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Romania Practical Travel Info

Visa rules by nationality, money, safety, and getting connected.

Romania became a full Schengen member on January 1, 2025 (air and sea borders since March 2024), so most Western passport holders (US, Canada, UK, EU, Australia, NZ) get the standard visa-free 90-day-in-180 Schengen stay — no separate Romanian visa needed. Currency is the Romanian leu (RON); cards work almost everywhere in cities, cash still helps in villages. Romania is very safe overall, with petty theft in crowded areas the main real risk.

This is the unglamorous section that quietly prevents a bad trip: whether you actually need a visa (the answer changed in the last couple of years, so don't trust old blog posts), how to handle leu versus euros, what genuinely could go wrong, and how to get online without a surprise roaming bill.

Questions people actually ask

Do I need a visa for Romania?
For most Western passport holders (US, Canada, UK, EU/Schengen, Australia, New Zealand), no — Romania became a full Schengen member on January 1, 2025, so the standard 90-days-in-any-180 Schengen-wide visa-free rule now applies exactly as it does for France or Italy. Always verify the current rule for your specific passport before booking.
Is Romania safe to visit?
Yes, it's considered one of the safer countries in Europe for tourists — violent crime against visitors is rare. The realistic risks are petty theft (pickpocketing on crowded trams, in train stations, and around major tourist sites) and stray dogs in some cities, both manageable with normal precautions.
What currency does Romania use?
The Romanian leu (RON, sometimes just written 'lei'). Romania has not adopted the euro. As of mid-2026, $1 trades at roughly 4.5–4.7 RON (and €1 at roughly 5.2 RON) — check a live rate before you go, since it moves.