# Where do you ski this winter?

Five resorts, five different answers. Below: the verdict by your base and budget, the comparator with official 2025–2026 pass prices, and measured road access.

## The quick verdict

- Weekend from Bucharest: Sinaia (+ Azuga on day two) — 140.6 km to Sinaia, 12.4 km on to Azuga: 25 slopes on Saturday, Sorica on Sunday. Sinaia pass 210/230 lei.

- The ski week: Poiana Brașov — 12 slopes, snow 4–5 months a year, 6-day pass 900 lei. The biggest resort; the priciest day rate: 240 lei.

- Minimum budget: Păltiniș off-peak — 115 lei for an adult day off-peak (29 Nov–19 Dec, 12 Jan–8 Feb, 2–15 Mar). Peak: 165 lei.

- Night skiing: Păltiniș or Poiana — Păltiniș: Wednesdays and Saturdays, 17:00–21:00. Poiana: the Bradul slope (430 m, easy).

- With small kids: Bușcat — Under-4s free, a beginners slope with babylift, adult day 170/195 lei. 60 km from Cluj.

- Pay per ride: Azuga (Sorica) — No day pass required: points cards, one ascent = 2 points. Day pass 220 lei with unlimited rides.

## Access, measured by road

- București → Sinaia: 140.6 km, 118 min

- Sinaia → Azuga: 12.4 km, 15 min

- București → Poiana Brașov: 187.4 km, 175 min

- Brașov → Poiana Brașov: 11.5 km, 19 min

- Sibiu → Păltiniș: 33.5 km, 42 min

- Cluj-Napoca → Băișoara: 37.1 km, 46 min

## The resorts, one by one

### Compare all five

- Poiana Brașov: 240 lei; 12; Bradul; Brașov: 11.5 km

- Sinaia: 210/230 lei; 25; —; Bucharest: 140.6 km

- Păltiniș: 115/165 lei; A, B, D, E; Wed + Sat; Sibiu: 33.5 km

- Azuga: 220 lei; Sorica + Cazacu; —; Sinaia: 12.4 km

- Bușcat: 170/195 lei; 6; —; Cluj: 37.1 km + 3

### Poiana Brașov

- «The biggest and most modern Romanian tourist resort» (official site); 12 slopes under Postăvaru, top 1799 m.

- Snow cover lasts 4–5 months a year; beginners get the Bradul and Stadion slopes.

- Night skiing on Bradul (430 m, easy); cards rechargeable online.

1-day pass 240 lei adult / 140 child (6–12); 6-day 900/480; from 14:00 only 100/60. Season 2025–2026.

### Sinaia

- 25 slopes from cota 2000 down to cota 1000, plus Valea Soarelui and Valea Dorului; 11 lifts.

- One PASS: a single card for all lifts; tickets online.

- Legal holidays and school holidays pay weekend rates.

1-day pass 210 lei (Mon–Fri) / 230 (weekend); 2-day 395; 3-day 520. Points cards 100–825 lei.

### Păltiniș

- 2025–2026 season: 29 Nov–15 Mar, in 3 off-peak and 2 peak periods.

- Night skiing Wednesdays and Saturdays, 17:00–21:00; slopes A, B, D, E plus a beginners band.

- Under-6s with a parent pass: 20 lei/day.

Mon–Fri adult day 115 lei off-peak / 165 peak; weekend 145 (off-peak); season 1995. Points: 30 pts 115 lei.

### Azuga

- Sorica + Cazacu ski domain, run by the town's company; tariffs set by council decision.

- Winter season 28 Nov 2025–28 Feb 2026; tariffs include VAT.

- One chairlift ascent = 2 points; the baby-ski band = 1 point.

Day pass 220 lei, unlimited rides; 4 hours 160; return trip 40. Points: 30 pts 190 lei, 60 pts 330.

### Bușcat

- Bușcat peak 1676 m, 60 km from Cluj-Napoca and 3 km from Băișoara; chairlift 3000 persons/hour.

- 6 slopes: green 1700 m, blue 1300, black 900, red 800, beginners 150 m with babylift, sled 200 m.

- Under-4s free; parking 30 RON/day, 50 overnight.

Adult day pass 170 lei (Mon–Fri) / 195 (weekend); 2-day 290; 5-day 620; season 2700. Under-120 cm reduced.

## Practical

### Passes
At Sinaia and Bușcat weekends cost more; at Păltiniș the period matters (off-peak or peak), not the day. Holidays and school breaks pay weekend rates at Sinaia.

### Season
Păltiniș publishes the whole calendar: 29 Nov 2025–15 Mar 2026. Poiana advertises snow 4–5 months a year. Azuga: winter season until 28 Feb 2026.

### Money
Cheapest adult day: Păltiniș off-peak, 115 lei. Priciest: Poiana, 240. Every price here is for the 2025–2026 season.

### Slope conditions
Snow cover changes daily — no table captures it. Check the operators' webcams before you go (links under Sources).

## Questions

### What is the cheapest ski day?
Păltiniș off-peak: 115 lei for an adult day. Next come Bușcat midweek (170) and Sinaia (210). Poiana is priciest: 240 lei.

### Where is there night skiing?
At Păltiniș (Wednesdays and Saturdays, 17:00–21:00) and on the Bradul slope at Poiana Brașov (430 m, easy). Sinaia, Azuga and Bușcat publish no night hours.

### Why are Straja, Predeal and Rânca missing?
Straja: the official site returned errors on every access on 17 September 2026. Predeal and Rânca: no official tariff page found. With no official source we publish no figures.

### When does the season start?
Păltiniș opens 29 November 2025; Azuga sells its winter season from 28 November 2025. Poiana promises snow 4–5 months a year, with no fixed opening date.

### Where do I take a beginner?
Bușcat (beginners slope with babylift, near Cluj) or Poiana (Bradul/Stadion). At Azuga you pay per ride, not per day — good for the first hours.

### How far is it from Bucharest?
Sinaia 140.6 km / about 2 h; Poiana 187.4 km / about 3 h (measured). Brașov to Poiana: 11.5 km. Cluj to Bușcat: 37.1 km + 3.

## Sources

- [Poiana — 2025–2026 cards](https://www.discoverpoiana.ro/ro/cartele)

- [Poiana — slopes (status, night)](https://www.discoverpoiana.ro/ro/partii)

- [Poiana — live webcam](https://www.discoverpoiana.ro/ro/webcam-live)

- [Sinaia — tariffs & hours](https://sinaiago.ro/partiile-de-schi-tarife/)

- [Sinaia — the ski slopes](https://sinaiago.ro/partiile-de-schi/)

- [Păltiniș — 2025–2026 prices](https://paltinisarena.ro/iarna/preturi.html)

- [Păltiniș — season calendar](https://paltinisarena.ro/iarna/program.html)

- [Azuga — HCL 129/2025, Sorica tariffs (PDF)](http://hotarari.ro/files/azuga/2025/hcl-129-2025-110404/hcl-129-2025-110404.pdf)

- [Bușcat — 2025–2026 prices](https://buscat.ro/preturi/)

- [Bușcat — slopes & access](https://buscat.ro/despre/)