | 40 lei |
| Return | 160 lei | 80 lei |
| Bicycle | 80 lei | – |
| Luggage | 20 lei | – |
- Children under 2 ride free.
- It runs daily, 09:00–18:00.
- Tickets are sold only at the stations; cash and cards are accepted.
- Parking at the lower station is free, and guests staying at Bâlea Lake get priority boarding.
- The cable car stops in bad weather. The Balea Bus warns its passengers that the cable car may stop running, and that the bus will wait at most five hours.
Bâlea Lake
Bâlea Lake is a glacial lake at 2,034 m, with a cabin, a restaurant and rooms by the shore; in winter an ice hotel is built here (Bâlea Lac).
Parking by the lake is in paid car parks. A sign photographed in June 2025 gave 10 lei an hour for cars, 5 lei for motorcycles and 20 lei for campervans, with a 60 lei charge for a lost ticket; the toilets cost 5 lei (Capital, June 2025). Park only in the marked car parks: on a Saturday in August 2022, Sibiu traffic police fined 34 drivers for stopping and parking on the road (Profit.ro).
Road rules and safety
- Be off the high section by 21:00. Traffic is allowed only from 07:00 to 21:00.
- Don’t feed or approach the bears. CNAIR says bears are constantly near the road. Stay in the car, don’t feed them and report them to the authorities. Feeding wild animals is an offence under OUG 81/2001, with fines of 10,000–30,000 lei (CNAIR, June 2026). On the Argeș side, between Valea lui Stan and Valea cu Pești, police and gendarmes can fine drivers twice: once for feeding and once for stopping on the national road (Capital, September 2024).
- Stop only where it’s allowed. Use the lay-bys and car parks, not the bends.
- Expect mountain weather. It is roughly 6°C colder for every 1,000 m you climb (see the weather and seasons in Brașov), and Bâlea Lake is about 1,400 m higher than Brașov, so plan for 8°C less than in town, plus wind. Check what to wear today and pack an extra warm layer.
- Drive slowly. CNAIR asks drivers to adapt their speed, because cloud and rain can come in quickly at altitude.
- Save the mountain rescue number: Salvamont 0725 826 668, or 112 (Salvamont România).
Combine it with
- Făgăraș Citadel, the Brâncoveanu Monastery at Sâmbăta de Sus and the Cârța ruins, all on or just off the DN1 on the way. Our Brașov to Sibiu guide describes them.
- A night in Sibiu, which turns the drive into a relaxed two-day trip.
- The southern side: Vidraru Dam and Poenari Citadel, near Arefu. Bâlea Lake to Vidraru is about 47 km (1 h 10). If you then return to Brașov via Câmpulung and Bran rather than back over the pass, the whole loop is about 345 km and over 7 hours of driving without stops, so only attempt it with a very early start. On the way back you pass close to Bran; see how to reach Bran Castle from Brașov.
For other ideas, see all our day trips from Brașov.
Tips
- Leave Brașov by 08:00. You get to the lake before the middle of the day and have time for the waterfall on the way back.
- Fill up and bring water and food for the drive.
- Bring cash and a card for parking and the cable car.
- In September and October, check CNAIR on the morning you leave. Snow can close the road for a day, or for the winter.
FAQ
When is the Transfăgărășan open in 2026?
The high section between Bâlea Cascadă and Piscu Negru has been open since 12 June 2026. It can close for the winter at any time from 20 October; in 2025 it closed on 20 October and in 2024 on 12 November.
What are the Transfăgărășan opening hours?
On the high section, traffic is allowed daily from 07:00 to 21:00 (CNAIR, June 2026). The road from the DN1 up to Bâlea Cascadă is open all year.
How long does it take to drive from Brașov to Bâlea Lake?
About 2 h 30 for 135 km without stops, via the DN1, Făgăraș and Cârțișoara. Allow 3 hours on a summer weekend.
Is there public transport from Brașov to the Transfăgărășan?
No. The nearest option is the Balea Bus tourist transfer from Sibiu (€70 day pass), which runs to the Bâlea Cascadă cable car station four days a week.
How much is the Bâlea Lake cable car?
80 lei one way and 160 lei return for adults, 40 and 80 lei for children aged 2–12. It runs daily from 09:00 to 18:00, weather permitting.
Can you visit Bâlea Lake when the road is closed?
Yes. The road to Bâlea Cascadă stays open all year, and the cable car takes you up to the lake.
Are there bears on the Transfăgărășan?
Yes, often right by the road. Stay in your car, don’t feed them and don’t stop to take photos close up. Feeding bears is fined 10,000–30,000 lei.
Sources
- CNAIR: high section reopened, 12 June 2026, press releases on the DN7C, checked 10 October 2026
- Bâlea Lac: cable car prices and hours, lake and cabin, checked 10 October 2026
- Balea Bus (Carpathian Travel Center): timetable and prices, checked 10 October 2026
- Cotidianul: first snow of 2026 and past closing dates, 23 September 2026
- BizBrașov: first snow and the closure rules, 22 September 2026
- Adevărul: the trail to Bâlea waterfall, 2 December 2023
- Capital: parking at Bâlea Lake, 23 June 2025; fines for stopping to feed bears, 3 September 2024
- Profit.ro: fines for parking on the road, 14 August 2022
- Salvamont România: national dispatch
- OpenStreetMap: route distances and filling stations, checked 10 October 2026
