Orsova · Drobeta · Danube Clisura · published fares
How do you see the Cazane gorge?
The Danube gorge with published programs and fares: the Orsova cruises, the Iron Gates Museum and the Clisura road. Below: the verdict by what you want, the fare comparison and the measured drives.
The quick verdict
Pick by what you want: the classic cruise, the full day on water or the museum. Fares are as published by the operator and the museum.
| The classic cruise | Orsova, Route 5 | The most popular: 90–110 min, 44 km — the Small and Great Cazane, Decebal, Tabula Traiana, Veterani, Ponicova. Adult 80–90 lei, child 50–80. |
|---|---|---|
| The full day on water | Orsova, Route 6 | 110–135 min, 56 km: all of T5 plus the Iron Gates I dam and the Ada-Kaleh island site. Adult 110–120 lei, child 80–120. |
| Private boat | Charter from Orsova | T4: 70–85 min, 34 km, 720 RON/boat. T5: 960, T6: 1,440; Premium 1,800–2,400. Private sunset 1,560 RON. |
| Museum day | Drobeta-Turnu Severin | The Iron Gates Region Museum + the Orsova branch. Tue–Sun 9–17 (last entry 16:30); Monday closed. Adult 40, child 10 lei. |
| By road, the Clisura | DN57 Moldova Noua–Orsova | The gorge sits in the Iron Gates Natural Park. By car you see the Danube from the bank; grottoes and caves you visit by boat, on T5/T6. |
| Sunset on the Danube | Orsova, at sunset | Group sunset ride: 150 normal / 130 reduced RON. Private: 1,560 RON. Book online, from the tickets page. |
Access, measured by road
The Iron Gates lie between Timisoara, Craiova and Bucharest; below, the drives to Orsova, Drobeta and Moldova Noua.
Method: OSRM car routes on OpenStreetMap, measured on 17 September 2026. Times are continuous driving, no stops, one way.
| From | To | km | min |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timișoara | Orșova | 200.4 | 183 |
| Timișoara | Drobeta-Turnu Severin | 226.2 | 208 |
| Timișoara | Moldova Nouă | 160.4 | 160 |
| Craiova | Orșova | 142.0 | 158 |
| Craiova | Drobeta-Turnu Severin | 110.5 | 130 |
| Craiova | Moldova Nouă | 245.6 | 280 |
| București | Orșova | 372.9 | 309 |
| București | Drobeta-Turnu Severin | 341.4 | 281 |
| București | Moldova Nouă | 476.6 | 431 |
Shortest drive on the list: Craiova–Drobeta, 110.5 km / 2 h 10 (measured).
The options, one by one
Published fares, compared
From the Orsova operator site and the museum page. For cruises, the low prices are the reduced/online ones.
| Run | Fare | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| T5 Orsova (most popular) | adult 80–90 · child 50–80 | 90–110 min, 44 km |
| T6 Orsova (full) | adult 110–120 · child 80–120 | 110–135 min, 56 km |
| T4 charter | 720 RON/boat | 70–85 min, 34 km |
| Iron Gates Museum | adult 40 · child 10 | Tue–Sun 9–17 |
At the museum, planetarium 20 lei. For cruises: Premium 140–200, group sunset 150/130, charters up to 2,400 RON.
Orșova 80–120 lei
- T5: 90–110 min, 44 km, 80–90/50–80 lei. T6: 110–135 min, 56 km, 110–120/80–120 lei (normal/reduced).
- Charter T4 720, T5 960, T6 1,440 RON; Premium 1,800–2,400; group sunset 150/130, private 1,560.
- Departing Orsova, Str. 1 Decembrie 1918 no. 9. Online tickets with discount; EN at en.watertaxi-orsova.ro.
Booking: Pick the route and buy the ticket on the tickets page before leaving.
Drobeta 40 lei
- Full ticket 40 lei adults / 10 lei kids; planetarium 20 lei.
- Tue–Sun 9:00–17:00, last entry 16:30; Monday closed. Bookings: +40 252 317 377.
- Independentei 2, Drobeta + branches: the Orsova Museum and the PF1 Hydro Museum.
Booking: Walk straight in; for groups call the bookings number.
Clisura by road
- The Cazane and the Iron Gates sit in the Iron Gates Natural Park (administration site).
- DN57 links Moldova Noua to Orsova along the Danube bank; measured distances below.
- Decebal, Tabula Traiana, Veterani and Ponicova are on the boat route — by boat you see them all.
Booking: Craiova–Drobeta 110.5 km; Timisoara–Moldova Noua 160.4; Bucharest–Orsova 372.9 (measured).
The Eselnita/Dubova operators publish no fares; Drobeta cruises appear only in agency offers; cazaneledunarii.ro is a parked domain.
Practical
Tickets
Cruises T5 80–90/50–80 lei, T6 110–120/80–120; charters from 720 RON. Museum 40/10 lei, planetarium 20.
Bookings
For cruises buy online, with discount. At the museum walk in; group bookings at +40 252 317 377. The museum is closed Monday.
Money
A day on water: 80–120 lei per person. A museum day: 40 lei. A private charter starts at 720 RON/boat.
Bases
Timisoara–Orsova 200.4 km; Craiova–Drobeta 110.5; Bucharest–Drobeta 341.4. The Clisura starts at Moldova Noua (160.4 from Timisoara).
Questions
Which boat do I take?
From Orsova: T5 (90–110 min) or T6 (110–135 min), tickets 50–120 lei by route and age. T4 is charter only, 720 RON/boat. Other operators publish no fares.
Do I see Decebal without a boat?
Decebal, Tabula Traiana, Veterani Grotto and Ponicova Cave are on the Orsova boat route. By car, DN57 shows the gorge from the bank.
Do I need a booking?
For cruises buy the ticket online, with discount. At the museum walk in; group bookings at +40 252 317 377.
What does a private boat cost?
Charter from Orsova: T4 720, T5 960, T6 1,440 RON; Premium 1,800–2,400. Private sunset or swim: 1,560 RON each.
Is the museum open Monday?
No: Tue–Sun 9–17, last entry 16:30. On Monday go on water or on road, not to the museum.
How long is the drive?
Measured examples: Craiova–Drobeta 110.5 km / 2 h 10; Timisoara–Orsova 200.4 / 3 h 03; Bucharest–Orsova 372.9 / 5 h 09.