DN7C · Fagaras
Transfagarasan: is it open?
Romania's greatest mountain road is open only a few months a year — and nobody knows the exact day in advance. Below: every season since 2015, historical odds by week, the Transalpina duel, and everything you need behind the wheel.
The road in brief
Transfagarasan · DN7C
- Curtea de Arges – Cartisoara, about 90 km of alpine hairpins
- High point: 2,042 m at the tunnel — the country's second-highest road
- Built 1970–1974, opened 20 September 1974
- Top Gear called it the world's best road in 2009
- Daytime traffic only, 07:00–21:00, on the alpine sector; no toll, but the rovigneta is required
- No fuel on the pass: fill up at Cartisoara (north) or Curtea de Arges (south)
Transalpina · DN67C
- Novaci – Sebes, about 140 km; the 1930s King's Road, paved in the late 2000s
- Urdele Pass, 2,145 m — the highest road in Romania
- Wider and more flowing than the Transfagarasan, with open alpine plateaus
- 30 km/h limit on the alpine sector; Ranca (1,600 m) stays reachable in winter from Novaci
- Typical non-stop time: about 2 h 45 (Transfagarasan: about 3 h)
Can I drive it in my week?
Pick a week of the year. We show in how many of the last 11 finished seasons (2015–2025) the full crossing was open — Transfagarasan and Transalpina separately.
History guarantees nothing: snow decides every June and every October. Check the CNAIR dispatch before leaving: dispecerat.andnet.ro, +40 21 264.33.33.
Every season, 2015–2026
Full-crossing opening and closing each year. ● means an official statement or multiple sources; ○ means a single archive. 2026 closings are estimates (~1 November).
| Year | Opened | Closed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | TF | 12 June 2026 ● | 1 November 2026 ◌ |
| 2026 | TA | 29 May 2026 ○ | 1 November 2026 ◌ |
| 2025 | TF | 6 June 2025 ● | 5 October 2025 ○ |
| 2025 | TA | 6 June 2025 ● | 5 October 2025 ○ |
| 2024 | TF | 7 June 2024 ● | 12 November 2024 ● |
| 2024 | TA | 1 June 2024 ● | 8 November 2024 ○ |
| 2023 | TF | 21 June 2023 ○ | 6 November 2023 ○ |
| 2023 | TA | 16 June 2023 ○ | 6 November 2023 ○ |
| 2022 | TF | 15 June 2022 ○ | 17 November 2022 ● |
| 2022 | TA | 1 June 2022 ● | 17 November 2022 ● |
| 2021 | TF | 28 June 2021 ● | 25 October 2021 ○ |
| 2021 | TA | 16 June 2021 ○ | 18 October 2021 ○ |
| 2020 | TF | 1 July 2020 ○ | 20 October 2020 ○ |
| 2020 | TA | 23 May 2020 ● | 20 October 2020 ○ |
| 2019 | TF | 29 June 2019 ○ | 4 November 2019 ○ |
| 2019 | TA | 5–6 June 2019 ● | 29 October 2019 † ○ |
| 2018 | TF | 1 July 2018 ○ | 11 November 2018 ○ |
| 2018 | TA | 16 May 2018 ○ | 20 October 2018 ○ |
| 2017 | TF | 16 June 2017 ○ | 1 November 2017 ○ |
| 2017 | TA | 26 May 2017 ○ | 23 October 2017 ○ |
| 2016 | TF | 18 June 2016 ○ | 1 November 2016 ○ |
| 2016 | TA | 11 June 2016 ○ | 1 November 2016 ○ |
| 2015 | TF | 27 June 2015 ● | 2 November 2015 ‡ ● |
| 2015 | TA | 16 May 2015 ○ | 1 November 2015 ○ |
† Announced 5 June by one source, 6 June by another.
‡ Actually closed 2 November; planned 31 October.
Transfagarasan or Transalpina?
Short answer: the Transfagarasan is the show, the Transalpina is the drive. Both are worth it — with one day, pick by what you want.
| Highest point | 2,042 m (tunnel) | 2,145 m (Urdele) — national record |
|---|---|---|
| Character | Tight hairpins, walls, tunnel | Wide curves, open plateaus |
| Non-stop time | About 3 h | About 2 h 45 |
| Crowds | Heavy in July–August | More breathing room |
| When closed | Ends: Piscu Negru / Balea Waterfall + cable car | Novaci – Ranca stays open |
| First time? | If you want the legend | If you want the drive |
Altitude profile
Schematic, not a survey. Marked altitudes are verified; the rest is illustrative.
Driving: what you need to know
The Balea cable car
When the road is closed, Balea Lake (2,034 m) is reachable only by cable car from Balea Waterfall (3.7 km). It runs daily about 09:00–17:00, fixed departures, minimum 10 people; stops in bad weather. The 2026 timetable wasn't public when researched — call first: +40 725 210 610.
Bears
Don't feed or follow bears; feeding is illegal and fined. At an encounter: keep distance, don't run, call 112.
Help
Mountain rescue (Salvamont): 0725 826 668 or 112 (with GPS position). Nearest big ER is Sibiu; southward, Pitesti / Curtea de Arges.
Rules
Alpine sectors run daytime only (07:00–21:00), with low limits (30–40 km/h). The rovigneta is mandatory; the Balea Tunnel (~885 m) is unlit — headlights on.
Closed? From the south you get to Piscu Negru / Capra gate, from the north to Balea Waterfall — then the cable car to the lake.
Closed? The Novaci – Ranca stretch stays open (under 7.5 t); only Ranca – Obarsia Lotrului shuts.
Official live status: the CNAIR dispatch — dispecerat.andnet.ro, +40 21 264.33.33, 0800 800.301.
There is no search box on dispecerat.andnet.ro: use your browser's find (Ctrl+F or ⌘F) and type DN7C for the Transfagarasan or DN67C for the Transalpina. Ignore DN7CC — a different road near Jiblea.
What the CNAIR dispatch showed on 16 September 2026
DN7C · PISCUL NEGRU (AG) - BALEA CASCADA (SB) · km 104+000–130+800
2026-06-12 12:00 → 2026-10-15 23:00
Open since noon on 12 June 2026 between Piscu Negru and Balea Cascada, daily 07:00–21:00; closed at night. Listed as valid until 15 October 2026, 23:00.
Official wording (in Romanian)
Transfagarasanul s-a deschis astazi, 12.06.2026, incepand cu ora 12.00 : DN7C , sectorul cuprins intre Piscu Negru (km 104+000) si Balea Cascada (km 130+800), intre orele 07.00-21.00.
Pentru asigurarea sigurantei circulatiei rutiere si a participantilor la trafic, in intervalul orar 21.00-07.00, circulatia pe Transfagarasan este inchisa.
DN67C · RANCA (GJ) - CURPAT (SB) · km 34+800–79+200
2026-05-29 09:00 → 2026-10-31 20:00
Reopened on 29 May 2026 between Ranca and Curpat; 30 km/h limit, over 3.5 t banned, closed at night. Listed as valid until 31 October 2026, 20:00.
Official wording (in Romanian)
Incepand cu data de 29 mai 2026, s-a redeschis circulatia rutiera pe DN 67C - Transalpina, pe sectorul cuprins intre Ranca/GJ si Curpat/SB, in urma verificarii si receptiei sectorului de drum de catre o comisie formata din reprezentantii CNAIR, DRDP Craiova si DRDP Cluj. Mentionam ca limita de viteza va fi de 30 km/h, iar accesul autovehiculelor cu masa totala maxima autorizata mai mare de 3,5 este interzis.
Mentionam ca pe timp de noapte circulatia rutiera va fi inchisa, fiind deschisa pe zi astfel: -in perioada 29 mai - 30 iunie 2026, circulatia va fi permisa in intervalul orar 09:00 - 20:00 -in perioada 1 iulie - 31 august 2026, circulatia va fi permisa in intervalul orar 07:00 - 21:00. Participantii la trafic sunt obligati sa respecte semnalizarea rutiera instituita si restrictiile de circulatie existente pe acest sector de drum montan. In functie de conditiile meteorologice, circulatia rutiera poate fi restrictionata temporar sau inchisa pentru siguranta participantilor la trafic.Circulata rutiera este inchisa pe timpul noptii pe DN 67C Transalpina, din cauze obiective care tin de specificul acestei zone montane aflate la mare altitudine. Respectarea acestor restrictii este obligatorie pentru evitarea unor evenimente periculoase.
Questions
Is the Transfagarasan open now?
It depends on the date: the full crossing is usually open from June into late October. Check the planner above for historical odds and the CNAIR dispatch (dispecerat.andnet.ro) for today's status.
When does the Transfagarasan open in 2026?
On 12 June 2026, per CNAIR. Historically, openings fell between 6 June and 1 July.
Can I drive the Transfagarasan in October?
Often yes in early October, rarely late: closings came between 5 October and 17 November. Watch the forecast and leave in the morning.
Is there snow on the Transfagarasan in July?
Possible: snowbanks linger near the top in early July, and weather at 2,000 m turns fast. Bring warm layers even in August.
Can you drive it at night?
Not the alpine sector: official hours are 07:00–21:00. Mountain rescue regularly collects tourists caught out after dark.
Can I bring a caravan or trailer?
We found no published formal ban for the Transfagarasan; on the Transalpina, Novaci – Ranca is limited to 7.5 t. Hairpins and the tunnel make trailers a bad idea anyway.
Can you cycle it?
Yes — it's ridden legally, and the area hosts races (Tour of Sibiu). Weekend traffic and the unlit tunnel demand lights and strong nerves.
Which direction is prettier: north or south?
Both have fans; the classic is south → north: Vidraru Dam (166 m, 1966), Poenari Fortress (≈1,480 steps), then the climb to Balea. From the north you reach the lake and tunnel fast.
How long does the crossing take?
About 3 hours non-stop on the Transfagarasan, 2 h 45 on the Transalpina — but nobody does them non-stop. Allow a full day with Poenari and Balea.
Transfagarasan or Transalpina?
Legend and spectacle: Transfagarasan. Pure driving and smaller crowds: Transalpina. With two days, do both: they're about 3 hours apart.
What if I find the barrier closed?
Transfagarasan: south to Piscu Negru, north to Balea Waterfall + cable car. Transalpina: Novaci – Ranca stays open. Still, check the dispatch first.
Do I need a vignette or pay a toll?
No crossing toll, but the rovigneta is mandatory on both national roads. Fines are automatic, by camera.