Highways in Romania

Highways in Romania. The white middle line depicts sections in use, dotted middle line depicts sections under construction, while light green represents proposed expressways.

Controlled-access highways in Romania are dual carriageways, grade separated with controlled-access, designed for high speeds. There two types of highways, motorways (Romanian: Autostrăzi) and expressways (Romanian: Drumuri expres), with the main difference being that motorways have emergency lanes and slightly wider lanes. The maximum allowed speed limit is 130 km/h (81 mph) and only 80 km/h (50 mph) during poor conditions, while for expressways the limit is 120 km/h (75 mph). There are no toll roads, but a road vignette is required.

The first construction works began in 1967, and the first highway segment was opened in 1972. However, extension of the high-speed road network lagged behind until after EU accession in 2007. Decreased corruption and improved utilization of the allocated EU funds in recent years, enabled Romania to speed up the expansion of its highway network.

Only A2 and A10 are completed, while A1 is mostly completed with all its remaining sections currently being built. A3 has five segments that are currently in use, with most of the remaining ones being in various stages of construction or tendering. A4, A6, A7 and A11 currently have only small segments in use. DEx12 was the firs expressway to be opened in 2022. Construction contracts for all of A0 and A7, and part of A13, are in various stages of execution or tendering. As of 28 July 2022, there are 978.288 km of highways in service,, with another 450 km with signed contracts in various stages of execution, and another 350 km being tendered.

Legislation

In 2012, legislation amendments defined two types of highways: motorways (Romanian: Autostrăzi) and expressways (Romanian: Drumuri expres). Motorways are identified by A followed by a number. Expressways are identified by DEx followed by a number.

There are almost no tolls for using roads in Romania, with exception of large briges. There is one at the Giurgeni – Vadu Oii Bridge over the river Danube on highway DN2A at Vadu Oii and one at the Cernavodă Bridge, on the A2 motorway. Nevertheless, every owner of a car that uses a motorway (A), an expressway (DEx) or a national road (DN) in Romania must purchase a vignette (rovinietă) from any of the main petrol stations or at any post office throughout the country.

The main differences are that motorways have wide emergency lanes (3 m) and slightly wider traffic lanes (by 3.75 versus 3.5 m). Expressways only have a narrow 1.5 m gravel roadside on the right side, added to the 0.5 m asphalted road edges, and may not have acceleration and deceleration lanes in mountainous areas. The maximum allowed speed limit is 130 km/h (81 mph) (80 km/h (50 mph) during poor conditions), while expressways have a maximum speed limit of 120 km/h (75 mph). Generally, feasibility studies for motorways have a minimum projected speed of 100 km/h, while for expressways, it is reduced to 80 km/h.

History

First projects

See also: A1, A2, and A3

Motorway plan of 1969 (in red) and the motorways opened by 23 March 2018 (in green)

The construction of the first motorway in Romania began in 1967, and the first segment of the A1 motorway, from Pitești to the capital Bucharest was opened in 1972 with a total length of 96 km. During the building of this motorway, a general plan was released in 1969, detailing the building of motorways in the incoming years, however, due to low volumes of traffic, the communist regime focused on improving current roads instead. Until the collapse of the communist regime in 1989, the building of a second motorway between Bucharest and Constanța had been planned, but only an 18 km long segment of A2 from Fetești to Cernavodă opened in 1987.

In the 1990s, the transition from a centralized economy to a market economy severely limited investment into infrastructure projects, and the entire motorway network totaled 113 km for many years until the construction project of A2 was resumed in 1998. Actual construction began in 2001, and three segments were finally opened in 2004 (Bucharest – Fundulea – Lehliu – Drajna) and another in 2007 (Drajna – Fetești) totaling around 130 km. The A1 motorway was extended also in 2007 with the Pitești bypass. A large sector of A3, termed "Transylvania Motorway", was awarded controversially in 2004 without bidding to the American Bechtel Corporation. Large cost overruns and delays ensued for this project, and after political controversies, most of the contracts were cancelled, and only some 50 km of the Cluj bypass (Gilău – Turda – Câmpia Turzii) were opened between 2009 and 2010, at much larger costs than initially signed in the contract.

Accessing EU funds

See also: A4, A6, A7, A10, A11, and DEx12

Controlled-access network size

Year	Opened (km)	Total (km)
1972	96	96
1987	17.5	113.5
2004	97.3	210.8
2006	50.2	261
2009	41.5	302.5
2010	27.8	330.3
2011	69.1	399.4
2012	116.8	516.2
2013	117.9	634.1
2014	49	683.2
2015	40.7	723.9
2017	24.1	748.1
2018	46.7	794.8
2019	43.3	838.1
2020	61.9	900
2021	38.5	938.4
2022	39.9	978.3

After joining the European Union in 2007, Romania was able to access funds for infrastructure development more easily, especially for those part of the Pan-European Corridor IV overlapping with A1 and A2 motorways. Many segments of the A1 motorway were started, and by the end of 2011 around 85 km were partially or fully opened: A1 segments Timișoara – Arad and Sibiu bypass; A2 segment Murfatlar – Constanța; A4 Constanța bypass and A11 Arad bypass. In 2012 more segments were opened on A1 (Deva – Simeria), A2 (Cernavodă – Murfatlar), A4, and the first A3 segment not built by Bechtel (Bucharest – Ploiești). More segments were opened over the next few years: on A1 (part of Lugoj – Deva, Sibiu – Orăștie – Simeria, Arad – Nădlac, Timișoara – Lugoj), A6 (Balinț – Lugoj), and A4. A total of 726.6 km of motorways were in use in Romania in December 2015.

Political debates and changes in priorities of left-leaning parties after 2014 greatly slowed down motorway projects. Wit no new openings in 2016, a small segment part of Lugoj – Deva opening in 2017, almost halt of the A10 (Aiud – Turda), and part of A3 (Ungheni – Iernut, Gilău – Nădășelu, and the entrance into Bucharest) brought the total to over 800 km at the end of 2018. Two more segments of the A1 opened in 2019 (between Coșevița and Deva), providing an almost fully opened motorway (excluding a segment of 13.5 km) between the border with Hungary and Sibiu. In 2020, more segments were opened, on A3 (Biharia − Borș, Iernut − Chețani, Râșnov − Cristian), on A10 (Sebeș – Alba Iulia), and the first segment of A7 (Bacău bypass) bringing the total to over 900 km of highways. In 2021, A10 completely opened (Alba Iulia – Aiud) and a segment of A3 (Târgu Mureș – Ungheni) opened to traffic. In 2022 the first segment of an expressway-class road in Romania open for traffic, the DEx12 expressway: between Balș and Slatina (16.0 km), and Slatina bypass.

Current projects

See also: A0, A8, A9, and A13

The official highway plan, proposed by the Ministry of Transport and CNADNR (CNAIR) in 2014.

As of December 2022, over 450 km of controlled-access roads have contracted for construction. These contracts include: part of A3 (some 55.9 km), all segments of the A1 between Sibiu – Pitești (122.1 km), some 3/4 of A0 Bucharest Ring Motorway (74.6 km), as well as several segments of A7 (49.3 km). Contracts have been signed to complete the DEx12 expressway link to Craiova, and the A3 missing segment between Chețani – Câmpia Turzii (15.7 km) segment was resigned after a previous contract was cancelled at 40%.

Currently the only completed motorways are A2 and A10. The unfinished segments of A1 and A3 are in various stages of tendering and construction, with multiple segments likely to finish by 2022–2025.

A few more motorways have received active discussion, including the termed A0 Bucharest Motorway Ring Road as an outer ring to the Bucharest Ring Road, with construction contracts signed or tendered for all of its 100 km length. The A7 motorway, between Ploiești and the border with Ukrain, has been planned to be part of the Pan-European Corridor IX, but so far only the Bacău bypass has been built. However, PNRR funding is ensured for most of its segments, with tendering contracts existing for its first 320 km till Pașcani. Beyond Pașcani, the Corridor IX is envisioned to be covered by the A8 (the East–West Motorway, a link between Moldavia and Transylvania), with the first construction contracts expected to be signed in 2023. Highways crossing the Carpathian Mountains have been delayed due to large costs, with debates on whether to build the A3 (through long-term concession contracts) or the A1 (EU funds would cover most of the cost). The A13 motorway is planned to serve as an alternative to link the A1 and the A3, then to the A7 near Bacău, with the first 65 km currently being tendered.

A9 is planned to link A1 to Serbia, with plans to sign the first construction contracts not earlier than 2023. Expressways extending the current A11 as well as the DEx6 linking Galați and Brăila are currently being constructed. Plans to extend the current network with expressways exist for A4, A5 (planned to link to Bulgaria), A6, and A14 corridors, as well as several other smaller ones.

Future timeline

Contracted segments with estimated openings:

2022

• A1 motorway: Pitești - Sibiu, section 1 between Boița - Sibiu (13.17 km) (December)

2023

• A0 motorway, Bucharest South Ring (51.195 km), section 1and 2 between Căldăraru (A2) - Sintești (16.93 km) and Sintești - Bragadiru (16.3 km)
• A0 motorway, Bucharest North Ring (49.57 km): section 2 between Corbeanca - Afumați, subsection DN1 - A3 (10.1 km)
• A3 motorway: Topa Mică - Suplacu de Barcău (3B), section 3B5 between Nușfalău - Suplacu de Barcău (13.554 km)
• DEx4 expressway: Brăila - Jijila including Brăila Bridge linking DN2B - DN22 (7.955 km )
• DEx6 expressway between Brăila (DEx4) - Galați (10.763 km)
• DEx12 expressway: Craiova - Pitești, section 3 between Valea Mare - Colonești (31.75 km)

2024

• A0 motorway North: section 2 and 4 between Corbeanca - Afumați, subsections Corbeanca - DN1 / A3 - Afumați (8.9 km), and between Pantelimon (DN3) - Căldăraru (A2)(4.47 km)
• A0 motorway South: section 3 between Bragadiru - Bâcu (17.965 km)
• A3 motorway: Gilău - Topa Mică, section 3A2 between Nădășelu - Topa Mică (16.80 km)
• A3 motorway: Topa Mică - Suplacu de Barcău, section 3B1 and 3B2 between Topa Mică - Sutoru (13.26 km) and Sutoru - Poarta Sălajului (12.24 km)
• A3 motorway: Ogra - Câmpia Turzii, section 3 between Chețani - Câmpia Turzii (15.691 km)
• A7 motorway: Dumbrava - Buzău, section 1 and 2 between Dumbrava - Baba Ana (21.0 km) and Baba Ana - Stâlpu (28.35 km)
• A7 motorway: Buzău - Focșani, section 1 and 4 between Buzău - Vadu Pășii (4.6 km) and Milcovul - Petrești (10.94 km)
• DEx11 expressway: the Oradea West bypass between DJ797 - Biharia (A3) (13 km)
• DEx12 expressway: section 1 and 4 between Craiova - Spineni (17.7 km) and Colonești - Catanele (31.815 km)
• DEx14 expressway: Satu Mare - Oar (M49 - Hungary) (10.831 km, not yet tendered)

2025

• A1 motorway: Pitești - Sibiu, section 5 between Pitești - Curtea de Argeș (30.349 km)
• A3 motorway: Suplacu de Barcău - Borș, section 3C2 between Chiribiș - Biharia (28.55 km)
• A7 motorway: Focsani - Bacau, section 1, 2, and 3 between Focsani - Domnesti Targ (35,60 km), Domnesti Targ - Racaciuni (38,78 km), and Racaciuni - Bacau (21,52 km)
• A7 motorway: Dumbrava - Buzau, section 3 between Pietroasele - Buzau (13,9 km)

2026

• A1 motorway: Deva - Lugoj, section 2E between Holdea - Margina (9.13 km)

2027

• A1 motorway: Pitești - Sibiu, section 4 between Curtea de Argeș - Tigveni (9.861 km)
• A1 motorway: Pitești - Sibiu, section 3 between Tigveni - Copăceni (37.4 km)
• A13 motorway: Sibiu - Făgăras, section 4 between Sambata de Sus - Făgăras (16,2 km, tendered)

2028

• A1 motorway: Pitești - Sibiu, section 2 between Copăceni - Boița (31.33 km)

In total, some 659 km of highways and expressways are currently tendered or contracted to be built by 2028.

List

Highways in Romania

Motorway (A) Expressway (DEx)		From	Route	To	Planned (km)	Under construction (km)	In service (km)
Number	Name
A0	Bucharest Ring	Bucharest	– – –	Bucharest	100.765	74.6	0
Intended to serve as an outer ring to the existing Bucharest Ring Road. The first segment awarded for construction was on the Southern half in 2018. Currently, construction contracts for 5 of the 7 segments have been signed, with the first openings due in 2023.
A1	Transcarpathian	Bucharest	Bucharest Ring Road – – – Pitești – – Sibiu – – Deva – – Lugoj – Timișoara – – Arad	Nădlac → Hungary	582.056	135.3	446.785
Bucharest–Pitești (109.66 km), Sibiu–Holdea (175.71 km), and Margina–Nădlac (159.56 km) sections are operational. Construction contracts have been signed for all the remaining segments, with Holdea–Margina tunnels (13.16 km) in project phase, while the Pitești–Sibiu section (122.11 km) scheduled for a first opening in late 2022.
A2	Sun	Bucharest	Bucharest Ring Road – – Fetești – Cernavodă –	Constanța	203.00	—	203.00
Operational on the entire length since 2012, the first fully completed motorway in Romania.
A3	Transilvania	Bucharest	Bucharest Ring Road – – – Ploiești – – Brașov – Sighișoara – – Târgu Mureș – – Cluj-Napoca – Zalău – Oradea –	Borș → Hungary	~600	55.9	171.65
Bucharest–Ploiești (62.79 km), Râșnov–Brașov (6.30 km), Târgu Mureș–Chețani (36.1 km), Câmpia Turzii–Nădășelu (61.25 km), and Oradea–Borș (5.35 km) sectors are operational. The exits to DN73 at Cristian (3.56 km) and DN15 at Târgu Mureș (4.70 km), although not part of A3, are built to expressway standards. The status of the Făgăraș–Târgu Mureș segment (108.0 km) remains unclear.
A4/DEx4	Dobrogea	Brăila	Tulcea – Ovidiu – – Constanța – Agigea – Mangalia	Vama Veche → Bulgaria	270	19.095	22.20
Only Constanța bypass is motorway and in use. Brăila–Constanța (187.7 km) and Agigea–Vama Veche (60.0 km) planned as expressway sections. A first section Brăila–Jijila (19.095 km) is under construction, including the [Brăila Bridge]], and likely to be extended with the Techirghiol bypass in the near future.
A5	Vlasia	Bucharest	– Giurgiu	Giurgiu → Bulgaria	~55	0	0
Unclear status, with "A5" initially designated as Sibiu - Brașov.
A6	Southern	Lugoj	– Lugoj – Drobeta-Turnu Severin – Craiova – – Alexandria –	Bucharest	450 (version)	0	11.40
Opened only between Lugoj and the junction with A1. Feasibility studies for Bucharest - Alexandria and Filiasi - Dr.Turnu Severin - Dr.Turnu Severin - Lugoj sections have been tendered.
DEx6	Danube	Brăila	DN221B - DN2B	Galați	10.763	10.763	0
Tendered in 2021 with a likely opening date in late 2023.
A7/DEx7	Moldova	Ploiești (Dumbrava)	– Ploiești (Dumbrava) – Buzău – Focșani – – Bacău – Roman – Pașcani – – Suceava –	Siret → Ukraine	~460	49.3	16.269
Only Bacău bypass (16.269 km) is in use. Starts from near Ploiești, Dumbrava, on A3-km 53. First contracts were signed in 2022 (16 km from), with the earliest likely opening in 2024. Contracts for all segments from Ploiești to Pașcani have been tendered or signed, with funding mandating to be fully completed by 2026. The Pașcani–Suceava–Siret segments are in planning phases, with the last segment from Milișăuți (near Rădăuți) to Siret possibly being designed as expressway.
A8	Union	Târgu Mureș	– Sovata – Târgu Neamț – – Pașcani – Iași	Ungheni → Moldova	311.07	0	0
East–West motorway between regions of Transylvania and Moldavia initially estimated to first open in 2009. Feasibility studies under currently under revision, with the first contracts to be tendered in 2023, and first openings by 2026. Planned to be completed by 2030.
A9	Banat	Timișoara	– Timișoara – Moravița	Moravița → Serbia	73.3	0	0
Intended to link Timișoara with Serbia's motorway network, with possible first tendered construction contracts in 2023.
A10	Mihai Viteazu	Sebeș	– Alba Iulia – Aiud –	Turda	70.00	—	70.00
Building started in 2013, with initial openings in 2018, operational on the entire length since 2021.
A11/DEx11	Crișana	Arad	– Oradea –	Biharia	~121	13	2.0
Only junction with A1 is operational since 2011. The first expressway segment (Oradea bypass) likely to be opened in 2023. Additional tendering planned for 2023. The Oradea West bypass (18.96 km) which is under construction, is DX standard of which 13 km will form DEx11.
DEx12	Oltenia	Pitești	– Slatina – Balș –	Craiova	121.19	82.34	38.85
Initially intended to be built as a motorway. The first segment opened in 2022, with only the segment Valea Mare–Spineni (38.85 km) currently operational. All the remaining segments are currently under construction.
A13	Carpathia	Sibiu	– Făgăraș – – Brașov – Sfântu Gheorghe – Onești –	Răcăciuni	280 (version)	0	0
Intended as a link between southern Transylvania and Moldavia. The first segments of the Sibiu–Brașov section were tendered in 2022. The other segments are in planning stages.
A14/DEx14	Northern	Botoșani	– Suceava – Vatra Dornei – Bistrița – – Dej – Baia Mare – Satu Mare	Oar → Hungary	420 (version)	0	0
The Satu Mare bypass was opened at expressway standards in 2022, 8.62 km (of its 13.87 km) being part of DX14. Feasibility studies are being finished for Satu Mare–Oar section (10.831 km), with likely tendering in 2023. Feasibility studies for Suceava–Baia Mare–Satu Mare are in early planning stages, likely to be mostly built as expressways. It is planned to intersect the expressway to Cluj and A3 between Dej and Apa.

Expressways

In addition to the expressways listed in the main table above, several other expressways have been planned, but which are unlikely to be completed by 2030.

Additional expressways being planned according to the CNAIR

Route	Label	Planned (km)	Notes
Turda (A3/A10) – DEx14 – Dej – Baia Mare – Halmeu → Ukraine	DEx15 Someș	250	DEx14 and DEx15 intersect between Dej and Apa.
Buzău (A7) – Făurei – Brăila – – Galați	DEx16/18/8 Muntenia	~98	The DX16 Buzău - Brăila segment has 98.0 km. The triangle with A7 is closed with the DX18 Brăila - Tecuci - Focșani expressway, named Milcovia highway.
Tișița (A7) – Tecuci – Bârlad – Albița → Moldova	DEx1 Basarabia	160	Intended as a connection between Bucharest and Chișinău.
A3 – Henri Coandă Airport		9.0
Găiești – Târgoviște – Ploiești		74.2
Craiova – Târgu Jiu		109
Craiova – Calafat		78.7
Drobeta-Turnu Severin – Calafat		72.8
Suceava – Botoșani		26.0
Bacău – Piatra Neamț		61.0
Focșani – Brăila – Galați - Giurgiulești		97.3
Pitești – Câmpulung – Brașov		124.0

Gallery

• 
  A1 motorway between Bucharest and Pitești, the first Romanian motorway
• 
  A1 motorway at Pitești bypass
• 
  A1 motorway at Sibiu bypass, opened in 2010.
• 
  A1 motorway near Timișoara
• 
  A2 motorway at Cernavodă, opened 1987
• 
  A2 motorway near Constanța at a junction with the A4 motorway
• 
  A2 motorway between Bucharest and Fetești
• 
  A3 motorway between Bucharest and Ploiești
• 
  A3 motorway between Turda and Cluj
• 
  A4 motorway (Constanța bypass)
• 
  A7 motorway at Bacău bypass
• 
  A11 motorway (Arad bypass)

See also

• Transport in Romania
• Roads in Romania
• List of controlled-access highway systems
• Evolution of motorway construction in European nations
• European routes
• List of roads and highways

External links

• Romanian National Company of Motorways and National Roads
• Interactive map of current motorway projects in Romania
• 130km.ro - news and updates (Ro)
• Community forum for status updates on the highways (Ro)
• http://www.cnadnr.ro/sites/default/files/STADIULPROIECTELORINDERULARE.pdf