Ialomita · Polovragi · Comarnic · official fares
Which cave do you visit?
Three caves with officially published programs and fares: Ialomita, Polovragi and Comarnic. Below: the verdict by what you want, the fare comparison and the measured drives.
The quick verdict
Pick by what you want: the Bucegi classic, the minimum budget or the wild adventure. Fares are as published by the administrators.
| The Bucegi classic | Ialomita Cave | At 1,660 m, in the Ialomita gorge. Daily: summer 9:00–17:30, winter 9:00–16:00. Adult 30 lei, reduced 15; under-6 free. |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum budget | Polovragi Cave | Adult 20 lei, child and pupil 10. Daily 9:00–17:00, Monday–Sunday. About 800 m to visit, with Geto-Dacian legends. |
| The wild adventure | Comarnic Cave | Apr–Oct only, with guide: Sat–Sun min group 5, Mon–Fri by 24 h request. Under 5 people you pay 5 tickets: 35/20 lei. |
| With kids | Polovragi Cave | The cheapest child ticket: 10 lei to age 18. An easy visit, no booking announced. At Ialomita, under-6s enter free. |
| Winter | Ialomita Cave | The only one with a published winter program: 1 Oct–30 Apr, daily 9:00–16:00. Comarnic is Apr–Oct only; Polovragi shows no season split. |
| Cave + monastery | Polovragi | Next to Polovragi Monastery and Polovragi Forest — all three on the operator page. Adult 20 lei, daily 9–17. |
Access, measured by road
The three caves sit in the Bucegi, Gorj and Banat; below, the drives from four cities.
Method: OSRM car routes on OpenStreetMap, measured on 17 September 2026. Times are continuous driving, no stops, one way.
| From | To | km | min |
|---|---|---|---|
| București | Polovragi | 248.0 | 234 |
| București | Peștera Ialomiței | 167.0 | 164 |
| București | Iabalcea (Comarnic) | 498.3 | 441 |
| Cluj-Napoca | Polovragi | 344.8 | 323 |
| Cluj-Napoca | Peștera Ialomiței | 356.4 | 369 |
| Cluj-Napoca | Iabalcea (Comarnic) | 350.3 | 271 |
| Timișoara | Polovragi | 351.5 | 351 |
| Timișoara | Peștera Ialomiței | 485.5 | 432 |
| Timișoara | Iabalcea (Comarnic) | 110.9 | 125 |
| Craiova | Polovragi | 118.6 | 152 |
| Craiova | Peștera Ialomiței | 258.7 | 256 |
| Craiova | Iabalcea (Comarnic) | 267.3 | 290 |
Shortest drive on the list: Timisoara–Iabalcea (Comarnic), 110.9 km / 2 h 05 (measured).
Map
Positions from each site's coordinates; towns for orientation. Relief: Copernicus GLO-90 model. Scale bar: 50 km.
The caves, one by one
Official fares, compared
Published by the three administrators. At Comarnic you enter only with a guide and a group of 5; at Ialomita, fares come from HCJD 531/2025.
| Cave | Fare | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Polovragi | adult 20 · child/pupil 10 | daily 9–17 |
| Ialomita | adult 30 · reduced 15 | daily; winter 9–16, summer 9–17:30 |
| Comarnic | adult 35 · pupil/student 20 | Apr–Oct; min group 5 |
At Ialomita, under-6 free; reductions need documents. At Comarnic, under 5 people you pay 5 tickets.
Polovragi the cheapest
- Adults 20 lei; children and pupils to age 18 10 lei.
- Daily 9:00–17:00, Monday–Sunday. About 800 m to visit.
- The Zamolxe legend; next to Polovragi Monastery and Forest.
Visiting: Walk straight in, no booking announced on the site.
Ialomița all year
- Daily: summer (1 May–30 Sep) 9:00–17:30; winter (1 Oct–30 Apr) 9:00–16:00.
- From 1.01.2026 (HCJD 531/2025): full 30 lei; reduced 15 (pupils, day students with documents, pensioners with coupon).
- Under-6 free; published disability exemptions. Contact: 0753022125.
Visiting: In Moroeni, Dambovita, at 1,660 m; daily entry, no booking announced.
Comarnic Apr–Oct, min 5
- April–October season. Sat–Sun guide for min group 5; Mon–Fri by 24 h request only, still min 5.
- Under 5 people, you pay 5 tickets: 35 lei/adults, 20 lei/pupils and students.
- The dry level, 1,750 m of 6,201; about 10 C. The park gives helmet and headlamp; mountain clothing required.
Visiting: From Resita on DN58 to Anina, km 9 left to Iabalcea, on to the Padina Seaca forestry canton; then 45 min on foot or by car.
Scărișoara and Meziad remain outside this three-cave comparison. For Meziad, CAPDD Bihor’s Pădurea Craiului page dated 4 May 2026 lists visiting hours and fares: 40 lei for adults and 30 lei for children aged five to 18. The cave’s own site shows 37 lei for adults, 25 lei for children and a 2025 schedule; check the applicable fare with the administrator before visiting. The Ursilor site is unavailable; Muierii and Dâmbovicioara appear in travel-agency offers.
Practical
Tickets
Polovragi 20/10 lei, Ialomita 30/15, Comarnic 35/20 — all from the official pages. At Ialomita, reductions need documents.
Bookings
Only Comarnic needs arranging: Mon–Fri 24 h ahead, min group 5. Ialomita and Polovragi take visitors daily, no booking announced.
Money
The pages for the three caves in this comparison do not say how to pay. For Meziad, CAPDD Bihor lists cash and card, but its published rates differ from the cave’s own site, which gives a 2025 schedule. Confirm the applicable fare with the administrator. At Comarnic, groups of fewer than five pay for five tickets.
Bases
Timisoara is closest to Comarnic (110.9 km); Craiova to Polovragi (118.6); Bucharest to Ialomita (167.0). From Cluj everything is a long drive: 345–356 km.
Questions
Which cave should I pick?
The all-year classic: Ialomita. Minimum budget and kids: Polovragi. The helmet-and-headlamp adventure: Comarnic, April–October only.
Do I need a booking?
At Comarnic yes, on working days: 24 h request, min group 5 — and under 5 people you pay 5 tickets. Ialomita and Polovragi announce no required booking.
What gear do I need?
At Comarnic the park requires mountain footwear and clothing (about 10 C, damp) and provides helmet plus headlamp. The other two publish no gear requirements.
Can I pay by card?
The pages for the three caves in this comparison do not say how to pay. CAPDD Bihor says Meziad accepts cash and card, but its published rates differ from the cave’s own site. Ask the administrator which fare applies before visiting. The comparison uses the fares published for Polovragi, Ialomita and Comarnic.
Is it open in winter?
Ialomita publishes a winter program: 1 Oct–30 Apr, daily 9–16. Comarnic is April–October only. Polovragi shows daily 9–17 with no season split.
How long is the drive?
Measured examples: Timisoara–Iabalcea 110.9 km / 2 h 05; Craiova–Polovragi 118.6 / 2 h 32; Bucharest–Pestera 167.0 / 2 h 44; Cluj–Polovragi 344.8 / 5 h 23.
Sources
- Polovragi — fares and hours
- Ialomita — program and visiting fees
- Ialomita — official presentation
- Comarnic — park administration page
- Comarnic — English edition
- Semenic–Cheile Carasului park — approved rules and tariffs
- CAPDD Bihor — Meziad Cave (Pădurea Craiului page, 4 May 2026)
- CAPDD Bihor — Peștera Meziad (Romanian page, 4 May 2026)
- Meziad Cave — site page showing 2025 hours and fares
Further
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